Nail 'em... I'd do it for free.!.

I saw this posted someplace else and my first thought was ?you mean you have to offer cash for that??
The DOJ will assign an individual a number to report crime anonomously too. Use a payphone.

It'd seem likely that I would *never* hold down a job. Every single company I have ever worked for (all of them small businesses, though) have pirated software to some degree, because management was unwilling to spend the money for the real thing.

I work for a software company, so we feel it is incombent upon us to have zero tolerence for software theft, whether it is ours or someone else's software.

Everyone must sign a document acknowledging the policy and the potential to be fired for it.

Would I rat out my boss if I thought he was "trying" before he bought? Probably not. We have also had cases where we install once a PO has been signed.

If I thought on the other hand he hand no intention of buying (stealing in other words) or if it went on anyone else's computer but his own, I'd be reporting to the internal auditor for software compliance. With our customers we never install unlicensed software as it could violate our agreements with the vendors. We have discovered what could be illegal copies of software in the course of support, and we give the customer a deadline to become compliant.

James

In my case I didn't report him. He already had the IRS on his tail. I just left before he brought me down with him.

What about when the cheater is the owner of the company, and he has been cheating everybody for the entire history of the company?

Did I mention that he is proud of his "tough business practices".

See's what he does as the proper way to "negotiate" with customers and suppliers alike.

Keeps himself just enough out of the details to be responsible but not indictable.

Not to mention that he is well connected with the local courts and law enforcement.

Not to imply that the owner of the company I used to work for (over 5 years ago) does not deserve to go down. He just is smart enough to cover his tracks and gets rid of anyone who even looks like they are finding the skeletons.

It just isn't always easy, or possible to take a crooked boss down.

If the boss is well entrenched at the company, or their actions are part of the upper management culture of the firm, your best option is to exit gracefully and find a job where the company follows a code of ethics similar to your own.

Chas

Hmmm...

I would agree with Dawgit. Any boss that cheats, take em out and the sooner the better - before they get caught and you and everybody else goes down too !
Loyalty is earned but it can be lost as well

Criminals watch out for each other. Burn em all if they are involved. If somebody just can't bring themselves to report their cheating boss, check for skeletons in THEIR closet.

I have many years of experience in the corporate world and I totally agree with you. Dishonest people generally have one agenda...their own advancement and they don't care who gets stepped on in the process. However, I am a firm believer in what goes around comes around and experience has taught me that people who screw you over will eventually do it to themselves. You only hope you're around to see it. I am currently teaching (VB programming) at risk teenagers in an urban environment. I can't get this concept through to them. They tend to be fiercely loyal and think reporting a misdeed is "snitching". Their justice is to beat the "%$@#" out of the perpetrator. I have shared some of my experiences and occasionally I am able to get through the muck. These small victories let me know my efforts are not in vain. Any thoughts on how to better get through to my students?