Best Buy Hit With Restraining Order

[drjtech]

Remember this the next time you try to return a defective software package to Best Buy and get accused of attempted piracy:

Best Buy Hit With Restraining Order

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - A Texas software company sued Best Buy Co. (BBY) Inc. in federal court on Tuesday, alleging that the nation's largest consumer electronics retailer was using unlicensed versions of its diagnostic equipment.

In response, a U.S. District Court granted Winternals Software LP's request for a temporary restraining order.

The lawsuit by Austin-based Winternals alleges employees of Best Buy's computer-repair subsidiary, Geek Squad Inc., have been using pirated versions of the software since talks on a commercial licensing agreement broke off.

The suit accuses Best Buy and its subsidiaries of copyright infringement, circumvention of copyright infringement systems and misappropriation of trade secrets.

Best Buy officials did not immediately return a call from The Associated Press seeking comment.

According to the lawsuit, Winternals and Minnesota-based Best Buy began negotiating an agreement to use a Microsoft Windows-based systems recovery and data protection software last fall. The lawsuit says Best Buy broke off negotiations in February, saying it was no longer interested in the commercial license.

Each software copy costs $1,200 and the two companies were negotiating a deal for bundled software worth several million dollars, said Winternals attorney David Weaver of Vinson & Elkins LP.

Winternals plans to seek an undetermined sum for damages, Weaver said.

A hearing has been set for May 12 in Austin.

Meanwhile, Best Buy has 20 days to provide all copies of the software, identify who used the software and where it was found, and explain how each copy was obtained or duplicated, according to the restraining order.

[BJ_M]

someone rat'd them out it looks like

[AlecWest]

True story. I work for a large nationwide employer. Years ago, the first automated machinery came into the local plant. Each machine station had its own computer - and software (bought and paid for) was provided to run each station. But for some reason (snicker), the plant manager couldn't get any of the computers to load up the software. So, he called in our newly-hired techs to discern the problem (they'd never had computers before). After about a minute of poking around, the following brief conversation took place:

Technician: What operating system are you running?

Plant Manager: Uh - what's an 'operating system'?

Hehe. The technician went home, got his DOS 3.2 disks, and loaded DOS 3.2 on each computer. Then, the software they bought loaded up just fine.

Nowadays, our systems run on WinXP-Pro (all legit - I think, hehe). But for the first couple of years, our entire plant was running off the tech's multiple-load of DOS 3.2 because our ditzy plant manager didn't know what an "OS" was ... so he didn't buy one.

P.S. A few years later, the same plant manager sent out an urgent warning memo to all employees, warning them of the danger of the "Good Times" virus.

[hech54]

The only price listed for anything on Winternals web site is $499.
Just like buying a car....if you don't see a price on any of the cars on the lot....WALK AWAY.

CPR Suite, Registry Mechanic and Norton Ghost is good enough for me.

[thecoalman]

I heard some pretty bad things about that Geek Squad. Some things too the point of being negligent. Guy on another forum said he went to few houses where they had set up wireless networks and none of them were secured, one he said they had it connecting to the neighbors connection....

[SquirrelDip]

... one he said they had it connecting to the neighbors connection....

[adam]

I just read an article about how they are making the "Geek Squad" into a reality tv show. They will follow their technicians on their more interesting jobs (do these exist?) Supposedly they guys actually dress in black suits and sunglasses kinda like the men in black. Do they really do this?

God they will make a reality tv show about anything now.

[thecoalman]

... one he said they had it connecting to the neighbors connection....

No joke...... http://forums.techguy.org/reviews/396958-geek-squad-incompetent.html

Over the last three months, I've had opportunity to check out about ten or more wireless network setups done by the Geek Squad. I find that in all cases there was not one which had any form of security. All were open and unsecured. In all cases, the default name for the wireless device was left at the manufacturer's default and not one even had the default password changed.

The worst case I saw was today's late afternoon service call that ran on to about 8:30 PM. The Geek Squad had set up three wireless networks. One in the home I visited, one directly across the street and one just next door. All were done over a period of about six weeks. The customer complained that her wireless would just come and go at will. I discovered the Geek Squad had her connecting to the internet through the next door neighbor's computer and, in addition, all of the other conditions existed as stated in the above paragraph.

just read an article about how they are making the "Geek Squad" into a reality tv show.

Next it will be some dam reality lawyer show, that would be interesting. Watching a bunch of backstabbing bloodsuckers trying to get each other eliminated. :P Or trying to make alliances where you have to sign on the dotted line. Damn I should copyright and patent that idea so no one else can use it.

[SquirrelDip]

I wasn't doubting it - I just find it very funny that an expert would do this.

And one thing television could really use is another reality show!

[drjtech]

The only price listed for anything on Winternals web site is $499.

Winternals AdminPak is about $1200.00 per administrator:
http://www.winternals.com/products/administratorsPak/pricing.aspx?region=na

-drj

[Supreme2k]

Next it will be some dam reality lawyer show, that would be interesting.

I'm waiting for the "I Pwned You On A Message Board" reality show (copyright Supreme2k 2006)