Piracy On The Internet Essay Research Paper

Piracy On The Internet Essay, Research Paper

Computer Ethics and Piracy Computer piracy, which is the illegal copying and/or distribution of software, is a serious issue that happens throughout today s world. Software piracy hurts the many computer programmers who make these games, utilities, and other applications. Another form of piracy is hardware, which will be covered in more depth later in this report. Any form of piracy hurts the developers and the retailers who sell the hardware and/or software. That is why it is important to follow certain computer ethics, so you don t get caught up in the mess. Also, if you are a frequent Internet user, certain ethics or “cyberethics” most be followed to ensure the safety and privacy of you and others. Software piracy is the most common form of piracy in the world today. The pirating of utility programs, games, and other computer applications occurs mostly outside the United States. The majority of violators make their home especially in Asian countries such as China and Thailand. They have like over in the billions worth of pirated software available to customers. Authorities there hardly care about such issues as software piracy, so most computer programs they sell there are illegal. This does not mean though that pirating software does not occur in our own communities. Some of us do it everyday. One such example is the lending of programs to friends and families. This in fact, is illegal and is a definite form of software piracy. The reason for this is that you are distributing the software to people who have not paid for it from legit retailers. So the next time, Uncle Bob asks for some software of yours, think twice before doing anything. You can also get pirated software from underground shops and computer shows, such as the one they host at CSUN. Obtaining illegal software is not a hard task to do. In fact, it is very simple. Not only can you get pirated software from non-legit retailers, but also you can download it from the Internet itself. It is not like pirated software is rare; it is all over the place. There is another popular form of piracy that lurks around the Internet. It is very popular among people who like music. You can download these types of files from the Internet, even on services such as America Online. These types of files, also known as MP3s. MP3s are converted .wav files, compressed so much, that a 50 megabyte .wav can be transformed into a file less than 5 megabytes. To make such MP3 files is a very simple process. All one needs is a CD-ROM drive, preferably a brand-name drive, a CD burner (a program that allows you to convert a CD audio track into a .wav file), an MP3 compressor (a program in which you can convert .wav files into a readable MP3 file), and anyone of your favorite CDs. As a note, making your own MP3s is in fact LEGAL. The only way it is illegal is if you violate the copyright law and distribute them through the Internet. With a CD-ROM drive, Person A inserts his music CD into it. He then uses his CD burner to take an audio file, or track, from the CD, and converts it to a .wav file. The CD burner does this entire process of converting an audio file to a .wav file with much ease. With the new .wav file formed, Person A uses the MP3 compressor to then convert the .wav file to a true MP3 file. The way one listens to an MP3 file is with the use of an MP3 player, such as WinAMP. It would be appropriate if Person A uses the file for his own personal use. But, if he uploads it to the Internet, and starts sending it to his friends on America Online, this is ILLEGAL. There haven t been a lot of criminal charges for distributing or supplying such files compared to the numerous accounts of the true “reproduction” of commercial software, but it should be taken seriously by anyone who attempts to engage in such activities. Now you ask yourself, how does one make pirated software. It is in fact, very simple to do, and with the right equipment, you can make your own too (but don t because it is illegal). The way that most people “recreate” software is with the use of a rewrite-able or write-able CD-ROM drive. This piece of equipment ranges from around $200 to about $500 depending on what type you want. After the person buys the necessary equipment, he/she installs it on their computer. That person then takes some software that he/she has purchased, and starts to make illegal copies of that piece of software. The person then can sell the pirated software to anyone willing to buy it at a very low price. This is how one usually does it, and it is the most common way. As for the Internet, getting full-versions of software is as easy as just a few clicks with the mouse button. On the Internet, there are TONS and TONS of uploaded software that Net surfers can download. If you wish to partake in downloading any commercial software, it takes a long time to download depending on your type of connection. Anyone, who wants to distribute software on the Net, must upload it to an FTP site first. For people who do this, it takes a lengthy period of time to do so, since most applications are over 20 megabytes these days. Once it has been uploaded to the FTP site, Internet users can then connect to the FTP and download whatever is there. The cost of pirated software is fairly cheap. You can buy this software from around 50% to 80% off the normal price at retailers. From the Internet, the cost is free of charge. This is what ma