Federation Against Software Theft

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The Federation Against Software Theft is a UK-based non-profit organization set up in 1984 by the British Computer Society's Copyright Committee to enforce the copyright of software publishers.

The federation's key objectives are to raise awareness regarding software copyright, address shortfalls in legislation, and enforce its members' rights under the law. It runs many membership schemes for publishers, users and resellers.

The federation was a shareholder in the for-profit company FAST Limited, which it described as its operation arm, with the two sharing their premises, staff and logo. In May 2007 FAST Limited was acquired by Computer Software Group.[1]

FAST Limited operates FAST Corporate Services and FAST Consultancy, the former promoting a standard (previously known as FAST Audit Certification) and the latter offering consultancy on software licence compliance, asset auditing and the FAST Standard for Software Compliance.

FAST's combination of profit and non-profit activities has often created confusion when FAST Limited's salespeople contact the staff of end-user organizations, who typically assume they are dealing with a not-for-profit body.[2][3] As a result, UK computer trade publication IT Week has led calls for FAST to create a clearer distinction between the federation and FAST Limited.[4][5] The federation has denied that any end-user confusion exists.[6]

Although the word Theft is included in the organisation's name (and in its slogan, Piracy is theft), the federation does not actually deal with the theft of copies of software. Rather, the company aims to sell software and software consultancy services.

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Computer Software Group acquires FAST", press release, 2007-05. Retrieved on 2007-05-10. 
  2. ^ Muncaster, Phil. "Complaints catch up with Fast anti-piracy", IT Week, 2006-07-03. Retrieved on 2007-03-02. 
  3. ^ Name withheld. "Firms should avoid contact with Fast", IT Week Letters, 2006-06-26. Retrieved on 2007-03-02. 
  4. ^ Bingley, Lem. "The case for breaking up Fast", IT Week, 2006-10-03. Retrieved on 2007-03-02. 
  5. ^ Bennett, Madeline. "Corporate IT Forum joins criticism of Fast", IT Week, 2006-07-17. Retrieved on 2007-03-02. 
  6. ^ Johnson, Bobbie. "Moral minefield awaits those in search of pirates", The Guardian, 2006-07-13. Retrieved on 2007-03-02. 
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