Two companies settle software copyright claims

Two companies, a door manufacturer and a dental laboratory network, have agreed to pay tens of thousands of dollars to settle Business Software Alliance (BSA) claims that they had unlicensed software on their computers.

TruStile Doors, a manufacturer of residential and commercial doors based in Denver, has agreed to pay $92,500 to settle BSA claims that it had unlicensed copies of Microsoft and Symantec software on its computers, the BSA said Monday.

The company has developed a software license management program, according to a BSA news release.

Sentage, a national network of dental laboratories and provider of other dental services, based in Minneapolis, has agreed to pay $80,000 to settle claims that it had unlicensed copies of Microsoft and Symantec software on its computers.

Both companies also agreed to delete all unlicensed copies of software installed on their computers, acquire any necessary replacement licenses, and implement stronger software license management practices, the BSA said.

BSA wants the settlements to "remind businesses of all industries about the high price of infringement and the importance of software compliance," Jenny Blank, BSA's senior director of legal affairs, said in a statement.

BSA offers rewards of up to $1 million for qualifying reports of unlicensed software, although actual awards are often much less.