Study Finds Software Piracy Statistics Growing

Software piracy grew last year, accounting for 41 percent of all PC software installed [up from 38% last year], with losses to companies estimated at $53 billion, the Business Software Alliance said on Tuesday.

Clearly, this is an organization that needs to shut down. Year after year, software theft grows, yet the BS Alliance each year announces itself incapable of reversing the tide -- despite the millions member software companies pour into it. 

Never mind that the BS Alliance generates statistics imaginary enough to make a global warming alarmist proud -- such as "the U.S. has the highest single dollar loss" and the faked accuracy implied by "losses to companies estimated at $53 billion."

It's an estimate, so losses could just as easily be $53 million or $53. I know that my ebooks get pirated, but I don't annually whine publicly about the billions in imaginary revenue I am losing. 

(You can work out for yourself that even the "41%" is incorrect, by doing the arithmetic on the numbers provided in the press release.)

Wild estimates and bad math makes all this organization's numbers suspect. But wait, there's more: expect next year's numbers to be even more "worse," because that's the trap these sorts of organizations get into -- whether fighting software piracy, ending world hunger, or finding cures for diseases. To keep us donating funds, the "problem" has to get worser and worser.

If the problem were ever solved, the staff would be out of a job -- the horror!

Source.

Comments

[Marijn]

They sould look if the use of opensource/freeware goes up when the pirate software goes down. I gues if photoshop was hack-proof, every one that is not a big bisness is going to use paint.net. If office from ms is hack-proof, everyone is going to use openoffice.

About CAD software there student versions and the new unemployed programs gives away how usefull it is to get as much users to learn your packet. (before this was done by cracks and illegal downloads. If someone makes enough money with your software so he can buy it they should buy it, if they don't they should get it until they can this way everyone is happy. (more sales for cad vendors because more start-ups succeed)

[Marijn]

Comments are moderated? Well I mis an edit button....

[Steve Johnson]

BS Alliance indeed; seldom has an organisation been so aptly named. Is Mr. Holleyman really that stupid, or does he just think we are?

[R. Paul Waddington]

I agree with Steve, a more aptly named organization it would be hard to find.

I add, as an organization who has a stated role to 'educate' business users in the rights an 'wrongs' of software usage; I am yet to see where, and when, that activity ever happens effectively, if at all.

I have said before stopping so called piracy is not an activity the major players want to happen; they just want us to believe they do and the BS is their attempt at putting on an honest face - whilst wasting money.

[maoltuile]

Never mind that the BS Alliance generates statistics imaginary enough to make a global warming alarmist proud

Less politics, more CAD, please...?

[Norm C.]

@ MARIJN

The use of Open Source/Free software would not be evoked by the likes of the BS Alliance, even if they do monitor it. Would you see them urge pirates to use Open Source alternatives instead of pirating their members' products? Not likely!

[Ethan]

I'd just like to point out that "worser" is not a word.

[Ralph Grabowski]

I would like to point out that one is free to mangle the English language any way one wishes. The only thing that is important is, Does someone else read it? If not, then all the worser.