Name Game
Premium
join:2002-07-07
North Myrtle Beach, SC
| reply to Frisky
Re: Lavasoft's best business practices
said by Frisky  :said by Magnum PI :
The person reffered to as "Logistics Manager" is responsible for driving the CEO to and from work everyday in the company's Mercedes SL 55 AMG.
Damn! Why don't we have Logistic Managers in our company?  Problem would be where do we get a SL 55 AMG from?  SL 55 AMG is not even needed when you are driving around one of these babies.
»www.av-experts.org/weblog/?p=45
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Gladiator Security Forum »www.gladiator-antivirus.com/ Missing Kids »www.missingkids.com/ |
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Frisky
Premium
join:2006-06-15
Island
| reply to Magnum PI
said by Magnum PI :
The person reffered to as "Logistics Manager" is responsible for driving the CEO to and from work everyday in the company's Mercedes SL 55 AMG.
Damn! Why don't we have Logistic Managers in our company?
Problem would be where do we get a SL 55 AMG from? |
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Magnum PI
| reply to ohnoes112
After doing a bit of research I would like to make some comments on Lavasoft's response to the local newspaper article...
quote from letter:
Claim/allegation: Lavasoft has a large tax debt.
This is not correct. The due date of tax debt that the article refers to has not passed. Therefore no tax debt exists as of today. The majority is owed during the first and/or second quarter and will be paid according to deadlines. The sum to be paid equals three percent of the turnover that year.
This is easily checked, in Sweden this is public information.
The tax dept to be paid is 3 128 240 SEK and refers to taxes not paid for months April and May 2006, question is why only these two months weren't paid??
quote from letter:
Claim/allegation: Lavasoft has a hard time keeping creditors away and has outstanding debts to its suppliers.
This is not correct. All claims made during 2006 have been disputed by Lavasoft and appealed against and six of these have been settled. Currently, the three remaining claims are being disputed in court and we expect a verdict in the near future.
According to the same source as above Lavasoft has one unpaid dept apart from the two mentioned in the previous quote. This is a dept for 320 470 SEK to a company called Olsson Ekonomikonsulter AB and is currently in court.
10 applications for depts not being paid has been filed on the company... I'd say that is a bit more that usual...
quote from letter:
Claim/allegation: The annual accounts for Lavasoft have not been filed since 2004.
This is not correct. The accounts for 2005 were filed last year and, consequently, before this article was published. The documents for fiscal year 2006 are not due until June/July.
According to "Bolagsverket" in Sweden the accounts for 2005 were filed 2007-01-29... Not really last year, eh?
quote from letter:
Claim/allegation: The owners' of Lavasoft have mixed the company's financial resources with their private economy.
This is not correct. All issues raised by the tax authorities are being disputed and are the subject of an upcoming legal process. Lavasoft can therefore only point to some of the false accusations:
* Lavasoft does not own a holiday cottage outside Falköping. However, before and during the company move to Gothenburg in 2002 it served as office premises which motivated the services from the security company to protect business-critical documents.
* The person that is referred to as the company's chauffeur is the logistics manager of Lavasoft.
* The items disputed (TV, etc.) add up to a total of 46,000 swedish krona ($6,568). The taxes on this cost will be paid rather than debating it in court.
Hmm... Didn't Lavasoft move to Gothenburg 2004...
The person reffered to as "Logistics Manager" is responsible for driving the CEO to and from work everyday in the company's Mercedes SL 55 AMG. Well... Shipping things (read persons) between two locations is indeed logistics...
Buying personal stuff on company creditcard... Nice try..
Tax authorities could've missed it...
The last two points in the anouncement from Lavasoft might be true or they might not be... Judging from the articles in the newspaper and the fact that some things in Lavasofts reply are right out lies i would like someone to really take a closer look at Lavasoft...
Well... That's about it...
Regards
//Magnum PI |
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must_enter_name
 from:
Corrine
|  reply to ohnoes112
Mind you, I see a difference between "driver" and "logistics manager" ...
