45% of software in France, 63% in Greece, 49% in Italy and 37% in all fifteen European countries: according to a study conducted by Business Software Alliance (BSA, a leading anti-software piracy organisation made up of several software developers) published in 2004, the use of pirated software is reaching worrying levels in Europe. Although regarded as risk-free, the use of illegal copies involves many legal and technical risks. Another alarming point was highlighted by a study conducted by Decima Research in Canada: 55% of those surveyed were not sure how to tell the difference between legal and illegal software. Users therefore run the risk of being deceived by unscrupulous online traders.
Among the many spam emails that flood our inboxes, some manage to do an extremely good job of imitating well-known brands. Less experienced users may believe they have actually received an email from retailer sites such as amazon.com and are therefore easily tempted to purchase software at rock bottom prices. Here are several rules to follow to avoid pitfalls and unknowingly buying pirated software.
Always shop with official retailers, well-known stores specialising in IT, the official site of the developer or other reputable online shops. Be sure to never purchase from a site you have visited by clicking on a link in a spam email. Also be careful about products offered for sale on auction sites.
Although it’s tempting to buy the software that you have long been looking for when you find it offered at half price, it is often a decision you will regret. Except for special offers launched by software developers, you should be careful when offered software at prices which seem too good to be true. These prices defy all the competition and often indicate that they are illegal copies.
You may occasionally come across adverts offering unpackaged software or even software labelled as “CD Rom only”. You can be almost certain that it’s either an illegal copy or a user who is reselling a product without observing the procedures related to granting licences. Also pay attention to labels and certificates of authenticity – legitimate versions often have a certificate along with a three dimensional hologram. In any case, don’t buy a product which has no packaging or comes without any associated documentation.
If a friend of yours has just bought a PC or has formatted his hard drive and now needs some software, you may think there’s no harm in lending him your own copies. Quite the opposite in fact! Such an act carries technical and legal implications. Using pirated versions deprives you of software updates which are vital for ensuring good performance and preventing virus attacks. Malicious code that exploits software flaws is becoming increasingly more widespread. Updates are one of the most effective ways of blocking their route. Users of illegal copies cannot take advantage of the warranty or of any technical assistance provided by the publishers in the event of problems. Another concern is that cracked (or pirated) versions of programs available for download via the Internet may contain viruses or Trojans. Not to mention the legal risks of using pirated copies, a violation of the intellectual property legislation in force in many European countries.
Avoid lending or borrowing software among your friends. Licences are often single use and do not permit installation on several workstations. If you need to, purchase licences for several users. One of the most common illegal uses of software involves employees installing company software on personal laptops. Avoid violating the regulations applicable to licences: your company will thank you for it!
