Neeraj Dubey
Software systems are an intricate part of the global infrastructure. They are the foundation for the world economy, ensure public safety, and provide a source for entertainment to millions. In a software market that is maturing, the availability and needs for software has shifted. Today, the driving force behind the industry’s growth is the vast selection and availability of commodity software from many competing sources. Globally, the demand for software is growing as well as the potential revenue for software developers. With an increase in demand for software the market for software piracy also increases. Software, like other forms of intellectual property, is protected by intellectual property laws. Due to software’s unique digital format, software is an easy medium to pirate and easily disseminate using low cost digital mediums and the internet. Combating piracy is a difficult endeavor around the world including the United States. Lack of intellectual property laws, differing social stands on property rights, and a lack of education, hinders the reduction of pirated software. Recent connectivity software, such as peer to peer clients and the growing availability of high speed network connections, provide the means for easy access to, and the proliferation of, illegal software. Currently, the monetary benefits, the low cost, easy access to counterfeit material, and enforcement difficulties, make software piracy a growing epidemic if left unchecked.
Software piracy is the illegal duplication and distribution of software packages and applications, which violate software licenses and copyright laws. Software is protected by the same laws that protect other intellectual property such as music, literature, and movies. Like digital music and digital movies, software is a fairly new type of intellectual property. Software piracy, the unauthorized duplication and distribution of software, is a worldwide problem that is growing at an epidemic pace. Software piracy is a problem in the United States and North America, but it is more severe overseas. The mechanisms for protecting intellectual property, common in the United States, such as copyrights, patents, and software licensing, are rarely acknowledged or fully understood in other parts of the world. Furthermore, ease of distribution, and lack of consistent intellectual property laws beyond country borders make software piracy a global problem. Software piracy occurs within businesses, among colleagues and friends, and in large global counterfeiting rings. Recent technologies provide a means for easy dissemination of counterfeit software across the Internet. Many advances in technology and increased availability to hardware that enables mass production of software have given rise to large counterfeit rings.
Whenever a piece of pirated software is used, a company is deprived of its earnings. Piracy undermines the software market, making it less lucrative for software companies to continue to offer innovative and high quality software. It also hurts the consumer. Frequently, pirated software does not include documentation or provide access to customer support, and, or, future software upgrades. Most importantly, pirated software is illegal and a crime in most countries. There are many agencies and organizations that have been created for the sole purpose of reducing and preventing acts of software piracy. Also, new anti-piracy technologies are being incorporated to prevent and deter the counterfeiting of software. Software is an integral part of the global economy. Software enables users and business to do more with their systems, and the need for software is growing. But, many times software is not free, and depending on the type of software, it can cost large amounts of money. Wherever there is potential for large profits and there exists a high demand, illegal methods for satisfying the demand at a lower cost also exist. But money is not the only motivation. Power, satisfaction, and lack of education are also factors for fueling the software piracy industry.
While all types of software piracy are illegal, software piracy can be categorized based on scale, severity, monetary motivation, and the ability for enforcement. These characteristics are all types of software piracy. A common form of software piracy called “End User Piracy”, or otherwise known as “Soft-Lifting”. This type is usually seen throughout businesses, schools and universities, or wherever multiple copies of the same software package is used. Another type of piracy is motivated by low cost and strong competition between hardware retailers. This type is usually referred to as “Reseller Piracy”, or “Hard Disk Loading”. Software counterfeiting has been the most rampant and common type of software piracy. While Internet piracy has become extremely popular and easy, the act of duplicating software onto media will still be the most popular type of piracy.
Solving software piracy requires a combination of education, technology, legislature, and enforcement. Anti-piracy methods must be effective in deterring piracy and not hinder the legal use of the software by the user. A successive and viable solution for piracy prevention is a solution that incorporates both hardware and software protection in conjunction with education about intellectual property rights. It is also important to provide choices for quality software at fair prices.
(The author is Assistant Professor, GCET-Jammu)
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