But again and again the claims/allegations about the treatment of employees are disregarded. Lavasoft obviously does not even consider them worth a reply. Would be nice if we would hear the opinion of some current employee talking private about how s/he feels being treated. However, that will cause a lot of trouble for this employee if the allegations are verified by her/his testimonial - only if falsified there may be no trouble at all. But usally the treatment would differ from employee to employee anyway, right? So even a comment from one current employee needs to be taken with a lot of scepticism then! I doubt, though, that this will ever happen. Also there have been so many different sources for the allegations about the treatment of employees, that it is kind of ignorant to disregard all of them as "from a disgruntled employee". If you loose a job by being kicked in a very awkward way you will be a disgruntled ex-employee - of course. If you leave a company on your own you might still be happy, or you may be not if you were already disgruntled during your employment. Which one applies to the different voices that were to be heard on the Swedish sites? And where are the happy ones?
Why didn't the ex-employees raise their voices earlier, you ask? Maybe some did but were ignored ... or they were afraid?
The PR-statement is just that: PR! And, wasn't there another article concerning Ad-Aware and PR ( »www.rootkit.com/newsread.php?newsid=471 ) last year? I wonder what all of you expected? Lavasoft admitting to it? Has anyone asked why Lavasoft does not sue GP for their article, yet (yes, I saw the previous reply meanwhile  )? ... at least make them to put up a correction? If there is no foundation for the article then why not just sue GP? Why would an investigative journalist make a beginner's mistake in the first place and then even add on to it with a second article? Anyone any ideas?
So a branch in Germany is planned? There are some interesting things to think about then! Why was the branch in Finland closed down just to open other branches in other countries? Anyone read the Wikipedia entries in the Swedish and the Finnish Wikipedia? Maybe internal reasons, though, so no idea. However, if a branch is planned you will of course get the office a long time in advance to leave it unstaffed. Or maybe the already employed workers in Germany want to speak up now? Questions the investigative journalist at GP should definitely ask.
Another thing, although I may be called picky on that one. Debts are debts even though they are not yet due for payment. The fact that they are not yet due just tells us that Lavasoft can pay these debts before/at the deadline and will have no further problems concerning them. Yet these are debts, i.e. obligations. So the first objection in the press release is kind of pointless already. But again, what did you expect?
said by ohnoes112 :
LOL and i thought we had seen that earliar in the topic or at least unofficial rebuttal
Phew, I thought I was the only one with that impression
Last but not least a quote from Lavasoft's comments:
Lavasoft does not own a holiday cottage outside Falköping. However, before and during the company move to Gothenburg in 2002 it served as office premises which motivated the services from the security company to protect business-critical documents. ... now why are all the smart people here not jumping on them and questioning the given years? Wasn't the journalist mentioning the years since 2004? Now, why can Lavasoft reply that these were just temporary offices way before 2004 which could have been abandoned after 2003 at least (which then would be, according to Lavasoft's statement, at least one year after they moved to Gothenburg), and sneak out?! Can someone in Sweden ("Falköping") please walk by at this house and see how office-like it looks?! (given anyone knows)
... quite some unanswered questions. Keep asking them! |
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ohnoes112
join:2006-08-21
UK
| reply to Corrine
LOL and i thought we had seen that earliar in the topic or at least unofficial rebuttal 
Since they are so familliar with the legal system,courts and haggling over money at the moment.
