NCJ Number
88386
Editor(s)
R Muller
Date Published
1981
Length
118 pages
Annotation
Contributors to this conference report highlight the growth in computer software theft and the methods for countering computer pirates in the United Kingdom.
Abstract
Software piracy and illicit copying are blamed for a dramatic 60 percent drop in less than a year for microprogram cassette sales, and this occurred at a time when the marketplace's enthusiasm for using microcomputing was steadily rising. Software theft may occur because of greed, careless or unscrupulous dealers, or inadequate documentation by the software industry itself. Software can be protected better through appropriate physical protective measures or by increasing costs. One contributor suggests that software packages be built using the data base approach, thus ensuring that protection is built into the product. Unconventional solutions include booby traps, harassment, induced dependence, etc. The best defense against software theft is through the legal system, although the law's position on software protection is now unclear. Clear software copyright laws are needed. Some tables and charts are included. Additional information on protecting software is appended along with the 1980 U.S. Computer Software Act.