Software Piracy :: essays research papers fc

Software Piracy A Worldwide Problem Software piracy is be as the illegal copying of package for commercial or personal gain. Software companies have tried many methods to prevent piracy, with varying degrees of success. Several agencies resembling the Software Publishers Association and the Business Software Alliance have been formed to combat both worldwide and domestic piracy. Software piracy is an unresolved, worldwide problem, be millions of dollars in lost revenue. Software companies have aimd many discordent copy protection schemes. The most annoying form of copy protection is the use of a key disk. This type of copy protection requires the user to insert the original disk every time the program is run. It provoke be quite difficult to keep up with disks that are years old. The most common technique of copy protection requires the user to look up a cry or phrase in the programs manual of arms. This method is less annoying than other forms of copy protection, but it ca n be a nuisance having to locate the manual every time. Software pirates usually have no trouble "cracking" the program, which permanently removes the copy protection. After the invention of CD-ROM, which until lately was uncopyable, most software companies halt placing copy protection in their programs. Instead, the companies are trying new methods of disc impression. 3M recently developed a new technology of disc impression which al clinical depressions companies to make an image on the read side of a CD-ROM. This technology would not prevent pirates from copying the CD, but it would make a "bootleg" copy differ from the original and make the copy traceable by law enforcement officials (Estes 89). Sometimes, when a person uses a pirated program, there is a "virus" attached to the program. Viruses are self-replicating programs that, when activated, can damage a computer. These viruses are most commonly found on pirated computer games, placed there by some malignant computer programmer. In his January 1993 article, Chris O Malley points out that if piracy was wiped out viruses would eventually disappear (O Malley 60). There are ways that a thrifty consumer can save money on software without resorting to piracy. Computer companies often offer discounts on new software if a person has previously purchased an earlier version of the software. Competition between companies also drives prices low and keeps the number of pirated copies down (Morgan 45). People eventually tire or outgrow their software and decide to sell it.