What is “Software Piracy?
A. This term refers to what is essentially theft. When you purchase software, you are actually only purchasing a license to use that software. You DO NOT ACTUALLY OWN THE SOFTWARE. When you typically purchase a software program license, it is valid for ONLY ONE computer. Some companies will allow schools to purchase site licenses or lab licenses but that is a very specific situation.
Software piracy is the unauthorized copying, reproduction, use, or manufacture of software product(s) protected by International copyright law. On average, for every authorized copy of computer software in use, at least one unauthorized or “pirated” copy is made. In some countries, up to 99 unauthorized copies are made for every authorized copy in use. Software piracy harms all software companies and ultimately you, the end user. Piracy results in higher prices for duly licensed users and reduced levels of support for users; piracy also results in delays in the funding and development of new products, causing the overall selection and quality of software to suffer. Piracy harms all software publishers, regardless of their size. Software publishers spend years developing software for the public to use. A portion of every dollar spent in purchasing original software is funneled back into research and development so that better, more advanced software products can be produced. When you pu
There are several kinds of software piracy. The bottom line is when software is pirated, the developer does not receive compensation for their work. Effects of Software Piracy When software is pirated, consumers, software developers, and resellers are harmed. Software piracy increases the risk consumer’s computers will be corrupted by defective software and infected with viruses. Those who provide defective and illegal software do not tend to provide sales and technical support. Pirated software usually has inadequate documentation, which prevents consumers from enjoying the full benefits of the software package. In addition, consumers are unable to take advantage of technical support and product upgrades, which are typically available to legitimate registered users of the software. Pirated software can cost consumers lost time and more money. Developers lose revenue from pirated software, from current products as well as from future programs. When software is sold most developers inve
Software piracy, otherwise known as copyright infringement, is one of several forbidden actions that may be taken by the end user of a particular piece of software. Virtually all software programs today carry an end user license agreement, or EULA. Upon installing the software, the end user must agree to the EULA, or click-through-license, before the software will install. The EULA lays out conditions under which the software may and may not be used in keeping with copyright protections. Software piracy involves breaking the EULA agreement on one or more conditions. Some common examples of software piracy are: Making counterfeit copies for sale: While software piracy laws differ from nation to nation, this particular infringement is illegal in most countries. Obscure exceptions might exist for uncommon circumstances in certain countries, such as modification of a program for benefit of the disabled, but in general, duplicating software for the purpose of selling it is the classic defin
There are numerous forms of software piracy, each of which contributes to the billions lost in revenue to the software industry annually. The following are the most common types of software piracy that have an impact on Borland: End-user Piracy This occurs when users make additional copies of software without authorization. This includes casual copying between individuals to companies who do not strictly monitor the number of licenses they have installed vs. the number of licenses they have paid for. Unauthorized Resale Reseller piracy occurs when an unscrupulous reseller distributes multiple copies of a single software package to different customers. Reseller piracy also occurs when resellers knowingly sell counterfeit versions of software to unsuspecting customers. Indications of reseller piracy are multiple users with the same serial number, lack of original documentation or an incomplete set, and nonmatching documentation, where the documentation does not match the software version
