Software Piracy Remains Widespread

[Guest Accent]

More than a third of the software installed on PCs worldwide during 2004 was pirated, with losses from unauthorized software increasing by $4 billion from 2003, according to a study released this week by the software trade group Business Software Alliance.Thirty-five percent of all software installed on PCs was pirated, down from 36 percent in 2003, according to the study, conducted by research firm IDC.Estimated losses from software piracy climbed, however, from $29 billion to $33 billion, as both the legal and unauthorized software markets grew from 2003 to 2004. IDC estimated that $90 billion worth of software was installed in 2004, compared to $80 billion in 2003, with sales of legal software growing 6 percent.Countries using the most pirated software, according to IDC, are Vietnam, Ukraine, China, and Zimbabwe. Ninety percent or more of the software used in those countries was pirated during 2004, according to the BSA report. In more than half the 87 countries studied, software piracy exceeded 60 percent.This Is An Excerpt, Read more at story.news.yahoo.com ...http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor..._pcworld/120885

[Guest Divergent Phugoid]

I think the stats are tainted because they don't take some aspects into consideration. What I mean is that those estimated losses assume that the predicted amount of piracy could have been converted into cash. In reality, for the vast majority of people, if they want it and can afford it they will buy it. However, if pirated software is easily available, people will just grab what they can regardless of what they really like.I'm not saying that excuses it, but if piracy dissapeared overnight, the bottom lines would improve, but not by as much as they think.

[Guest]

Surprisingly low figures, wonder how they were arrived at.It is estimated that in many countries in Europe up to 75% of all software in use in private homes (and 90% of all entertainment software) is pirated, over 50% in companies.In the US the figure is lower.Maybe the introduction of product activation codes (as in Windows XP) and the increased bundling of software with hardware (OEM versions with digital cameras for example) has contributed to the lower figures.Or else the figures are corrected for numbers that while installed or downloaded aren't in active use and therefore don't contribute lost sales.

[victorwest2 0]

"For the study, IDC used proprietary statistics for software and hardware shipments, and it conducted more than 7000 interviews in 23 countries, and enlisted IDC analysts in more than 50 countries to review market conditions"Sorry if I'm being a bit thick here but could someone explain how the above explains the statistics?

[Guest]

The study should have been titled "another company paid to make up guesses and pass it off as facts."Anyway piracy remains widespread because most people are poor and can't afford the prices of the things they want

[John_Cillis 2,406]

"Anyway piracy remains widespread because most people are poor and can't afford the prices of the things they want"Whoa there--you won't win too many friends with comments like that. I had two parents who grew up in the great depression--and they did not stoop to stealing because they couldn't afford what they wanted. And that is true of most poor people I know and I've known poor on four continents--myself being one of them until I was well into adulthood. Most poor can't even afford a computer, so piracy is a moot point.Piracy crosses all boundaries--rich and poor. People do it because they think it's a "victimless" crime. And Jeroen is right--the stats are higher than those reported, not less. Counterfeit software is a huge problem. It's not a matter to be taken lightly or pigeonholed onto one class, race or creed.-John

[Guest]

So they're wealthy enough to be able to afford highend computers but can't afford a bit of software?Guess what, I didn't stoop as low as piracy when I was a student living on a few hundred Euro a month (most of which went to rent and insurance).I did without what I couldn't afford and carefully selected the rest.Do you also defend your poor people stealing cars, stereos, designer clothes, etc. etc. because they can't afford them but do want them?

[oqvist 11]

Let me just ask a question? Why do you think piracy is most widespread in countries like Russia, China and such and is lesser spread in richer countries like Europe and as you all say. It

[Guest davidvoogd]

The one thing about piracy that really gets to me is that essentially I as an honest customer who pays for everything I use, end up paying more because of these buggers. In Canada if you buy blank CD's you pay a tax that compensates the music companies for piracy. I DON'T EVEN USE THEM FOR MUSIC :@ I abhor one size fits all punishments, and especially hate when consumers eat it because of some petty theives.This "I can't afford it" stuff is nonesense. Get a job. If you can't, then perhaps instead of playing stolen software all day you should spend more time looking for one lol.Anyways us honest consumers essentially get the shaft because of these people, having to jump hoops with installation codes, activation, registration, and other such things. I'm glad that Avsim has an antipiracy system in place, and that people are eager to report incidents (though they really should use that system and not the forum).These opinion surveys are never quite accurate, but they give us somewhat of a picture on how prevalant piracy is. Obviously the current method of punishing the honest consumers with these antipiracy measures is not working, another system should be found, and perhaps the major companies could always try lowering their prices (not valid for flightsim addons which are generally great deals considering the price they sell for and the work involved in making them). If Windows was $50 instead of $150 (CDN), people would be far more likely to just get it. If CD's were $10 instead of 20, again same deal. Raising the price because of theft just screws over the honest people.

[oqvist 11]

We have a great minister in Sweden who am now considering making copy protection illegal :).That would be a great move. Now if you think they are liberal against software piracy you aren

[Guest davidvoogd]

I hate it that stores use "copyright laws" as an excuse not to accept returned software. That's total nonsense. I'm thinking of going to the store, and informing them that I don't agree to the terms of the EULA - LOL I'd love to see what the futureshop clerk says next :-xxrotflmao