Techno Today

Say NO To PIRACY

Dear Friends

I am sure at some stage we all are guilty of using Pirated Software. There has been so much reported and discussed about this in recent years that it has got me thinking ---- Do We Really Need Pirated Software?
The conclusion I have come to is NO!

Let us first of all examine briefly what Piracy is all about?

I found this on Autodesk site and it sums up the matter quite excellently in the first 4 points, which are reproduced below:

1. What is software "piracy?"

Software "piracy" is the unauthorized possession and/or use of software. It is a crime no different from shoplifting software from store shelves. Purchasers of software do not actually own the software. What they own is the right to use the software according to the terms of the publisher’s license. Purchasers agree to abide by the terms of the license, which typically limits copying privileges to a single copy for backup purposes.

All legal software is supplied with a license. This applies whether the software is acquired for use on one machine, for networking across a number of machines, or if it is pre-installed as part of a system. The license is designed to protect the rights of software developers and is enforced by copyright laws.

Piracy may take many forms, including:

* unauthorized copying of software programs purchased legitimately, also known as "end-user" piracy. This can occur when the number of PCs installed with the software exceeds the licenses that an individual or company has purchased;
* gaining illegal access to protected software, also known as "cracking"; and
* reproducing and/or distributing counterfeit or unauthorized software, often over the counter, or sold, bartered, or shared by individuals on the Internet; and software programs pre-installed by vendors who sell computers without providing the accompanying software license.

2. What is the difference between criminal and civil software piracy?

The majority of software piracy is committed by small and medium-sized businesses with no clear policy about proper software use. Business owners who are not legal with the number of seats used within their firm are subject to significant civil penalties.

Criminal copyright infringers include counterfeiters burning copies of software for sale on auction sites; individuals and organizations that create and distribute counterfeit CD-ROMs, which in some cases are mass-produced in government-sanctioned factories around the world; and “hard disk loaders”—those who sell computers loaded with illegally copied software programs as a purchase incentive.
3. What are the penalties for software piracy?

The criminal penalties range from fines to jail terms or both. Civil penalties may reach as high as $150,000 for each infringing work. For commercial piracy, the government can also criminally prosecute you for copyright infringement, and if convicted, you can be fined up to $250,000, or sentenced to jail for up to five years, or both.

4. What are the risks associated with using pirated software?

The following are some of the risks associated with using pirated software:

* Pirated software often lacks the important elements, documentation, and comes with no warranty protection or upgrade options;
* Counterfeit disks may be infected with viruses that will damage your hard drive or cripple your network, without the benefit of technical support;
* Copying or using illegally copied software puts your company at risk for copyright infringement;
* Pirated software that is not functional, or that contains viruses, wastes company resources, and drives up IT costs;
* May lead to civil penalties and criminal prosecution;
* Negative PR about your company could result from the allegation.

So what do you feel? Do we need this aggravation? Is it necessary to take a guilt trip everytime a Pirated Software is installed?

I don't think so! Especially not today when there are all sorts of COMPLETELY FREE & OPEN SOURCE Softwares available that does the job equally well if sometimes not better than the Cracked Pirated Version.

I HAVE THEREFORE DECIDED TO START THIS THREAD WHERE I WILL POST ALL TYPES OF FREE OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE SO THAT YOU DEAR USER NEVER HAVE TO BURDEN YOUR PC OR YOUR CONSCIENCE WITH PIRATED SOFTWARE OR GUILT.

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