2008 Woodie Awards
Students debate over piracy laws
M. Antonio Silas
Business & Technology Editor
Issue date: 4/22/08 Section: Business
Scott Richardson does not feel that piracy is right, despite trade body BSA, Business Software Alliance, admitting piracy in today's world has become more common.
Richardson, a junior computer science from Nashville points out that many freeware programs are just as good as the commercial programs. "It's like most prescription drugs in which there is a generic version that is cheaper," he said. "The same concept applies to freeware."
In 2006 ITU estimated software piracy cost the industry $39.6 billion. The U.S. alone accounts for nearly 20 percent of this at $7.2 billion, but when the numbers are calculated according to the number of computers in each country a different picture emerges.
Cash-strapped countries dominate the leader board. Azerbaijan averages the most pirated software per computer at around $262 worth of pirated software.
This shows that pirated software is more prevalent in countries where people cannot afford the software in general.
This begs the question is it necessary for pirated software to exist. BSA says it doesn't because it takes away from the industry in which it supports.
They estimate that 35 percent of the packaged software installed on personal computers, PCs, worldwide is illegal, amounting to $34 billion in global losses due to software piracy.
This claim from the BSA is a lot like the MPAA & RIAA's claim that each downloaded/pirated DVD/CD is a lost sale.
However one would be hard pressed to find any studies coming close to showing causal relationship between pirating and decreased sales.
Interestingly though one of the most opposite examples of what was claimed was the huge spike in CD sales corresponding to the spike in file sharing at the emergence of the original Napster.
Once the RIAA and music industry managed to rein Napster in along other programs of its kind, the drop-off in shared files was matched almost identical to the decline in CD sales.
Even Microsoft itself, who is part of the BSA, discourages piracy and is quick to point out any "victory" against pirates. However a BNET ,Business Network report, was quick to point out that Microsoft themselves have used pirated software in the past and still does to this day.
The proof is in the pudding as the say but in this case it within .WAV files that were created using a warez version of Sony's sound forge.
Statistics seem to show that this is an increasingly popular option among computer users. Open Office, an alternative to Microsoft Office, has seen the frequency of its' downloads increase steadily since its release.
Alex Sutton a sophomore computer science major Germantown, Tenn., is just one of many Americans who feel like there will not be a decrease in piracy anytime soon.
Why buy something that you can always get from somewhere else for free," he said.•
Richardson, a junior computer science from Nashville points out that many freeware programs are just as good as the commercial programs. "It's like most prescription drugs in which there is a generic version that is cheaper," he said. "The same concept applies to freeware."
In 2006 ITU estimated software piracy cost the industry $39.6 billion. The U.S. alone accounts for nearly 20 percent of this at $7.2 billion, but when the numbers are calculated according to the number of computers in each country a different picture emerges.
Cash-strapped countries dominate the leader board. Azerbaijan averages the most pirated software per computer at around $262 worth of pirated software.
This shows that pirated software is more prevalent in countries where people cannot afford the software in general.
This begs the question is it necessary for pirated software to exist. BSA says it doesn't because it takes away from the industry in which it supports.
They estimate that 35 percent of the packaged software installed on personal computers, PCs, worldwide is illegal, amounting to $34 billion in global losses due to software piracy.
This claim from the BSA is a lot like the MPAA & RIAA's claim that each downloaded/pirated DVD/CD is a lost sale.
However one would be hard pressed to find any studies coming close to showing causal relationship between pirating and decreased sales.
Interestingly though one of the most opposite examples of what was claimed was the huge spike in CD sales corresponding to the spike in file sharing at the emergence of the original Napster.
Once the RIAA and music industry managed to rein Napster in along other programs of its kind, the drop-off in shared files was matched almost identical to the decline in CD sales.
Even Microsoft itself, who is part of the BSA, discourages piracy and is quick to point out any "victory" against pirates. However a BNET ,Business Network report, was quick to point out that Microsoft themselves have used pirated software in the past and still does to this day.
The proof is in the pudding as the say but in this case it within .WAV files that were created using a warez version of Sony's sound forge.
Statistics seem to show that this is an increasingly popular option among computer users. Open Office, an alternative to Microsoft Office, has seen the frequency of its' downloads increase steadily since its release.
Alex Sutton a sophomore computer science major Germantown, Tenn., is just one of many Americans who feel like there will not be a decrease in piracy anytime soon.
Why buy something that you can always get from somewhere else for free," he said.•
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