Software Piracy Should Be Avoided

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Recommended: Short note on software piracy

Software Piracy Software piracy is the copying and selling of copyrighted software. There are many types of software that can be pirated including operating systems, application programs, as well as internet downloads including music, software, or movies. Many people do this knowing that they are partaking in something illegal; however, some people have no clue that they are breaking the law. In some cases, a person may have inadvertently purchased pirated software. The consequences of having or distributing pirated software can be serious in some cases. Software piracy is a common practice that can be easily avoided. In the eyes of the law, software piracy is an equal offense to downloading of music, movies, books, magazines, or any other copyrighted material. It is as simple as downloading a program from the internet or using a friend’s copy of Microsoft Office. Software piracy can also be as complex as a computer store re-selling software with a fake or counterfeit product key or registration code. To avoid this, look out for software that seem less expensive than it should be or software that comes with a key generator. If a person suspects software piracy, he can contact The Software & Information Industry Association, via its website http://www.siia.net/piracy. On its website one may find rewards of up to $50,000 to any person that reports a company that is using pirated software. People partake in software piracy because it as an easy way out of purchasing software. Some software programs can cost over a thousand dollars, whereas some cost only twenty or thirty dollars. Software piracy began around the 1960s. Over time it has grown, and it accounts for 25%-50% of software... ... middle of paper ... ...because it is illegal. In addition to being illegal, it also impacts the economy and the production of new software. While these free sources of software can be a huge help in academic, scientific and creative environments, they are not what our existing economy is structured upon. The entire economy of a number of industries like music or movies would have to be restructured, and this would cause a great deal of upheaval in the process. Authorities and software companies are becoming more aware of this. Software companies are now including components in the software to track the software. If it is not registered correctly, spyware will be installed or the program will not fully work. As the number of software pirating cases rise, the fight against this crime is also increasing, and more agencies are being started in order to cut back on this growing problem.

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