What is Software Piracy
What is Software
Piracy
The PC industry
is just over 20 years old. In those 20 years, both the quality and quantity of
available software programs have increased dramatically.
Although approximately
70% of the worldwide market is today supplied by developers in the United
States, significant development work is occurring in scores of nations around
the world.
But in both the United States and abroad, unauthorized copying of
personal computer software is a serious problem.
On average, for every
authorized copy of personal computer software in use, at least one unauthorized
copy is made. Unauthorized copying is known as software piracy, and in 1994 it
cost the software industry in excess of US$15 billion.
Piracy is widely practiced
and widely tolerated. In some countries, legal protection for software is
nonexistent (i.e., Kuwait); in others, laws are unclear (i.e. Israel), or not
enforced with sufficient commitment (i.e., the PRC).
Significant piracy losses
are suffered in virtually every region of the world. In some areas (i.e.,
Indonesia), the rate of unauthorized copies is believed to be in excess of 99%.
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