How To Stop Piracy Occurring In The Form Of Free Software Downloads?
Not all free software downloads constitute pirated software. There are several legally available downloads offered free to the end users. Thus, it is always advisable to download any free software from a genuine source.
When one purchases software, he/she is not the sole owner. Instead, the software provider licenses the buyers a copy for their use only. Loading copies on other workstations and passing copies to friends or colleagues are not allowed. Many sites that offer free software downloads are violating the rights of the licensee. Free end-users should be aware of these, as they may contain viruses, malware or spyware and often will not function properly. One is not entitled to receive critical updates, upgrades and technical support. Such software may harm the computer too.
Most free software downloads are offered by resellers, who distribute software copies illegally. Online distributors use a variety of tricks to offer pirated software. Sometimes, they may offer the software download under an assumed name. Some offer copyright material like e-books as educational content. More than 90% of all software programs distributed over the Internet are pirated. All such pirated copies are illegal and the perpetrators can be punished under the law. The only time one may get free software is when the company is offering a trial for a limited period. Once the trial period has expired, users need to pay to continue using the software.
So how does one avoid piracy? The safest way is to buy software only from an authorized seller or directly from the company. Free software comes with a ‘free software license’ and an open registration key. Anyone can download and install them without worrying about registration. In case of paid software, the manufacturer incorporates a unique registration key and an activation code. Be suspicious if the product does not come with some proof of authenticity. In addition, one should get some contact information, so that he or she can run a check in case of any doubt. Register the copy with the software licensee. One should report cases of suspected piracy to the software licensee. In addition, software licensees have experienced teams that look into free software downloads which constitute piracy of their software and prosecute the perpetrators. One should avoid sharing files with contacts not known personally. There is no way one can check the identity of online friends.
Author Resource:
The Author is a professional writer, presently writing for free software downloads.
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