Photographer's Picks

"Being in the right place at the right time is everything in outdoor photography. I shot several photos of runners from this location in which the cliff across the lake was fully lit. The shots are nice, but the shadowed cliff in this shot seems to focus your eye on the runners."

"This experimental photograph was shot in Flandreau, SD for the upcoming Aberdeen Area Tribal Chairmen's Health Board Calendar. Shot at a slow shutter speed, it takes on an ethereal look."

"This landscape was shot for the 2007 Ute Health calendar. The colors caught my eye. I used a long focal length lens to capture the intricate nature of this landscape."

Technology Tidbit

Software piracy isn't just kids making copies of video games: many offices have one purchased program installed on multiple computers. Avoid the risk of hefty fines: educate your employees about piracy, and keep accurate records of all software purchases, licenses, and registrations. Software is as important as any other asset in your organization, and must be accounted for with the same diligence.

It's unlikely that software police will ever kick in the door of your office and look for pirated copies of software. If you do have unauthorized copies installed, however, a disgruntled or terminated employee may see that as a way to make trouble for you. It's important that you keep your software installs coordinated and documented. Office policy should forbid employees from downloading and/or installing software without approval. By educating your staff and implementing an organized software management policy, you can avoid putting your office at risk.

Many software licenses allow for a copy to be installed on a portable computer, such as a laptop, as long as the software is only being used on one computer at any given time. This allows you to take needed software with you on business trips without violating the license. It's important to read the fine print to make sure that the license allows this.

All purchased copies of software should be kept either with the computer on which they're installed or in a central location. Keep a database of serial numbers for any software you purchase just as you would with any other asset list. With each software item, note the computer on which it is installed. Not only is such a list necessary for tracking where your software's installed, but it is also useful for insurance purposes.

Managing your organization's software is easy and can protect you in addition to providing convenience. If you have any specific questions about software piracy in relation to business practices, visit bsa.org for more information.