3.Copyright+and+Software

Software authors need to be protected by copyright to prevent people from copying the work. If they weren't protected by copyright, they wouldn't be able to receive any profit and income from their work. Software piracy is easy and can be accomplished by copying, downloading, sharing, selling or installing multiple copies onto a home computer for business or personal use.
 * Why do software authors need to be protected by copyright? **

**How does software piracy become a cost to the Australian computer industry each year?** Software becomes a cost to the Australian computer industry by software piracy has gone up by 26%, reduces tax revenue, costs jobs, costs local developers as well as international manufacturers. Software piracy is unreliable and increases the risk of a consumer's computer being corrupted with viruses due to defective software. Pirated software can cost consumers lost time and more money. Business Software Alliance released that, in 2009 12 companies have been caught using illegal software that adds to an amount of $331,678.

**What is the result of software piracy? ** The result of software piracy​ is companies have losses adding up to $53 billion and Global PC software sales grew 14 percent last year to $US88 billion. Software piracy rates have gone up in Australia with 26% of PCs have pirated software installed on them. Software piracy predominately use unreliable documentation, which allows the consumer to have a disadvantage to the programs. This leads to a number of consumers with computer infected with viruses. One positive result from software piracy is the company BSA (business software alliance) is educating businesses that have been caught with illegal software on the importance of buying legit software and properly managing their software assets. (Business Software Alliance, 2000-2009)