I I T E S F

Software Piracy
Software piracy, the unauthorized copying, use, distribute of software without the permission of copyright holder of software. Most of software programs are licensed for one or a specific number of computers and term and conditions of its usage have already mentioned with copyrights documents, provided by the software sellers. If someone had purchased software with license of use, is called licensed user (having rights to use that software as mentioned in copyrights documents).
Software piracy is not a 100% controllable theft but some software vendors offering some online registration and activation process to control their software’s illegal use.
According to Software authors, Piracy negatively affects the economy by decreasing the profits that allow for further development and growth within the software industry. The U.S. is the country most affected, as they provide about 80% of the world's software.

Types of Software Piracy
Use, copy and distribute the illegal copy of software is considered as software piracy or slightly resides under the theft of intellectual property. It is necessary to understand the types of software piracy to protect yourself and your organizations from illegal use of software.
According to Microsoft Corporation (Microsoft is the registered trade mark of Microsoft Corporation) there are five major types of software piracy as…

End-User Piracy
When a user copy the software without permission from software manufacturer or license and distribute among individuals, companies or sold out for commercial purposed is called End-User Piracy.

Pre-installed Software
If a computer manufacturer / reseller have purchase one copy of licensed software and installed it to many computers is considered as “Pre-Installed Software Piracy”.

Counterfeiting
When illegal copies of software are made and distributed in packaging that reproduces the manufacturer's packaging. Counterfeit registration cards with unauthorized serial numbers are often included in these packages.

Internet Piracy
When illegal copies of software are downloaded over the internet is called Internet Piracy. There are number of web sites, offering illegal software copies for downloads.

Online Auction Piracy
It includes software resold or selling of Not-For-Sale copy of software, or selling of OEM copy.

Some other types of piracy are as follows, defined by the Anti-Piracy Advocates and authorities…

CD-R Piracy
CD-R Piracy is the illegal copying of software using CD-R recording technique. It occurs when a person copies the licensed software program on CD and distributed among others.

Commercial use of Non-Commercial Software
Educational or commercial-use-restricted software are not allowed to use any where else except mentioned places, so if someone uses a educational or non-commercial software for commercial purposes, is accused of software piracy.

Hard-Disk Loading
It occurs when a person or company sells computers preloaded with illegal copies of software, usually happened in all over the world.

OEM Piracy / Unbundling
What is OEM Software? Software, that can only sold with the specific computer hardware is called OEM Software.

Softlifting
It’s a neologism invented by anti-piracy advocates, and is a term used to describe when a person purchases a single licensed copy of a software program and loads it on several computers, in violation of the term of the license agreement.

Unrestricted Client Access Piracy
When a copy of a software program is copied onto an organization’s server and the organization’s network clients are allowed to use that software freely, in terms it is the violation of software license agreement and described as software piracy.

The Law
Let’s take a look on Law, what is it saying?
Copyrights (Amendment) Act, 1992 (The Amendment Act) has been extended to protect the computer software program’s illegal use. It is defined now that, to make or distribute copies of computer programs without authorization is illegal.

Is there any Penalties?
Pakistan’s copyright law prohibits the reproduction of computer software program without the permission from the owner of the copyrighted that software program. If someone caught with pirated software, he or his company may be prosecuted under the provisions of the copyright laws of Pakistan.
The penalties under the law include…
• Fine of up to Rs. 200,000
• Seizure of products used for illegal copying
• Prison sentence of up to three years

Solution
Software piracy is not 100% controllable but Intellectual property protection organizations, software manufacturing companies and government organizations are trying to control by enforcement of laws and penalties.

As a user, you can
ask for the licensed software program with new computer system from seller, avoid the downloading of software from over the internet, avoid sharing of licensed software with friends, avoid the making of multiple copies of software program and by avoiding the use of non-commercial software for commercial purposes.