It make's me wonder why they do not initiate legal procedings against the source of theses alledged falsehoods for compenstation or to get the alledged falsehoods removed but then again |
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jarib7
End User
join:2003-04-06
Lake Cowichan, BC
| reply to ohnoes112
Some of the claims seem silly. Why else would you hire some one and pay about $125 000 to guard a cottage? It was their temp office. Or else they had real nice furniture and tv's. $6000 or $7000 for tv's or monitors, big deal. Paid someone for their time as a driver, another so what |
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81399672
Premium
join:2006-05-17
Los Angeles, CA
| reply to Corrine
That took them long enough, will see what the court says to the appeals that they say should have rulling soon. |
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Corrine
Premium
join:2004-08-27 | reply to ohnoes112
Lavasoft's Rebuttal: »www.lavasoft.com/company/press/a···0212.php |
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Corrine
Premium
join:2004-08-27
| reply to FarmerSwede
said by FarmerSwede :. . . Interested in it myself to see if I could write a story I checked some sources because in Sweden much of this is public information because we are socialist society. You should be carefull with this because it is not really accurate information but in my opinion seems to be very 'blown up' to make a good story. . . . If you were suddenly interested enough in Lavasoft to consider writing a story, I'm surprised you didn't pick up on the aspects beyond the tax issue. After all, as I learned at FL, it appears that even the Swedish Tax Authorities are trying to avoid Swedish taxes. See »www.forbes.com/finance/feeds/afx···206.html
However, from what I have figured out from the online translations of the comments posted at »www.idg.se/2.1085/1.94960?articl···postings (realizing of course that the accuracy is not the best) is that the tax issue appears to be only one part of the problem at Lavasoft.
What about the claims for unpaid salaries?
What about the comments about ethics?
Now you could say that those are statements made by disgruntled former employees. However, I would be more inclined to say "history repeats". See, for example, the comment posted at Assarbad's blog writeup Some Knew It Others Found Out Recently. It appears from that at least one someone knew what it was like at Lavasoft.
BTW, FarmerSwede, also included in the articles and not excused by the tax explanation are the personal items (i.e., TV and exercise equipment) purchased with company funds. Of even more concern by both the Swedish and German Governments, I would suppose, would be the house in Germany, also purchased with company funds, yet family are living there. Don't forget the "continuous payments to different American bank accounts, without invoices or written agreements".
So, even if Lavasoft meets the dates for paying the overdue taxes, there certainly seems to have been a question of unethical business practices, to say the least.
@ohnoes112 -- Thanks for posting the translation here. I knew BBR was the place to look for more information on this topic and acknowledged that in my blog post:As most people know, when there is a problem in the security world, the place to check first is BroadBand Reports Security Forum (commonly referred to as BBR). I was not disappointed. A thread at BBR led me to this post by someone using the nickname "Diablo2". It appears that the translation by Diablo2 is very similar to what I obtained from Systran. --
Microsoft MVP, Windows - Security; Admin Council; Charter Member
ASAP; Take a walk though the Security Garden, Where Everything is Coming up Roses" |
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hayc59
VoodooChild
Premium
join:2001-02-26
David R.I.P. | reply to ohnoes112
Very Interesting!!! |
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ohnoes112
join:2006-08-21
UK
| reply to FarmerSwede
Hmmm(x2)Thankyou for your interpretation but it still raises questions
May i ask which parts you consider to be factually incorrect,the translation or the original news article by a prominent Swedish IT news site ?
BTW we know you Swede's are laid back folks but most countries have laws which would open a source to legal action if it published falsehoods that were detrimental to the claiment etc |
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Psicop
More human than human
Premium
join:2005-12-21 | reply to ohnoes112
I guess Lavasoft lawyers are hopeless. Opps... |
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bluezanetti
Premium
join:2003-10-04
| reply to Hutch
said by Hutch :said by 81399672 :i will not be surprised if they get shut down soon, for the record i no longer use adaware No Adware here either. I won't be surprised if they get shut down as well. And precisely what detailed business financial analysis allow you to derive this cogent analysis?
Revenues mentioned above (~ 12.5 MM Euro with a healthy profit margin) are likely much better than many companies you view as sound.
If it's from the government perspective.., yea, let's shut them down and drop that revenue stream to negative levels when you factor in the workforce social costs. That makes sense...
