By now, you should know that copying and distributing any copyrighted material is illegal and is called piracy. You should also know that having any of these pirated materials in your possession is also illegal. While there are some differences in the types of piracy, the end of the line is that it is illegal and you could be charged and even face jail time for downloading, burning, copying, selling or owning pirated materials.

Pirated materials are rife throughout the world, but especially in the Far East and Eastern Europe. It is easy to get a hold of these pirated versions of popular (and expensive) software; however, the costs can be many.

Not only may you find yourself with hefty fines for using and owning pirated material, you may also have problems with your computer. Many pirated software packages come complete with viruses that can tear down the foundation of your computer. The cost to repair damages done by some viruses can be incredible - rendering your computer useless in some cases and much data lost.

Internet piracy also affects the base cost of the product. The more that people steal the programs, the higher the cost of the programs in retail - companies are out to make a profit and if the guy down the street sells pirated versions of software, the company has to increase their price.

There are several types of software piracy, and these include:

End-user: a user copies software without the appropriate license. This can be as easy as purchasing one copy of software and using it on multiple computers in a business or home setting.

Pre-installed software: a manufacturer uses one copy of software and uses it on more than one computer that they are selling. Watch out when you purchase a new computer that the software comes with the appropriate license documentation stating that the software you have is licensed properly.

Internet: downloading copies of software through the Internet. If you are downloading material, ensure that the publisher of the software has authorized the distribution. There is quite a bit of “free ware” and “share ware” out there on the net, but be cautious that you aren’t downloading from a third party who does not have the right to offer these downloads.

Counterfeit: Illegal copies of software are made and then distributed in packages that are similar reproductions of the manufacturer packaging.

Online auction: There are several forms of online auction piracy, such as selling software that is labelled NFR (not for resale) or OEM software that is not authorized for sale by a third party.

Remember the rule of thumb: If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. If you have found a “sale” on software that seems too good to be true, chances are its pirated and illegal.

Pirated copies of software, including downloaded movies, music and more, affect everyone. These illegal copies are not “showing the companies” - it’s making everything more expensive at the retail level and copying these discs will become increasingly more difficult, to the point where we may not be able to afford them at all in any way shape or form (and thusly, if pirated, no newer versions will be released).

mark warner is a legal research analyst for realdealdocs.com. realdealdocs gives you insider access to millions of legal documents drafted by the top law firms in the us. search over 10 million documents, clauses, and legal agreements for free at http://www.realdealdocs.com

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