| JUST imagine how many times have you gifted or | | | | Copyright Ordinance (amended Copyright Act of 1962). |
| shared your favourite software programs with your | | | | Under this law, it is crime to make copies of the |
| friends? You may be obliged and get compliments for | | | | computer software without authorization of original |
| this but are you aware of the fact that by doing so | | | | copyright owner. Any person or organization using or |
| you are committing a serious crime? That of spreading | | | | selling pirated software may be caught and panelized |
| piracy. | | | | up to Rs 2,00,000, such goods are liable to seizure and |
| Imagine how many times have you borrowed the | | | | the offenders can be sentenced up to three years in |
| office software from your employer to continue work, | | | | imprisonment. |
| at home, neglecting to delete it after use. You may | | | | It may be noted here that in the past couple of years, |
| ignore it but it is yet another one of corporate crimes | | | | there has been an aggressive compaign in the country |
| and you are offending your country's laws by doing so. | | | | to check the spread of software piracy. The |
| Perhaps, you may be feeling at ease by downloading | | | | compaign is being led by BSA that represents major |
| various programs from a bulletin board system (BBS) | | | | software producers in a number of countries. It is |
| or commercial online service without holding a valid | | | | aimed at enhancing the legal software usage in |
| licence for the purpose without realizing that it may get | | | | Pakistan. This enforcement has been instrumental in |
| you in trouble. You may end up paying fine for this | | | | bringing down the level of software piracy in Pakistan |
| illegal downloading if caught and taken to task by the | | | | and has encourage legality as a number of individuals |
| legitimate developer of that program. | | | | and organizations have been taken to task and fines |
| Each and every one of us knows that all the above | | | | up to millions of rupees imposed on them. Yet this has |
| mentioned practices are quite rampant in Pakistan, | | | | not been highly successful, as piracy remains |
| unfortunately, like almost every other country of the | | | | widespread activity in the country and a lot more is |
| world. With computer usage increasing at such a great | | | | needed to do away with it. |
| pace, software has become essential to run every | | | | Using legal software |
| thing, from PCs to office networks, internet and every | | | | In this age of free market economy, only those |
| thing in between. As the computer software are so | | | | countries can attain the fast pace of development |
| easy to copy, one rarely bothers to get it legally, by | | | | whose citizens show respect for intellectual property |
| purchasing it. Software piracy exists at all levels, in | | | | rights. It is an unfortunate fact that here in Pakistan we |
| almost every business concern, educational institution, | | | | find little care for intellectual property rights. The corrupt |
| home and even government office. | | | | law enforcenmt authorities further aggravate the |
| According to the experts of different sectors, | | | | situation, by joining the culprits in their evil practices, |
| software piracy is the main impediment to the growth | | | | rather than rooting them out. This is severely hindering |
| of IT industry in Pakistan and its spread must be | | | | the growth of Information Technology in Pakistan. How |
| checked immediately. A report of the Business | | | | can we expect any technological giant to invest in |
| Software Alliance (BSA), an umbrella organization of | | | | Pakistan when its business interests are not |
| the major global software producers estimates that 83 | | | | safeguarded? |
| per cent of software used in Pakistan is illegal and | | | | In these times when computer software is need of |
| unlicenced. This is not only proving to be a disastrous | | | | every organization and house, the practice of piracy is |
| to our IT industry but also resulting in huge revenue | | | | playing havoc with our economy. How can we hope |
| loss to national exchequer. The phenomenon is not | | | | for a technological turn around when only one |
| restricted to Pakistan only. It is causing an annual | | | | company, Microsoft, loses $20 million annually here? |
| estimated loss of $12 billion to global software industry. | | | | Apart from discouraging investment, it causes huge |
| Even the countries like USA and Japan are not spared. | | | | revenue losses to the country, which is direly in need |
| The copyright laws of various countries bind, both | | | | of both. Hence it becomes our legal, moral and |
| individuals as well as corporations that usually a certain | | | | corporate responsibility to use and promote the usage |
| software should be installed on one computer and a | | | | of legalized software. |
| back-up copy to be made for archival purposes only. | | | | The benefits |
| Many individuals and corporations, however, disregard | | | | Though the pirated software costs nothing and |
| the importance of software as valuable intellectual | | | | licensed one sells for a certain price, there are a |
| property; inadvertently, or purposely, they copy, share, | | | | number of characteristics that prove the latter more |
| or otherwise illegally use programs throughout an | | | | advantageous for the users in the longer run. Some of |
| organization. There are even businesses that profit | | | | the benefits attached with the use of legalized |
| from the sale of pirated software. | | | | software, as the Business Software Alliance (BSA) |
| Thus any attempt of unauthorized copying, distribution, | | | | itself states, are as follows: |
| or use of personal computer software comes under | | | | • When you load illegal software, you risk |
| the term software piracy. Unlike products from other | | | | introducing viruses which can spread through your |
| industries, each copy of software, a computer user | | | | network and cost countless hours in restoring lost data. |
| makes, is identical to the original and functions exactly | | | | • Legal software provides you with back-up |
| in the same manner. Regardless of the country, | | | | and support. No such certainty exists with illegal |
| industry, or platform, more computer software is used | | | | software. |
| than is purchased. | | | | • When you register as a licenced user of a |
| The act of software piracy occurs when: | | | | legal software package, you can expect to be notified |
| • Any individual user shares his favourite | | | | of any upgrades and offered discounts on their |
| program with friends . | | | | purchase. Upgrades on illegal software may be |
| • Any business user buys a new program | | | | expensive, and there is no guarantee of its |
| and installs it on several computers in the office. | | | | compatibility. |
| • Any computer seller, consultant or systems | | | | • With illegal software you cannot be sure |
| integrator installs its software on a client's computer. | | | | that it will perform reliably. If there is a problem, you |
| • Any business disregards the licence | | | | cannot go to the publisher for help because you are |
| agreements for networked software. | | | | effectively using stolen software. |
| • Any professional software thief duplicates | | | | • When purchasing legal software you |
| the diskettes, packaging, and manuals from a software | | | | receive a range of documentation including loading |
| package and then sells the illegal copies. Many of the | | | | instructions and user guidelines. Illegal software does |
| computer users keep themselves engaged in the acts | | | | not offer the same level of support. |
| of piracy without realizing the fact that it is as an | | | | • With legal software you can expect to |
| offence as the theft of any other good. It may be of | | | | receive back-up in the form of publisher product |
| serious consequences for individuals and organizations | | | | support lines and high quality training through the dealer |
| in a number of ways. | | | | network. With illegal software you have to stand alone. |
| It may result in the loss of any company's reputation | | | | It would be pertinent to note here that the producers |
| as a law-abiding organization and image. Your money | | | | are offering large discounts on the prices of software. |
| and time is always in danger, not only in case of being | | | | In some cases, discounts for educational sector are as |
| caught and taken to task but also in the case when | | | | higher as 90 per cent. So the pricing is no more a |
| any fault develops in the software your are using or | | | | genuine issue. The real issue is mindset. It is time to |
| any harmful virus coming through it. And last but not | | | | realize that every innovative mind has the legitimate |
| the least, many countries' laws sentence such | | | | right to profit from its innovation and we must pay for |
| offenders to different periods of time. | | | | what we are using. It is time to keep the national |
| In Pakistan, which is fifth largest market of pirated | | | | interest in mind, not meager personal gains. |
| software, computer software is covered under 1992 | | | | |