Its message was clear: "If head teachers, school governors and even LEAs allow the use of illegal software then it may be a fast track to a criminal record."
In an announcement bulging with self-righteousness, "The Federation" underlined its threat (and made clear that this is a threat) with the launch of Operation Tracker.
The last thing that head teachers, school governors and LEAs need right now is a threat from a profit-making organisation masquerading as the saviour of civilisation. And the last thing any civilisation needs is for its teachers to be criminalised and thrown into jail.
FAST's ham-fisted approach to education displays a remarkable failure to grasp the first principles of how to exert influence. Any teacher could tell them that if you threaten to come down heavily on a child for failing to do something they don't see as a priority, the best response you can hope for is a flicked 'V' sign. If you want to influence people, get them on your side to begin with; threatening people just alienates them.
FAST should be more careful or it will find it gets a big 'V' sign flicked right back at it, in the form of increasing use of free and open source software in schools. The amount of open source software for schools is increasing in both variety and quality. Aside from the Linux operating system and office suites such as OpenOffice.org, there are products such as ATutor, Dokeos, Interact, Moodle and Site@School. There are organisations ready to provide help and advice for schools thinking of a move to free and open source software: The Open Source Consortium; The Birmingham-based Open Advantage; the Cutter Project; and SchoolForge UK to name a few.
The education sector is a huge market that currently spends vast sums on software licences from FAST members. Yet FAST's approach indicates a deep-rooted belief, verging on the arrogant, that the education sector needs "The Federation".
Certainly FAST's current approach cannot have been calculated to build a long-term relationship based on mutual support and respect. What it will do is bring closer the time when the education sector learns its most valuable lesson yet: That FAST needs it, not the other way round.
Talkback
FAST is the equivalent of the sadistic prefects at school - bullies who believe they have the power of authority on their side and use it to try and intimidate others.
The time is coming where FAST and the BSA will get what's coming to them. They're not interested in best practice, they are only interested in getting as much money as they can for themselves. Demanding money with menaces, if you like.
Self righteous, self opinionated, they should be stood up to and challenged wherever they raise their ugly heads.
Am I right? FAST would need a police investigation and/or a court order to go into a school.
Perhaps the schools can give them a (polite) gesture and refuse to let them in and send them packing.
Seriously though, what authority does FAST have? Or is it just a self proclaimed 'private police force'.
Lets hope they don't follow the lead of the BSA in USA who are working on threats and statistics that are also a concern..
The statistics being used to deliver thes threats are the minor part of the issue and in fact we feel the annual bleating (its been the same news story for the last 15 years) about the losses in the software industry are focusing attention on the wrong set of losses and costs being incurred.
Many managers don't realise that the BSA is offering very large rewards for employees and ex-employees to "snitch" on the boss! FAST and CAAST) Canadain Alliance Against Software Theft) may well go the same way
In USA the rewards scheme introduced in 2006 (was $US 50K initially in Feb 06) is now up to $US 200K - in UK its GBP 20,000 and in Sweden 500,000 Kronor.
This reward scheme does nothing for employer employee relationships and many organisations are "going down" because of this approach by the BSA.
We know all about the problems this reward scheme presents and have been for the last 15 years advising management all over the world on ways and means they can very simply protect themselves at our web site at http://www.pcprofile.com
They use a legal instrument called an Anton Pillar order which allows you 1 hour to get your lawyer to the site. You are unable to deny them access with a properly constucted Anton Pillar order!
The order will generally allow the "anti-piracy police" to remove not only sofware and records but also sieze the PCs you have on site.
You can read more about the Anton Pillar order that has been used very successfully at http://www.pcprofile.com/anton.htm