DON?T BE A PIRATE!
What is Software Piracy?
Software piracy is the unauthorized use or distribution of software.
You participate in the unauthorized use or distribution of TopScore Pro? if
you LEND, GIVE, COPY or SELL the software to anyone without our permission. You
do not OWN the software. You are granted a nonexclusive right to USE the
software for a specific period of time.
ScholarWare takes software piracy very seriously. Because our product is
beneficial to its users only once (unlike other programs such as Microsoft
Word), we especially depend upon recurring revenue to make advances in our
product. Just because you do not "need" the software anymore, DOES NOT
entitle you to pirate the software.
Why shouldn't I use pirated or pirate software? Who am I hurting?
There are several reasons not to use pirated or pirate software.
-
It's illegal and there is liability on your part. (See Liability for
Piracy below)
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It's risky. If the software is from an unauthorized source, you could be
getting a program that is not fully functional. Each TopScore Pro? CD-ROM
expires on a predetermined date which is unknown to the user. You don?t
want an expired product.
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There won't be another version of the software if there is no revenue to
put back into research and development. This revenue has made the product
affordable to legitimate users.
-
It isn't ethical. Or we like to say "doing the right thing when no
one is looking." Understand that this product is introduced at a very
affordable price and provides tremendous benefit to preprofessional (predental/preoptometry)
students.
Ask yourself how you would feel if your life's work went without
compensation? Start now and be an ethical professional.
LIABILITY FOR PIRACY
What are the fines for being caught with or participating in pirated
software?
At ScholarWare we report software pirates and prosecute them. We take it
seriously.
Click
Here to Report software piracy.
If sued for civil copyright infringement, the penalty is up to $100,000 per
title infringed. If charged with a criminal violation, the fine is up to
$250,000 per title infringed and up to five years imprisonment.
What proof do we need to show that you have purchased our software?
Anti-Piracy requires positive proof that all software has been purchased to
demonstrate copyright compliance. The best documentation substantiating
authorized purchases include approved purchase orders, invoices, customer
receipts, and/or cancelled checks. Other documentation provided by the company
may be acceptable. Normally, original media (CD-ROM's, diskettes, manuals, etc.)
are not accepted documentation.
The Law in the United States
Software is automatically protected by federal copyright law from the moment of
its creation. The rights granted to the owner of a copyright (ScholarWare) are
clearly stated in the Copyright Act, Title 17 of the US Code. The Act gives the
owner of the copyright "the exclusive rights" to "reproduce the
copyrighted work" and "to distribute copies ... of the copyrighted
work" (Section 106). It also states that "anyone who violates any of
the exclusive rights of the copyright owner ... is an infringer of the
copyright" (Section 501), and sets forth several penalties for such
conduct. Those who purchase a license for a copy of software do not have the
right to make additional copies without the permission of the copyright owner,
except (i) copy the software onto a single computer and (ii) make "another
copy for archival purposes only," which are specifically provided in the
Copyright Act (Section 117). The license accompanying TopScore Pro? does not
allow additional copies to be made outside of Title 17; be sure to review our End User License
Agreement carefully.
Software creates unique problems for copyright owners because it is easy to
duplicate, and the copy is usually as good as the original. This fact, however,
does not make it legal to violate the rights of the copyright owner. The
unauthorized duplication of software constitutes copyright infringement
regardless of whether it is done for sale, for free distribution, or for the
copier's own use. Moreover, copiers are liable for the resulting copyright
infringement whether or not they knew their conduct was in breach of the law.
Penalties include liability for damages suffered by the copyright owner plus any
profits of the infringer that are attributable to the copying.
It has always been illegal to rent unauthorized copies of software. Concern over
the fact that the rental of authorized or "original" software
frequently resulted in the creation of pirated software led Congress to enact
the Software Rental Amendments Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-650). This law
prohibits the rental, leasing, or lending of original copies of any software
without the express permission of the copyright owner.
Software Piracy is just not worth it!
To learn more about software piracy, visit the Software Piracy Association's
web site at http://www.siia.net/piracy/copyright/law.asp
Software Pirates Get Their Reward! Interesting News Articles
SIIA Settles Suit
Against Pirate Selling Software Via Internet Auctions
SIIA Files Suit
Against Pirates Selling Software Via Internet Auctions
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