Computers Unlimited and Adobe link arms for anti-piracy push

Resellers offered support on highlighting dangers of unauthorised software use

Distributor Computers Unlimited (CU) has launched an educational campaign to help its resellers stamp out unlicensed software use among their customers.

Trust Your Source was launched last week in tandem with Adobe and could eventually be extended to encompass some of CU’s other vendors.

Participating resellers must commit to buying £60,000 of Adobe products from CU annually. In return for this they will receive a Trust Your Source plaque and be offered support with marketing campaigns highlighting the risks associated with buying software from unauthorised sources.

Roy Edwards, Adobe business manager at CU, said the campaign was aimed
at its 50 to 100 most active Adobe partners.

“This will open up doors for resellers to talk to their customers and do software audits, which will lead to extra revenue,” he added.

According to IDC, the UK piracy rate increased fractionally to 27 per cent in 2008. Anti-piracy bodies such as the BSA have also become more militant, reaching settlements with a slew of UK firms for being under-licensed with Adobe and other large vendors.

“With piracy you could happily focus on the fact you could go to prison if you are caught,” said Edwards. “But we will be staying away from that message ­ this is about educating, not threatening people.”

Trust Your Source coincides with a wider anti-piracy drive by Adobe, and Edwards said the vendor is also working on initiatives to “stop piracy at source”.

In a statement, Philippe Briere, anti-piracy manager central Europe and UK at Adobe, said: “The BSA is doing much more to raise awareness and educate people about the risks of purchasing illegal software, and companies that are caught are now being named and shamed.

“As a result, it will become increasingly difficult to get away with buying and selling illegal software.”