Software Piracy Essay -- Computer Software Copyright Violation

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, 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. 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 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 seems less expensive than it should be or software that comes with a key generator. If you suspect software piracy you can contact, The Software & Information Industry Association, on their website http://www.siia.net/piracy. On their website they are actually offering 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 only cost twenty or thirty dollars. Software piracy has said to have begun around the 1960’s. Over time it has grown and it accounts for â€Å"25% - 50%† of software curr... ... 83% Tunisia 82% Kenya 80% Thailand 80% Nicaragua 79% El Salvador 79% Bolivia 78% Guatemala 77% Lebanon 74% Romania 73% Morocco 73% Honduras 73% India 73% Philippines 72% Venezuela 70% Works Cited "Learn About Piracy." Prevent Software Piracy. 2005. Intuit. 8 November 2005. . "What is Piracy?" Anti Piracy. 2005. The Software & Information Industry Association. 8 November 2005. . "Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty in New Hampshire Software Piracy Conspiracy." Software Piracy. 2005. U.S. Department of Justice. 8 November 2005. .