Essay Example on Software Piracy: Preventive and Deterrent Solutions

Introduction

Software theft or privacy is the unauthorized duplication of the copyrighted computer software. Despite the computer users knowing that the unauthorized use of computer software is illegal, they fail to treat software as an essential intellectual property. In most countries, trade organizations are experience challenges in software piracy. The computer users are developing various preventive and deterrent solutions to deal with the issue of software piracy. Deterrent solutions become successful whenever a person abstains from any illegal behavior due to fear of sanctions and the perceived threats (Suduc, Bizoi & Filip, 2009). The preventive solutions utilize the current technology, thus increasing the cost of the real act of piracy. Also, the deterrent solutions are based on a person's fear of being caught, hence not directly increase the value of the actual act of copying. The challenge that exists when detecting software theft can be facilitated by the format through which software is distributed to people. For example, a source code theft can be compiled through the utilization of a specific compiler that tends to produce an executable that appears different from the original code. Therefore, due to the problems which are facilitated by duplication of the copyrighted computer software, this paper will focus on software theft in organizations and its impact.

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Software privacy is categorized into soft lifting, software counterfeiting, CD-R Infringement, Unrestricted Client Access Infringement, Renting, Hard Disk loading, and the OEM Unbundling. OEM Unbundling involves selling the standalone software, which was set to become bundled with accompanying hardware (Suduc et al., 2009). The Software Counterfeiting is the illegal duplications and sale of copyrighted software in a form that is designed to make the software to appear legal. Soft lifting is the buying of a legal copy of software and loading to different computers, which violates the license terms. For example, a computer user can share software with co-workers and friends. Computer users protect their software since piracy harms both the organization and its clients. Software applications involve a significant investment of funds, time, and efforts. Theft of software denies an individual the income they deserve, thus harming clients that bear the cost of using these products (Suduc et al., 2009). Therefore, through piracy, an organization's ability to become competitive is limited, thus causing higher-priced and less-advanced products to clients.

The client-Server Overuse is a type of piracy that happens when many workers on a specific network are utilizing a copy of a given program at the same time. The Client-User Overuse occurs whenever the copyrighted software has been downloaded to users who are connected through a modem to the electronic bulletin board (Suduc et al., 2009). Also, in organizations, the hard-disc loading is the type of piracy that happens if a business that sells the remote computers loads the illegal copies of the software in the hard disks to make the computers more attractive. For example, some of the computer users and dealers load unauthorized copies of the software onto the hard drives of their friends and customers, thus promoting software piracy (Suduc et al., 2009). Therefore, computer piracy is much prevalent due to the elimination of the product keys, thus leading to the creation of duplicated copies of software programs. For example, using the simple keystrokes of a functioning computer leads to duplication of copies of the software programs.

Computer Ethics in Software Piracy

Computer ethics are the morals that address the ethical issues in design, use, and the management of technology and the formulations of the moral policies for regulation in the community. The computer morals analyze the ethical responsibilities of computer users and professionals and the issues present in the public policy for the development and use of information technology (Rasheed, 2017). Since computing is a new field, the practice of computing needs close governance on how the system is used. The practice of computer ethics is to develop the new moral policies that range from external laws to informal guidelines, thus guiding the different types of activities that involve the use of computers. For example, the descriptive ethics focuses on the discovery of moral views of a given society and anthropological theorizing of the regarding the functioning and origin of different opinions (Rasheed, 2017). Also, normative ethics formulates and defends the basic understanding of the principles of the right to conduct and the virtuous character. Therefore, through the code of ethics that control software piracy organization can use software technology in automation of telecommunication, manufacturing, and medical research.

The deterrent solution that is applied in software protection is copyright law, trademark law, and patent laws. The United States Copyright law indicates that the work has to meet fixation, originality, and expression to promote protection. The Copyright Law ensures that an individual cannot illegally copyright an idea, but an individual can copyright tangible ideas. In the United States, the Copyright law was amended, thus addressing the nodes of computer software (Rasheed, 2017). The approach of literacy work in the United States was extended so that it could include the databases, programs, and computers that exhibit the authorship. The Copyright Act has two doctrines which are the fair use and first sale. Appropriate use of software promotes limitations in the use of another one's work for teaching, research, criticism, and news reporting. The primary sale doctrines make the purchaser who has legally acquired a piece of work to either rent or sell their work without having permission from the copyright owner (Rasheed, 2017). Therefore, the acquisition of computer software from the software holder violates a person's rights.

The Patent Law provides legal protection to people as they establish a process or invention. The patent offers different inventors the exclusive right to either use, sell, or make the invention. A device to become patentable it must be novel and possess various utility. The algorithmic nature of a given software program, the software was intelligible for patent protection. For example, in 1981, the first software patent was established, thus assisting in the conversion of rubbers to wires (Rasheed, 2017). Therefore, through patent law, ten thousand new software is developed every year despite the debate that arises over the legibility of the patenting software.

Conclusion

Therefore, software piracy is the unauthorized duplication of copyrighted computer software. It can be beneficial for organizations and users to find ways of decreasing software piracy. Through limitation of the software theft, the end-users are assured that the software programs they are using are as the program intended, thus possessing warranties. For an organization to promote software security, they can call for successful efforts in educational programs and enforcements. The use of multiple deterrent solutions can help in improving the safety of software and software programs. Some of the deterrent solutions include patent law and copyright law. For example, copyright law ensures that an individual cannot illegally copyright an idea, but an individual can copyright tangible ideas. The patent law provides legal protection to people as they establish a processor intervention. Therefore, the main argument against software piracy promoted the legality of specific actions.

References

Rasheed, L. T. (2017). Software Piracy Solutions. International Journal of Computer Science and Mobile Computing. Retrieved from https://ijcsmc.com/docs/papers/February2017/V6I2201737.pdf

Suduc, A. M., Bizoi, M., & Filip, F. G. (2009). Ethical aspects of software piracy and information and communication technologies misuse. IFAC Proceedings Volumes, 42(25), 30-35. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1474667015300082