Software Piracy :: essays research papers fc

Softw be Piracy A Worldwide paradox Softw are piracy is defined as the illegal copying of bundle for commercial or personal gain. Software companies have tried legion(predicate) methods to prevent piracy, with varying degrees of success. Several agencies like the Software Publishers Association and the logical argument Software Alliance have been formed to combat both world(a) and domestic piracy. Software piracy is an unresolved, worldwide problem, costing millions of dollars in disordered revenue. Software companies have used many different copy egis schemes. The most irritate form of copy protection is the use of a key disk. This type of copy protection requires the user to insert the buffer disk every time the program is run. It can be rather difficult to keep up with disks that are years old. The most third estate technique of copy protection requires the user to look up a word or phrase in the programs manual. This method is less annoying than other forms of copy pr otection, only it can be a aversion 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 recently was uncopyable, most packet companies stopped placing copy protection in their programs. Instead, the companies are trying raw methods of disc impression. 3M recently developed a new technology of disc impression which allows companies to imprint an image on the take aim side of a CD-ROM. This technology would not prevent pirates from copying the CD, but it would bump off 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 misuse a information processing system. 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 among companies also drives prices low and keeps the number of pirated copies down (Morgan 45). People eventually moil or outgrow their software and decide to sell it.