Free Software Costs Us All!....
(or what to do if the person next to you says, here use my account/key/login)
I am always amazed when I run across someone running pirated software. After all it is 2019 and there are a variety of ways to get similar products for free, or via a subscription for a small fee. (Some argue that it is not that small). Office Online and Google Docs give users similar functionality to the Office apps loaded on a Windows or Mac computer. The issue is that people are not used to the dynamic of saving to the cloud and sharing from there in a safe manner. Therefore desktop applications are still necessary and have a lot more functionality than the online versions. This is why people still want them on their computers. However there are still a few that think they shouldn't have to pay for that ability. I have seen vendors that think Outlook should be free to connect to their POP or IMAP source so they provide it, but neglect to tell the client that they just used a pirated version.
Piracy has been around for all of human history. In 1400 BC the Lukkans were one of the first pirate states. They harassed Egypt for a couple hundred years. The history of software piracy while newer is still older than you think.
 |
| Thanks to StarMedia for the InfoGraphic |
As you can see people have thought it OK to rip off the intellectual property of others since the 1960's. The BSA (Business Software Alliance) was formed to combat this and make software more available and affordable by reducing piracy. You can find the report here! REPORT
In brief, though piracy is down worldwide it is still at an alarming 37% of personal computers. These high rates don’t just delay the local economic benefits that are associated with thriving technology use, they impede growth in a company’s bottom line and induce unprecedented security risks.
Organizations now face a one-in-three chance of encountering malware when they obtain or install an unlicensed software package or buy a computer with unlicensed software on it. Each malware attack can cost a company $2.4 million on average and can take up to 50 days to resolve.
With growing costs from malware, business leaders are increasingly turning to fully licensed software that can be patched with the latest updates as a key line of defense against crippling malware incursions, data breaches, and other security risks. In fact, IDC estimates that when companies take pragmatic steps to improve their software management, they can boost their bottom line by as much as 11 percent.
Rate and Commercial Values of Unlicensed PC Software Installation in the United States *
Year Unlicensed Rate Value ($M)
2017 15% $8,612
2015 17% $9,095
2013 18% $9,737
2011 19% $9,773
Organizations can take meaningful steps today to improve software management and achieve important gains. To access these benefits, organizations can implement proven software asset management (SAM) best practices to improve their software asset management and get more out of their technology.
We can help your company get legal stay legal and more importantly stay secure!
If you suspect someone of using pirated software you can report them to the BSA by going to this site.
*Content for this post is from the BSA Report: BSA Global Software Survey — In Brief LINK
Comments
Post a Comment