VMware, a subsidiary of Broadcom, is a leading player in virtualization and cloud computing. The company provides software that allows multiple operating systems to run on a single machine. This makes it essential for testing functions on multiple platforms without having them physically on hand.
The Licensing of Discord
While software publishers often turn a blind eye to piracy by mainstream users, the flexibility isn't the same when the piracy is carried out by a company. This is why VMware has filed a complaint against the US branch of Siemens, suspected of having used more VMware software than it had legally licensed.
The conflict began last September, when Siemens asked VMware to use the one-year support extension included in the contract. Siemens then provided the list of virtualization tools used, but the list far exceeded the number of licenses purchased according to VMware.
The software publisher reported the problem to its customer, but despite warnings, Siemens assured that its list was correct and threatened to sue VMware if the requested support was not provided. VMware then agreed to do so for 30 days, but "under protest." In October, Siemens attempted to provide a new list more in line with VMware's data, without explaining the initial discrepancy.
Siemens also reportedly refused a software audit, unlike other, more cooperative customers. This is what ultimately prompted VMware's complaint, which wants a jury trial. VMware doesn't explicitly call it piracy, but rather non-compliant use of its licenses—but in practice, this amounts to a form of piracy. It's possible that the two groups will eventually reach an agreement. amicable, however.
Source: The Register
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