Ryan Barber
Wolak
October 5, 2005
Research
Pirates Of The Software Industry
Everyone uses computers. In this day and age it seems it is easy anyone can get their
hands on any type of software with no problem. This has become good and bad at the same time.
There are two ways in which you are able to get hands on software legally now too. You can
either buy it at a store or get it off a website and pay using credit card. But like people used to
steal software buy just walking out of borrow your friends copy and load it on, or download it
using illegal programs. This has been hurting the economy pretty bad. This is not only the United
States doing this, its everywhere. The United States' piracy rate is 23% which is not that high
considering it is 70% in Eastern Europe.
(Source A)
Getting caught, you basically have the same penalty as if you went to the store and stole
it. You can get jail time and pretty big fines. I do believe that software piracy is a serious issue in
today's day and age. I think it wont put major companies out of business, but it may hurt them
pretty seriously. The Software and Information Industry Association, is a "watchdog" that
watches as much as it can for piracy software. Of course it cannot pick up every single pirated
piece of software, and according to it, businesses have lost over two billion dollars in revenue.
Another reason this is a serious issue is because if we lowered the global piracy by 10%, we
would add more then one million dollars in jobs and add $400 billion in worldwide economic
growth. (source B)
Myself and probably every other teenager out there know of at least one instance of
someone, either them or someone else, downloading software illegally. This is sort of like the
whole music problem they are having right now. People have been downloading all the bands
music illegally instead of going to a store and buying it.People do know what they are doing is
illegal, I think its people just do not care that it is illegal.
I also do not think software companies should adjust prices because, the people that are
stealing will still steal the software. It is just easier for them. Another way people steal software is
using Peer to Peer programs such as Kazaa, Limewire, ect. Napster was basically the first
program people used to download software illegally. But they have recently changed and now
make it so you need to pay to use it.
Software piracy will never be completely stopped though. There are simply just way to
many people and way to much software available for people to steal. Another reason why
software piracy is not good and should be stopped is because it also hurts us the customers. When
you call for technical support there are not as many on duty because they have to cut some of
their jobs because they are simply just not making enough money. There are also less technical
support web sites because there are less people working with the product then there should be.
So in-conclusion, software piracy is stolen software. Software piracy has been increasing
now that you do not have to go to the store to steal it. You can simply just go on the internet and
just download the piece of software you want or need. Also you can just borrow someone's CD
and put it on to your computer. People also counterfeit the software. "Counterfeiting is the large-
scale illegal duplication of software distribution media and sometimes even packaging." (SourceA)
Sometimes the packaging that the counterfeiters produce looks so authentic customers have no
choice but to buy it and then later only to find out that they have an illegal copy of the program.
In the United States, software pirates, if caught can get pretty hefty fines and even jail
time. The piracy is not only making companies lose money but also making companies lose
employees. The companies have been having to get rid of the employees because there losing all
this money. This issue is as serious as ever and it must stop. Peoples jobs and lives are in
jeopardy. The only problem is that it will never officially end.
Sources Used For This Research Paper
SOURCE A
“ Anti Piracy Initiative." Adobe. 10 Oct. 2005
http://http://www.adobe.com/aboutadobe/antipiracy/piracy.html
SOURCE B
"Software Piracy." Webopedia. 12 Oct. 2005
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/S/software_piracy.html
SOURCE C
"Software Piracy Protection & Security." Aladdin. 8 Dec. 2005
http://www.aladdin.com/HASP/software_security.asp