Over 25% of UK Software in Use is Pirated

SexyGreyFox · 23 May 2006 at 22:47

A study has shown that 27% of the software currently in use in the United Kingdom is pirated, sparking calls to target software pirates more strongly within the UK. The 27% figure has remained steady for the last two years.

It is well below the global average of 35 per cent. The study was run by an anti-piracy lobbyist group, the Business Software Alliance, which also found that software piracy costs the industry £1 billion annually.

A spokesperson for the Alliance said: "This is a serious issue. It's not affecting just businesses but everyone down the line.”

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/5005848.stm

A2Z · 23 May 2006 at 22:53

*no comment*

Tomdun · 23 May 2006 at 22:55

The figures they quote for loss of earnings are always miss leading. They assume that if the software was not pirated they would have bought it instead. This is not normaly the case.

VeNT · 23 May 2006 at 23:05

I'm amased its that low, I'd of said that residentialy its MUCH higher

Spamalot · 23 May 2006 at 23:05

Tomdun said:
The figures they quote for loss of earnings are always miss leading. They assume that if the software was not pirated they would have bought it instead. This is not normaly the case.

agreed! I know loads of people that have over 10GB's of misic most that have never even lisened too, would they have bought it.... no.

benneh · 23 May 2006 at 23:05

I cannot comment on at least 80% of the software i use.

benjo plz. · 23 May 2006 at 23:07

Not really a suprise tbh.

pyro · 23 May 2006 at 23:19

That's quite low, I mean, how many people who do photochops have actually paid for the licence to adobe?

benneh · 23 May 2006 at 23:20

VeNT said:
I'm amased its that low, I'd of said that residentialy its MUCH higher

I agree, in-fact. Out of all of the internet/computer users i know in RL, and that's quite a few, i only know one who pays through the nose for all software, and that's because he earns enough to do so. Not that i'm condoning theft, which in a way it is, but at the same time, if i decide to try before i buy and for instance gthe save function is disabled, i can either not evaluate the software, and thus never purchase it. Or i can find a crack, evaluate the software, and make my mind up as to whether it is worth the purchase price

.

Mindriot · 23 May 2006 at 23:24

Not to insinuate anything but...

Piracy calculator

ps don't shoot the messenger

ojo · 23 May 2006 at 23:30

Mindriot said:
Not to insinuate anything but...

Piracy calculator

ps don't shoot the messenger

Don't do it. It records your IP addy and a blue beacon flashes over your home and the rozzers come knocking. :eek:

Caged · 23 May 2006 at 23:34

Maybe if it was priced closer to US levels.

Adobe I'm looking at you.

bungler · 23 May 2006 at 23:36

The Inquirer has a typical response.

marc2003 · 23 May 2006 at 23:49

the bbc said:
Piracy figures are calculated by working out how much PC software was installed in 2005 and subtracting from that the amount paid for software during the year.

jamoor · 23 May 2006 at 23:52

if it werent so expensive, surely they would be able to shift more copies of it?

Greenlizard0 · 23 May 2006 at 23:57

I agree the price on a lot of software is just plain ridiculous

Also it's expensive in this country.

I'm quite glad you can pretty much get a free alternative for most programs somewhere on the internet....though that's not to say it's nearly as good as stuff you pay for.

SiriusB · 24 May 2006 at 00:03

It is the exact same situation with music and film too. Businesses who produce the software/media are spending their time and effort and money on ways of making it harder to pirate rather than tackling the real issue - why are so many people pirating? Simple, their products are too expensive.

Until they make software available at a reasonable price people will continue to rip it off.

SiriusB

James_N · 24 May 2006 at 00:15

pyro said:
I mean, how many people who do photochops have actually paid for the licence to adobe?

Exactly what i think when i see all the screenshots in the "post your desktop" threads.

aphex · 24 May 2006 at 00:27

Well in my uni we get taught multimedia but since we are students we can't afford the software needed...so what do the tutors do? They tell us to use Limewire and similar programs....

Sputnik II · 24 May 2006 at 00:30

pyro said:
That's quite low, I mean, how many people who do photochops have actually paid for the licence to adobe?

Epson paid for my licence