Use of software registered to someone else

[belliott]

Hello,

I am involved in a small webdesign startup, and our designer does a lot of programming in Flash and Photoshop. My question is whether or not he can use his copies of Flash and Photoshop for commercial purposes if they are not registered in his name. Before anybody says it, NO, THE COPIES ARE NOT PIRATED. The last company he worked for bought the software and had him put it on his computer b/c he worked out of his house. It was his computer from the beginning, so when he left their organization, so went the software.

Net-net the software is registered to their company, but we wants to use it to produce our company's websites. Is it legal to use this software for commercial purposes like that?

Thanks everybody,
belliott

 

[djdj]

Everybody does it wink wink....

But if you really want to start up a real business, then Purchase a new one, its TAX deductable as a business expense, against any Profit you might make....

Also if it is not registered to him, he will probably not be able to update/upgrade the software, or any fixes unless he has the cd serial # to re-enter.

 

[TimC]

As a software writer myself, I just love these questions.

Sure, go ahead and take money out of my pocket. Make all the copies you want. Give them to all of your friends.

People wonder why GOOD software is so expensive, and the fact of the matter is that every copy that is legally purchased typically results in 10 or 15 people using the software. The price has to be high in order for ME to make a decent living!

This is a moral question. Regardless of what I say as a software writer, you are going to do whatever your morals allow you to do.

From an employment perspective, if you want to employ a designer who has morals that allow him to use illegal software, that is your decision.

 

[HomeGuru]

From a legal standpoint, if I were hired as attorney for the software company and/or the registered user (former company of the designer), I would sue and win.