Software Piracy

SOFTWARE PIRACY: ATTITUDES TOWARDS SOFTWARE PIRACY

Prepared for

English 310

CONTENTS

Page

Illustrations iv

Abstract v

Software Piracy: Attitudes toward Software Piracy 1

PurposeÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽK..1

ScopeÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽK.1

MethodologyÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽKÐ'ÐŽK.1

What is Software Piracy? 1

Various Forms 2

Legal Issues 3

Student Awareness 4

Factors Toward Software Piracy 5

Advantages and Disadvantages 5

Motivating Factors 5

Corporate Scenario 6

Software Piracy: Affecting the Economy 7

Taking Profit from Companies 7

Taking Jobs from Employees 8

Giving a Sense of Doubt to Shareholders 9

Providing Little Rewards 9

Conclusion 9

Recommendation 10

References 11

Appendix A Attitudes toward Software Piracy Survey 13

ILLUSTRATIONS

Page

Figure 1 Student's Awareness of Software Piracy 4

Figure 2 Who Would Copy Their Employer's Software 7

Figure 3 Dollar Losses by Region 8

ABSTRACT

Software piracy is a world-wide problem that is increasingly becoming more of a threat to businesses, economies, and shareholders. Although, studentÐ'ÐŽÐ'¦s awareness of its legal issues and punishment was positive, many individuals are unaware of the impact software piracy has on the economy. With many motivating factors, it is not surprising that software piracy is a global problem. Because the software industry has a high demand, software piracy is costing these industries billions of dollars each year. Even with many disadvantages of pirated software many people will continue to pirate software.

Software Piracy: Attitudes toward Software Piracy

Software piracy has been prevalent for the past decade. With high demand for software and limited budgets, students tend to pirate software. Although students are aware of software piracyÐ'ÐŽÐ'¦s illegality, many misunderstand its concepts. Furthermore, students do not acknowledge its impact on individuals, businesses, and industries.

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to clarify the problems of software piracy. This study will inform the students about its effects on industries and the economy as a whole.

Scope

The study will analyze the meaning of software piracy, why it is so prevalent, and the attitudes toward software piracy.

Methodology

A survey of 100 students will be conducted. This survey will ask gender, age, knowledge of software piracy, and their reactions to various ethical situations. Some of the information and evidence collected for this study will be obtained from the Wall Street Journal, Journal of Management Information Systems, and several magazines such as The Economists, University Business, and Commuting Canada.

What is Software Piracy?

According to Davy (2004, para.3), an organization that promotes a fair technology market, software piracy has become Ð'ÐŽÐ'§35 percent of business software.Ð'ÐŽÐ'Ё This percentage of piracy, which is later discussed, is a tremendous world-wide problem (Nunes, Hsee, Weber, 2004, p1). First, what is piracy? Dictionary.com defines piracy as Ð'ÐŽÐ'§the unauthorized use or reproduction of copyrighted or patented material.Ð'ÐŽÐ'Ё Besides copyright law or patent law, piracy is considered as any use of a computer program outside its software licensing agreement (BSA, Anti-Piracy Information, 2005, Davy, 2004, para.3).

Various Forms

Now, the more relevant question is what action are considered connotes as piracy? According to the BSA (Piracy and the Law, 2005), software piracy constitutes as loaning disks, making copies for friends, loading a single copy on several machines, or distributing pirated software via the Internet.

It does not stop here; there are many other types of piracy that exist:

Ð'Ñ"Ð"¦ End User Piracy- is any reproduction without a companyÐ'ÐŽÐ'¦s or ownerÐ'ÐŽÐ'¦s authorization such as: installing a single copy on multiple computers, distribution of company property, acquiring upgrades on illegal copies.

Ð'Ñ"Ð"¦ Client-Server Overuse- this type Ð'ÐŽÐ'§occurs when too many employees [or individuals] on a network are using a central copy of a program at the same timeÐ'ÐŽÐ'Ё.

Ð'Ñ"Ð"¦ Internet Piracy- is another