Using
pirated software for conducting business operations is a widespread problem
across the world. Software piracy is simply the unauthorized copying or
distribution of copyrighted software. Now software for most people is a product
which once purchased can be used any way they want to or distribute among
friends or colleagues regardless of anything because the common perception is
that its ownership is like any other product.
What
people most of the times fail to understand is that what they purchase is not
the product but the license to use the product. Using the product for a number
of times exceeding what was originally intended as part of the license amounts
to piracy.
Software
piracy in some cases can be out of ignorance just as depicted above. However, in
most of the cases, the reasons of using pirated software lie in it being more
economical to do so. Furthermore, nowadays, getting illegal software is not
very hard and it may be easier to do so at times when the legal version may not
even be available in the country of the manufacturer and may have to be specially
imported or ordered into the country.
Another
reason why people tend to prefer pirated versions is that the end customer may
not even want all the features of the software. The user may not be a
professional and may like to use only a certain feature of the product and not
the entire product. Under such circumstances, it is easier for the customer to
download a freely available version which may not have complete features but
may be enough to serve his purpose.
Another
indirect reason which goes a long way in explaining why software piracy is
still a very rampant practice is the absence of strict laws and regulations
worldwide. In many countries where the laws do exist, the implementation of the
same may be extremely poor. Even the UCA enacted in two of the states in the US
is relatively very new and is still to be emulated nationwide.
But
all said and done, the big question now is: What can the industry do to curb
piracy? Is there a way by which the business model may be changed wherein using
illegal software no longer remains the first choice? I think there is.
First
of all, developers may focus on coming up with open source solutions which are
basic variants of their original products. Such solutions may be freely
available to users and can be added upon and shared within the community. The
more sophisticated versions meant for professionals should be released at a
cost. Another way could be to ensure that all future advanced versions of the
software be available to existing users at nominal additional rates so as to keep
the existing customer base intact.
Another
important way by which piracy could be reduced is that all software should be
available on the internet to be downloaded from there against a price and not
necessarily be installed from a compact disk. This will counter the problem of
non – availability of software in some markets.
Also
since, in many of the cases, the entire software is seldom used by the
customers and they are content using only some of the features, they should be
allowed to purchase only those components of the software which they will be
using eventually and not the entire package. They may of course re-purchase
other components as needed.
And
lastly, such provisions in the law like the recently enacted UCA are expected
to go a long way towards successful compliance. If accepted nationwide, such
policies will of course ensure that the entire supply chain remains clean of
any IT piracy.
