ChristianSource! Free Software!
Posted on 05/18/2005 10:30:09 AM PDT by Mike Bates
More than a third of the software installed on PCs worldwide during 2004 was pirated, with losses from unauthorized software increasing by $4 billion from 2003, according to a study released this week by the software trade group Business Software Alliance.
Thirty-five percent of all software installed on PCs was pirated, down from 36 percent in 2003, according to the study, conducted by research firm IDC.
Estimated losses from software piracy climbed, however, from $29 billion to $33 billion, as both the legal and unauthorized software markets grew from 2003 to 2004. IDC estimated that $90 billion worth of software was installed in 2004, compared to $80 billion in 2003, with sales of legal software growing 6 percent.
Countries using the most pirated software, according to IDC, are Vietnam, Ukraine, China, and Zimbabwe. Ninety percent or more of the software used in those countries was pirated during 2004, according to the BSA report. In more than half the 87 countries studied, software piracy exceeded 60 percent.
(Excerpt) Read more at story.news.yahoo.com ...
I think I'm starting to notice a pattern here.
You mean some people actually buy software??
This is BS as far as the so called losses are concerend. I guess Bill isn't as rich as he could be, instead of 60 billion he could have 100 billiion or so, poor guy.
Most people just download from SourceForge and compile. The rumors of purchases are greatly exaggerated.
(snicker)
Spoken like a true re-distribution of wealth liberal.
Don't forget www.moochers.com. I always liked that name, although the site is not what is used to be.
according to the chapter on piracy in "China, Inc" by ted fishman, 90% of the systems in china contain pirated software. You can buy a complete system off the street with Office, XP, and the adobe creative suite already installed. Often more stable than the OEM in box software, at least with windows, as most of those street vendors will also get all the windows patches and such before selling it.
That's why I dumped all MS OSs and proprietary software. I can do _everything_ I need to do with entirely free software running under Linux.
I'd like someone to clarify something. It is my understanding that these statistics on "losses" are generated by guesstimating how many pirated versions are on computer systems, multiplying the wholesale value of said pirated software with these guesstimated numbers which generates a number that is supposed to generate a "Holy $%!+" response from people. After all, four billion is an enormous number. Are we supposed to believe that the Chinese, Ukrainians, Vietnamese et. al would actually lay down cash money for software? Are they generating a "loss" from money that doesn't even exist? I hate these "woe is us" articles from the likes of the BSA. "Neotheft" (I just coined that phrase... nifty!), or theft of consumer replicable items (such as CDs, DVDs, computer software) can't be pegged down like one could peg the actual loss of revenue from physical, non-replicable items like cars, televisions and museum art. What I am saying is that these stats are absolutely BOGUS because they are using the traditional theft/loss equation on an item that cannot be accurately plugged in to that model. APf
A lie. That assumes that every copied piece of software replaced what otherwise would have been a paid-for, licensed version, which is just crap. Ninety percent of these people would have just switched to Linux software or something if the Software Cops suddenly came after them.
Wow. So what's the rule here? If you feel a person has enough money it is okay to steal from him? Aren't the jails full of people who had the same ideals?
Now where have I heard this before? Oh, that's right ... from the Liberals.
Yes, exactly. Just like the RIAA and their alleged "losses" due to file sharing.
While I agree with your sentiment, you're using the wrong word here. It isn't "theft." Bill has not been deprived of anything, nor has something that was once his been taken and he no longer has the use of it.
The correct term for this crime is "copyright infringement." They have copied published works and resold them for a profit without any royalties going back to Redmond.
The best bible study software out there is free to download. http://www.e-sword.net/
Don't worry Bill Gates isn't losing anything to piracy really. They factor in the costs of piracy in their business model. So in all reality everyone who pays for software pays for the piracy and Mr. Gates loses nothing when the net profits role in.
I'm already a user.
Yeah, and it's called a theft. They are stealing copyrighted material.
If you tried, you could pretty much justify any crime.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.