Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
- Created by: Rosie Bishop
- Created on: 22-01-12 15:39
Piracy is the process of illegally copying software.
A Software Licence is a document (digital or paper) which sets out the terms by which the software can be used- it will refer to the number of computers on which it can be run simultaneously.
Many people make a living out of writing software and manuals for others to use. These people are protected from having their work copied, in the same way as the writer of a best-selling novel is protected.
Copyright and Licensing
There are the following problems with computer software:
- It is very easy to copy
- It is very easy to transfer files over the internet
- People don't view copying software as like stealing goods from a supermarket.
There are the following problems with copied software:
- Not entitled to technical support
- Do not qualify for upgrades
- Software may be incomplete
- It may contain viruses.
The Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988
This Act makes it a criminal offence to copy or steal software. In addition if you copy software illegally then you are depriving the owner of the software of some of their income/profits and they will be able to sue you.
The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 allows the software owner to copy the software and also allows someone else to copy the software provided they…
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