These increasingly powerful machines use sophisticated software programs for a variety of applications. Software can help a small business correspond with its customers, keep track of inventory and even answer the phone and process orders. Unfortunately many computer users make illegal copies of computer software.
Software pirates hurt themselves as well as others through their actions.
They sacrifice the long term benefits of legitimate software ownership for a cheap, short term fix. Software is developed by publishers, including many small businesses relying upon steady sales not only to survive but also to improve their products and invest for the future. Computer software is protected under federal copyright law which provides that users may not make a copy of a piece of software for any other reason than as an archival back-up without permission of the copyright holder. Unauthorized reproduction of a computer program is considered theft. Computer piracy is different from copying other recorded media, such as videotapes and compact disks, because there is no degradation in the quality of the copy.