Software Piracy Exposed
Exploring the personalities and motivations of those behind much of the illegal software distribution on the Internet, this book delves into the inner depths of the software piracy scene.
TABLE OF CONTENTS Software Piracy Exposed
Appendix A: Pirating Software: Attitudes and Reasons
Overview
Solutions in this chapter:
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Attitudes About Piracy
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Why is Pirated Software So Readily Available?
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Specific Reasons for Using Pirated Software
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Summary
Introduction
There are many reasons why software is pirated. However, before examining specific reasons, it is important to examine how we feel about the fundamental issues of stealing. Our attitudes about stealing shape our views concerning software piracy. Specifically, why are so many otherwise responsible computer users downloading pirated software? Why is pirated software so easy to acquire? Why is the practice so widespread? Where does it come from? This chapter attempts to answer these questions.
Attitudes About Piracy
Why people use pirated software and how they justify doing so is based on their personal opinions regarding stealing. The following sections examine the different issues that may have an influence on whether or not a person uses pirated software.
Morality
What constitutes stealing? Sticking a gun in someone s side and demanding money is undeniably stealing. Are white collar crimes (e.g., embezzlement and security fraud) stealing? Is cheating on your income tax or padding your expense account a criminal offense? Is it stealing to borrow a pen from work to use for non-company business? Is making personal phone calls on company time, taking an extra hour for lunch, spending hours daydreaming, or putting in less than a full days work stealing from your employer? A lot of people consider these minor infractions, nothing more than normal and acceptable human behavior. Even though the law distinguishes between petty theft and...
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