Recent cases in which software publishers have taken legal action, including surprise raids by federal marshals at the offices of alleged violators, demonstrate the importance of carefully observing Guide Memo 62. Violations of software copyrights can subject the university and individual employees, including faculty, to severe penalties. Do not assume educational institutions are exempt from software licensing restrictions and costly penalties for violators of these restrictions.
Software licenses vary considerably among publishers.
Nevertheless, it is safest to assume that there must be one licensed copy of a software product for every personal computer or workstation on which the software may be activated. There may be exceptions to this rule, but be sure to verify any exception before you assume it exists. Internal Audit routinely checks observance of software licensing requirements of Guide Memo 62 as part of its ongoing departmental compliance audit program.