Piracy is not theft? Even if you agree with this, it is still a criminal offense, especially if you decide to sell illegal software. But where it comes from “left” goods, since software developers use various anti-piracy?
What is the definition of illegal software? Contrary to appearances, it is not that easy to determine. Illegal software may be such that it is not used in accordance with the license attached to it. This can also be defined in advance software as illegal (they are all sorts of “crack”). Finally, it can be a legitimate copy of the software, which is performed by someone other than an authorized distributor, often strikingly reminiscent of the original (referred to here, of course, on the packaging and the media).
The biggest problem of piracy is the fact that developed it to the level of a gigantic business. This in turn means that pirated copies are becoming increasingly powerful, less and less distinguishable from legitimate products. All this in order to introduce us to mistake for us to earn and … expose us to unpleasant consequences.
The Polish law on piracy is raw, and in accordance with Art. 74-772 of the Law on Copyright and Related Rights, the very use of pirated software threatens a fine, restriction of freedom, requisition instrumentalities (computers, servers), even if they do not belong to the perpetrator and imprisonment from three months to five years. The company, which infringed the copyright of a computer software company may also be forced to pay the amount of compensation.
The Pirates want to enrich us and do not care about our subsequent troubles with the dimension of the law. But to stretch those honest with us, we must first create confusion. Unfortunately, over the years have come to the incredible skill.
Boxes still on the wave
Despite the increasing emphasis on digital distribution and offering software as a service, selling “boxes”, so the software distributed on physical media is still one of the main channels of distribution. Pirates did not forget and built around this whole industry. Tolerated by one of the world’s superpowers, and thus China.
According to a study commissioned by the United Nations, more than 70 percent boxes of counterfeit software comes from the Middle Kingdom. Why was there? It’s very simple: after all, is a country of cheap artisans, whose capacity to perfection wyszlifowała world economy. It is the largest manufacturer and exporter of goods in the world. Abilities gained in the manufacture of legal products uses so when creating fakes. Often using the same production lines and technological processes.
The smugglers introducing Chinese fakes on the European and American market are extremely efficient. They use both Internet trading platforms, such as Amazon and Allegro and also through local partners bring boxes for sale.
Pirates are ready for the digital age distribution
Older Readers Spider’s Web, remembering a time when copyright in our country was not in force, certainly not forgotten how “activates a up” purchased on the stock exchange games and programs. To the product was included so-called crack, and so cheating additional anti-piracy program. And although computer exchanges times are long behind us, cracks still exist and they’re doing better than ever.
The crack spreads are treated by the law with a particular “anointing”. Act of 4 February 1994. On copyright and related rights Art. 1181 says that anyone who manufactures equipment or its components for the unauthorized removal or circumvention of effective technological protection measures before playing, recording or reproducing works or objects of related rights or trades in such devices or their components or advertises them for sale or lease, subject to a fine, imprisonment or imprisonment up to 3 years who owns, keeps or uses the devices or their components referred to above shall be subject to a fine, imprisonment or imprisonment for a year.
The crack spreads are particularly problematic for software developers and law enforcement agencies due to the fact that they can actually make anyone who is good at programming. Often the biggest talents in uncovering algorithms are sitting in a house in the suburbs and their all-night coding scheme negative impact on geography quiz the next day. These individuals motivated by a desire I develop safeguards to show off in front of colleagues or ideological motives hooking of anarchism. It’s also a free labor force for people who want to illegally enrich on software sales.
Distribution scrackowanego the software is much cheaper than boxed, but also requires logistics and planning to “catch” those persons who wish to have legitimate programs. Operating diagram is usually very similar. First, pirates, using botnets controlled by himself and computers, begin to send out spam to users in a given country. Spam refers to “promotion”, “unprecedented offer” on the software. But “just click, you will perform the transfer and the software is ready to download”. Fully working, activated, looking like the real thing, downloaded from the indistinguishable at first glance from a typical online store. Installing it we break the law without knowing it, and “distributor” does not assume virtually no cost associated with breaking the security of the program or game.
The worst thing, however, is perfidious lie
To defend yourself before buying trefnego, a box of software just to make purchases in the well-known stores or directly from the distributor. The same goes for programs, moreover, digitally distributed: just a little prudence in observing promotion and use them only if you know and trust a particular vendor. A serious problem starts at the point where we see the desired program on the popular site, buy it and … we become pirates.
Many times already encountered situations where, for leading our country, and auction platforms for group buying software appeared cheaper by up to 90 percent. Not only buy, right? But normally this office suite for business license costs 2300 gold, and offer him there for 400 …
This software does not come from China or any other factory counterfeits. Nor is it in any way sckrackowane. After installation normally activated and there is no indication it would be with him something was wrong. Meanwhile, both we commit the crime, as well as the entity that sold the software to us. All the … license.
Software developers often offer the same product at different prices, tailored to the needs of the customer groups. What else is the end user software for free for noncommercial purposes, and another exactly the same software used by the purchaser for business purposes. Therefore, often to tender hit stores as part of a larger program license agreement. We get only a partial license that is not valid, if we are not a member of the organizational structure (for example, corporations). Product description in our offer, as you might imagine, does not mention such minor details.
Source: kotaku.com
How to defend themselves? The worst part is that it’s not that simple. It’s hard because when web users expect that this, every time he sees “incredible opportunity”, instead of hastily purchased, decides to go to the vendor’s site, look for a license for the type of software and load in a difficult ciężkostrawny document.
– Pirated software still appears on Internet auctions and online group buying websites. This is what has changed over the years, the intentions of selling these programs. Today, they are increasingly using the ignorance of buyers and distribute the goods declared its originality, which often seems to indicate price close to that official. We have been cooperating with the police, trying to minimize this illegal activity and its harmful effects. People who buy such software are exposed not only to legal consequences, but also the loss or theft of data, eg. By malicious applications running in the background. For a small business the use of illegal software – consciously or not – sooner or later may mean a loss contractors and losses or penalties, leading them to ruin. Therefore, we recommend the use of official channels of software distribution and, in case of doubt, report to Microsoft that will help verify the seller and offered his products . – Says Ilona Tomaszewski of the Polish office of Microsoft, responsible for the protection of intellectual property.
Microsoft declares, therefore, that in case of doubt the technical support will help in determining the legality of that offer. Other software vendors are not necessarily obliged to provide such assistance, although many are doing it. And that means that sometimes we rely on ourselves ….
Software as a service can solve the problem
With him because pirates can not cope for purely technical reasons. What else is off transaction of sale, and another permanent provision of the service. Not only deepens the relationship between the company and the consumer and the service provider or reseller, but virtually impossible to “falsification” of this service by third parties. It is true that a quick trip to Web sites offering pirated software somewhat verifies our views (you can easily find the “broken” of Office or Adobe Creative Cloud and others), but the procedure security breaches such software client, which in addition must be repeated at every change on the part of the service provider makes a person decides to pirated versions is fully aware of violations of their rights.
Software as a Service there is still a future song. Companies and consumers are still wary about the idea, accustomed to the traditional form of software distribution. It may, however, prove that the subscription programs will become an ideal compromise between the two parties (the user and the service provider), and the subscription price will be shaped solely by demand and offer competition. Without having to compensate losses incurred as a result of the creators of fakes, deliberately placing their clients in error.
* The illustrations come from the service Shutterstock
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