Unlicenced software harmful for computer users, programmers: BSA
KARACHI, Nov 18 (APP): The Business Software Alliance (BSA), a group coprising the world's largest software companies, Friday said the pirated CDs people load on their computers are harmful for them, software producers and the
country's economy.
"When someone purchases counterfeit software, he not only denies the software developer of his rightful revenue and damages country's economy, but also invites many risks including legal action from the owners of the copyright works," said Co-Chairman BSA, Middle East, Al Redha.
The software producers, whether big or small, spend years to develop software for the public use. "They even spend a portion of their earnings from the sale of licensed software on the development of new computer programmes for the benefit of end-users," he said.
But, Al Redha said, when someone buys illegal software, his money goes directly to the pirates, who neither pay to the genuine software producers nor the government in taxes. "This way the government revenues, which are spent on the welfare of the population, are reduced and the creation of new jobs in the IT sector is also curtailed."
He believes Pakistan can attract a lot of domestic and foreign investment for the IT sector by reducing piracy.
"Countries such as the UAE and Jordan have made efforts to decrease piracy rates and now enjoy a greater interest from the technology industry and a more vibrant IT industry."
The United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced in April 1999 that both the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Jordan had been removed from the USTR's Special 301 Watch List, which lists countries believed to offer insufficient protection to intellectual property rights holders.
Al Redha said that low piracy rate will also "encourage the investors in the software industry to invest in Pakistan, especially the BSA member companies."
According to an international report Pakistan's piracy level today stands at 82% compared to the 34% of UAE and 64% of Jordan, he added.
Al Redha observed realizing the importance of copyright works, the government has recently established Pakistan Intellectual Property Rights Organization (PIPRO), to effectively curb piracy and enforce the copyright law. The law enforcement agencies are also conducting raids across the country to encourage the IT computer programmers to introduce latest software, he said.
The Co-chairman BSA has urged the software users to buy the legitimate products because most of the counterfeit computer programmes are of inferior quality. "Consequently users face grave risks which include computer viruses, corrupt files, inadequate documentation and lack of software upgrades offered to
the registered users.
BSA estimates that more than US$ 31 billion were lost to piracy worldwide in the year 2004. Therefore, the copyright laws place the software piracy as a crime no different from stealing and allows the owner the exclusive right to control the copying and distribution of his works.
In Pakistan, an individual or a company may be prosecuted under the provisions of the copyright laws, if caught using or selling pirated software, he cautioned.
BSA members include Adobe, Apple, AutoDesk, Bentley Systems, Cisco Systems, Dell, Entrust, HP, IBM, Intel, Macromedia, McAfee, Microsoft, Sybase, Symantec, Synopsys and UGS.