SAM Stinks By James E. Gaskin - Network World, 01/03/07   Beware of "helpful" software publishers, because they are out to help themselves, not you. Two stories detail how Microsoft is using their SAM (Software Asset Management) program to squeeze customers. Worse, your friendly reseller may run the SAM engagement as a help to you, then turn you in to Microsoft for any real or imagined license violation.   InfoWorld's Ed Foster just detailed the sad story of one trusting customer squeezed for over a million dollars (yep, $1,000,000 +) for violations of Microsoft's Byzantine licensing rules. This wasn't some pirate with counterfeit software on every computer but a large company already paying several hundred thousands of dollars for licenses. Read the story and tell me if you think this was a criminal organization or a typical, paperwork deficient company like many others.     An earlier story in ComputerWorld includes multiple examples of SAM audits being used against unsuspecting companies. The push to upgrade licenses to an Enterprise Agreement means companies are forced to pay for a full set of Microsoft applications on every PC, no matter what they really need. You'll be amazed at the profitable return Microsoft gets with these audits. Or, if you've worked with Microsoft directly before, you may not be surprised.   Questions about SAM and other licensing issues? Rob Scott, the attorney in the Dallas area specializing in software licensing issues, now has a nice blog going. Actually, they call it a "blawg" which is good word play for a lawyer. Check it out at blawg.bsadefense.com.