Computer piracy is a phenomenon that has affected millions of people around the world, causing enormous damage to companies involved in the production of software, music, films and other digital content. However, the real drama of piracy isn’t so much the fact that it harms companies, but the fact that it has convinced many people that anything on a computer or phone is “due” and need not be paid for, ignoring the mass of work behind it.
Computer piracy (and not) and the belief that everything is due.
Computer piracy is a form of “picking” which consists of illegally copying and distributing copyrighted works; this leads to huge economic losses for the companies that produce this content, which see their earnings and sometimes also the number of available jobs reduced; however the real tragedy of piracy is represented by the attitude it has created towards culture and creativity.
Indeed, many users have developed the belief that everything available on the net is free and that it is their right to use it without having to pay anything. This attitude has spread especially among young people, who often don’t have a precise idea of the value of things and the difficulties behind the production of a film, a piece of music or a piece of software (video games in particular).
In reality, digital content production requires an enormous amount of work, which often is carried out by teams of highly qualified professionals.
Creating a film, for example, requires the participation of dozens or even hundreds of people, from artistic figures such as actors, directors, screenwriters and costume designers, to post-production and distribution workers. All these people work hard to make a quality product that can be appreciated by the public.
The same goes for the production of software and other digital content. Behind a smartphone application or game there are months, if not years, of work by programmers, designers, testers and other professionals, who are dedicated to creating a quality product that can meet the needs of users.
Ignoring all this work and thinking that it is possible to obtain the fruits of many hours of effort for free is a wrong and unfair attitude, which goes against respect for the work of others and for intellectual property. In fact, computer piracy not only damages the companies that produce the contents, but also the individual professionals who work there and who often see their work belittled and devalued.
In conclusion, the real drama of computer piracy is not so much represented by the economic damage it entails for companies, but by the attitude it has created towards culture and creativity. Ignoring the value of other people’s work and thinking that everything is due and free is not only wrong, but also represents a cultural problem that goes against respect for work and intellectual property.
Furthermore, computer piracy has a negative impact on the quality of the content itself, as it reduces the resources available to companies to invest in the research, development and production of new products.
To counter this phenomenon, it is important to raise awareness among young people and the general public of the importance of respecting the intellectual property and work of others. It is essential to make people understand that behind every digital product there is an enormous amount of work by many people, who deserve to be paid for their commitment and creativity.
In addition, the companies themselves can take some measures to reduce the phenomenon of piracy, such as offering affordable prices and subscription solutions that allow you to legally access your content. In this way, the public can be incentivized to pay for digital products, reducing the temptation to look for illegal solutions.
Ultimately, computer piracy is a complex phenomenon that must be fought not only economically, but above all cultural.
It is important to make people understand the value of the work of others and of intellectual property, raising awareness of the fact that behind every digital product there is an enormous amount of work and creativity, only in this way will it be possible to counter the phenomenon of piracy and guarantee a sustainable future for the production of digital content.
Open Source and Free Content Doesn’t Mean You Don’t “Pay”
It is true that there are free and even open source products, which can be freely downloaded and used without having to pay anything. However, that doesn’t mean they don’t somehow “pay”.
Firstly, many free and open source products have been created thanks to the work of volunteers and enthusiasts, who have decided to make their time and skills available to the community without asking for any compensation in return. These products represent a real gift to the community and are an example of how sharing and collaboration can generate value for everyone.
In addition, even open source products often require some effort from users, who must know how to install, configure and use them correctly: this requires time and specific knowledge, which can be acquired through training and study.
Finally, even though open source products are free, however, there are often forms of financing that allow the work of creators and contributors to be supported; for example, many companies offer support and consultancy services for open source products, which can be purchased by users for personalized and technical assistance. In this way, you help support the work of developers and ensure the continuity and development of the product itself.
It is true that there are free and even open source products, but this does not mean that somehow they are not “paid”. These products represent a common good and in any case require a certain commitment and specific knowledge on the part of the users. Furthermore, there are also forms of financing that allow the work of creators and contributors to be supported and to guarantee the continuity and development of the product itself.
Not all bad comes to be new
As curious as it may seem, piracy has also had some “positive” implications.
In some cases piracy has made some products better known and popular among the public. This has led to an increase in sales, but it is difficult to determine whether this is due to the piracy itself or to other factors, such as product quality or advertising campaigns.
Furthermore, piracy has led to a greater diffusion of certain formats or technologies, which in turn have stimulated the development of new products and services; for example, music piracy led to the spread of the MP3 format, which in turn led to the creation of new streaming services and devices for playing digital music, often making known artists who previously would have remained in the shadows.
A known case for technology and video game enthusiasts is that piracy during the PlayStation 1 era has allowed some titles to emerge and to be known.
This though it does not mean that products are due only because they are on a screen: it is a mentality that especially harms the little ones (for example technicians, small programmers, etc).
Nowadays a lot of pirated software contains cyber threats
Many times free products, especially those downloaded from untrusted sources, can hide computer threats such as viruses, malware, trojans and other forms of harmful software for your computer and smartphone.
This happens because often Hackers try to insert their malicious code into free software or files in order to spread their malware and infect as many computers as possible.
Furthermore, some websites offering free software downloads may use social engineering techniques to trick users into downloading and installing malicious software, for example through the false promise of offering a paid product for free.
Ultimately, the use of pirated or unauthorized free software is not only an infringement of copyrights, but can also expose users to the risk of cyber attacks and compromising the security of their data.
It is therefore important to always turn to reliable sources to download software and use original software, in order to guarantee your computer security and respect the rights of authors and companies that invest in the creation and marketing of their products.
An example of this fact is the classics KMS extension of Windows circulating on the internet: very dangerous for the health of the PC and its data.
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