Software and Information Industry Association

"codie" redirects here. For the given name, see Codie (given name).
Software and Information Industry Association
AbbreviationSIIA
Formation1984
HeadquartersWashington, D.C.
President
Jeff Joseph
Websitesiia.net

The Software and Information Industry Association (SIIA) is a trade association dedicated to the entertainment, consumer and business software industries. Established in 1984 as the Software Publishers Association (SPA),[1] the SIIA took its new name when it merged with the related Information Industry Association on January 1, 1999. The joint enterprise was headed by Software Publishers Association founder Ken Wasch and operated out of the SPA's existing offices.[2]

The SPA was active in lobbying, industry research and anti-piracy efforts,[2] and was behind the 1992 Don't Copy That Floppy campaign.[3] The organization's head of research, Ann Stephens, went on to found PC Data in 1991.[4] By 1995, the SPA had over 1,100 software companies in its membership[5] and according to Wired was among "the most powerful computer-related trade groups" before its merger with the Information Industry Association.[6] While Microsoft became a member of the SPA in 1986, it split with the SIIA in 2000 after the group sided against Microsoft in United States v. Microsoft Corp.[7] The Wall Street Journal described Microsoft as the SIIA's "largest member" before the departure.[8]

Until 1999, the Software Publishers Association hosted the SPA Annual Conference for software companies. It was renamed the InfoSoft Essentials conference in 1999.[9]

  1. ^ Silber, Tony (April 10, 2013). "ABM to Merge With Software and Information Industry Association". FolioMag. Archived from the original on October 26, 2018.
  2. ^ a b Hane, Paula J. (January 25, 1999). "The SPA-IIA Merger is Now Official". Information Today. Archived from the original on February 19, 2017.
  3. ^ Stuebe, Alison (April 24, 1996). "The Struggle to Teach Virtual Ethics". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021.
  4. ^ Corcoran, Elizabeth (August 19, 1996). "Software Sales, by the Numbers". Washington Post. Archived from the original on April 29, 2018.
  5. ^ Fryer, Bronwyn (May 1, 1995). "The Software Police". Wired. Archived from the original on April 29, 2017.
  6. ^ Stamper, Chris (December 18, 1998). "The Über IT Trade Group". Wired. Archived from the original on October 26, 2018.
  7. ^ Haney, Clare (March 8, 2000). "Microsoft resigns from SIIA". Computerworld. Archived from the original on October 26, 2018.
  8. ^ Foley, Mary Jo (March 10, 1999). "Free-Software Advocate Offers Remedies for Microsoft Case". Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on October 26, 2018.
  9. ^ "SIIA Announces Plans for Upcoming Conference". Information Today. June 1999. Archived from the original on March 3, 2003.