Types of Software Piracy
It seems that illegal software is available anywhere, to anyone, at
any time. From warez shopping malls in Asia, to the unscrupulous
computer systems retailers a few blocks down the street,
pirated programs are sold for a pittance. The
following are some of the methods by which illegal copies of software
circulate among computer users.
Softlifting
The most common type of piracy, softlifting, (also called softloading),
means sharing a program with someone who is not authorized by the license
agreement to use it. A common form of softlifting involves purchasing a
single licensed copy of software and then loading the software onto several
computers, in violation of licensing terms. On college campuses, it is
rare to find a software program that has not been softloaded. People
regularly lend programs to their roommates and friends, either not realizing
it's wrong, or not thinking that it's a big deal.
Softlifting is common in
both businesses and homes.
Hard disk loading
Often committed by hardware dealers, this form of piracy involves loading
an unauthorized copy of software onto a computer being sold to the end user.
This makes the deal more attractive to the buyer, at virtually no cost to the
dealer. The dealer usually does not provide the buyer with manuals or the
original
CDs of the software. This is how operating systems, like Windows 95, are
often pirated.
Renting
Renting involves someone renting out a copy of software for temporary use,
without the permission of the copyright holder. The practice, similar to that
of renting a video from Blockbuster, violates the license agreement of
software.
OEM unbundling
Often just called "unbundling," this form of piracy means selling stand-alone
software originally meant to be included with a specific accompanying product.
An example of this form of piracy is someone providing drivers to a specific
printer without authorization.
Counterfeiting
Counterfeiting means producing fake copies of a software, making it look
authentic. This involves providing the box, CDs, and manuals, all designed to
look as much like the original product as possible. Microsoft products are
the ones most commonly counterfeited, because of their widespread use. Most
commonly, a copy of a CD is made with a CD-burner, and a photocopy of the
manual is made. Counterfeit software is sold on street corners, and sometimes
unknowingly sold even in retail stores. Counterfeit software is sold at
prices far below the actual retail price.
Online piracy
The fastest-growing form of piracy is Internet piracy. With the growing number
of users online, and with the rapidly increasing connection speeds, the
exchange of software on the Internet has attracted an extensive following.
In the past, bulletin board systems (BBS) were the only place where one
could download pirated software. Currently, there are hundreds of thousands
of "warez" sites providing unlimited downloads to any user. Often, the
software provided through these "warez" sites is cracked to eliminate any
copy protection schemes.