Half of world's PC users get software illegally

Nearly half the world's personal computer users or 47 per cent acquire software through illegal means and in developing economies the figures are much higher, says Business Software Alliance (BSA).

The leading global advocate for the software industry today released
detailed findings from the groundbreaking study conducted by Ipsos Public
Affairs on approximately 15,000 PC users in 32 countries.

The study found that large majorities of computer users in the developing
world regularly acquired software through illegal means — such as buying a
single licence for a programme and then installing it on multiple machines, or
downloading programmes from peer-to-peer networks — even though they expressed
support for intellectual property principles.
Of the 32 countries surveyed, nine were in the Asia-Pacific region and among

them China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and South Korea were found to
have individual piracy rates ranking among the top 10 of all countries surveyed.

"It took hundreds of millions of thieves to steal US$59 billion worth of
software last year. Now we have a better understanding of what they were
thinking.

"The evidence is clear, the way to lower software piracy is by educating
businesses and individuals about what is legal and ramping up enforcement of
intellectual property laws to send clearer deterent signals to the marketplace,"
said BSA President and Chief Executive Officer Robert Holleyman when releasing
the report today. -- Bernama