Have any of you ever been a part of a large business? Ever heard of the Revenue and Tax Group? These are people you hire to basically do what is described above - pay the appropriate taxes and no more. If you think juggling your own tax responsibilities are comnplicated, maybe you should try the corporate side for a while.
Sheesh...
Blue |
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cork1958
Cork
join:2000-02-26
Fruitport, MI
 ·Verizon Online DSL
 ·Charter Pipeline
1 edit | reply to FarmerSwede
said by FarmerSwede :I am interested in IT news so I watch this forum often but do not post. I feel it is good in this case. I live in Sweden and saw this original story in the local newspaper. Interested in it myself to see if I could write a story I checked some sources because in Sweden much of this is public information because we are socialist society. You should be carefull with this because it is not really accurate information but in my opinion seems to be very 'blown up' to make a good story. What I did confirm was that the company does owe a tax for a standard audit adjustment but it is not due yet until March.And the amount did not seem high or unusual against the company turnover finances. I confirmed too that the office that receives tax statements has their tax papers for 2004, 2005, and 2006. I aldo confirmed that the company is appealing some decisions by the tax office, but again I do not think this is unusual for a business to do. So I want to share that infomration with you from a Sweden view. Thank you. This is probably more along the lines of how things really are. Hope your story is more the truth, although Ad-Aware has been on shaky ground before.
Thanks for the effort on getting the story right.
--
Yep, we're back to Windows and Opera!! |
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Hutch
My Throne is the Dunny
Premium
join:2000-10-14
Out House
| reply to 81399672
said by 81399672 :i will not be surprised if they get shut down soon, for the record i no longer use adaware No Adware here either. I won't be surprised if they get shut down as well.
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Who Gives A.......Don't Ask Me.......Cos I Don't Give A **** |
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81399672
Premium
join:2006-05-17
Los Angeles, CA | reply to ohnoes112
not surpised, seeing their past practices i will not be surprised if they get shut down soon, for the record i no longer use adaware |
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hpguru
Curb Your Dogma
Premium
join:2002-04-12 | reply to FarmerSwede
Hmmm... |
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FarmerSwede
join:2007-02-10
Sweden
| reply to ohnoes112
I am interested in IT news so I watch this forum often but do not post. I feel it is good in this case.
I live in Sweden and saw this original story in the local newspaper. Interested in it myself to see if I could write a story I checked some sources because in Sweden much of this is public information because we are socialist society.
You should be carefull with this because it is not really accurate information but in my opinion seems to be very 'blown up' to make a good story.
What I did confirm was that the company does owe a tax for a standard audit adjustment but it is not due yet until March.And the amount did not seem high or unusual against the company turnover finances. I confirmed too that the office that receives tax statements has their tax papers for 2004, 2005, and 2006. I aldo confirmed that the company is appealing some decisions by the tax office, but again I do not think this is unusual for a business to do.
So I want to share that infomration with you from a Sweden view.
Thank you. |
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salzan
Experienced Optimist
Premium
join:2004-01-08
WA State | reply to ohnoes112
Lavasoft moves to the Bahamas
Let's see, an anti-spyware company with questionable ethics needs a bunch of money in a hurry....  |
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onDvine
Premium
join:2005-01-29
So. CA, USA
clubs:
·Verizon Online DSL
| reply to ohnoes112
Re: Lavasoft's best business practices
I still use Ad-Aware's free scanner regularly, but had an experience back in '03 that cleared up any delusions I might otherwise have had about Lavasoft's ethics.
Someone helping me in their forum sent me a PM suggesting I join another forum where this same person would be better able to help me further. After I did that, I learned that this person would've been expected/required to try to sell me the paid version of Ad-Aware if we'd continued our communications there, even though it was the person's very well-educated opinion (heck, their name was one of those listed in the application's credits on my screen) it wouldn't do any good.
Conclusion: the company was greedy 4 years ago and is greedier now.
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Doubt is the beginning, not the end, of wisdom. ▪George Iles |
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