Copyright : Summary |
1. The
Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 governs the illegal duplication of
computer software.
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| 2.  | Copying computer software without the
permission of the author is illegal. A person who does this is commiting
piracy and is known as a
pirate.
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| 3.  | In some European countries it is estimated that
each legally sold software package is copied illegally an average of seven times.
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| 4.  | Computer software companies
rely on the income from the sale of software packages. Illegal copying of software
reduces this income and may result in fewer new packages being developed.
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| 5.  | There are three different
offences created by the act :
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| 6.  | Despite the fact that copying
software is illegal many people choose to break the law. Therefore software houses
use other methods as well to try and prevent piracy :
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(C) P Meakin 2004