The local 'union' of small and middlesized enterprises here in Flanders is organizing an inquiry amongst his members on the awareness of the issue of software licenses and the legal consequences of an inattentive position in this matter.

The questionaire is so clear in institutionalising an atmosphere of fear, uncertainty and doubt (Am I not at fault on any of the machines? Who can I trust to check? Are they out to get me? How much is this going to cost me?) that I have started doubting if there really is any other goal to it being held at all :-)

The one really to be accused of 'guilty by neglect' is unizo itself, no? In their eagerness to help draw a clear line between paying for your licenses and disrespectful piracy they utterly miss out on the legal open source option. Why is there no decent guide to their members in the quality, cost-effictiveness and assured legal possition given by the open source alternative(s)?

In fact: Why is an organization that should speak up for local small enterprises the precursor for the big (foreign) software companies?