Evonda Hollis Csci 103 Professor Zickos Software Licensing and Piracy

Although I have always been familiar with the basic concepts of the End User Licensing Agreement (EULA) from some of the software installed on my laptop, I never really knew what was written inside of it since I was one of the people who just strolled down to the bottom and clicked accept. While researching, I learned about the importance of reading the EULA and about the consequences of being ignorant about the rules surrounding it. Software licensing and piracy are important subjects in the computing world. In todays world, the topic of software licensing and piracy is filled with all kinds of misunderstandings. I will try to explain the basic facts needed to operate the computing world safely and legally. A software license is defined as a legal agreement granting you permission to use software on nonexclusive basis and is subject to conditions outlined by the company. The Microsoft software license agreement that I looked consisted of a section giving the user permission to use their software, a section describing how you are allowed to use the software Software piracy is considered stealing. If you are found copying or distributing copies of the software you are leasing illegally, you could be held liable under both civil and criminal laws. Now I will list some of the potential consequences of people using pirated software: Jail Time

Law Suit Potential exposure to software viruses Potential exposure to defective software No official product documentation No warranty Lack of technical support Ineligibility to upgrade software

Some organizations that work to prevent software piracy include the Business Software Alliance (BSA), the Canadian Alliance Against Software Theft (CAAST), the Software and Information Industry Association (SIIA), and the Federation Against Software Theft (FAST). You can also help by keeping your software licenses compliant by educating others on licensing requirements, conducting a self auit of your software licenses, and making sure you are following the guidelines set by your EULA.

References
Mathworks.com (2013). Preventing Software Piracy. [online] Retrieved from: http://www.mathworks.com/company/aboutus/policies_statements/piracy.html Software license. (2013, August 31). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 02:05, September 28, 2013, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Software_license&oldid=570935698 Walkerandjocke.com (2013). Software Licensing. [online] Retrieved from: http://www.walkerandjocke.com/pages/licensing.html