Pirated software still popular<\/p>\n
Leony Aurora , The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
It has been 15 months since the Law No. 19\/2002 on copyrights was
\nenacted, but the use of pirated software, especially for personal
\nuse, is as widespread as ever.<\/p>\n
\"I can install the software for your computer, but it'll be a
\npirated one,\" a vendor offered The Jakarta Post during a computer
\nexhibition at the Jakarta Convention Center in Senayan, South
\nJakarta, on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The vendor was selling 10 computer packages for between Rp
\n2.75 million (US$302.53) and Rp 5.2 million each. If customers
\nwanted to install the original Microsoft Windows platform, they
\nwould have to pay an additional $88 for a home package or $150
\nfor a professional one, he said.<\/p>\n
\"It's just too expensive,\" said Rido, a student of Bina
\nNusantara University.<\/p>\n
Rido's mom said it was too much to ask poor students to use
\noriginal software. \"It's another thing for big corporations,\" she
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Business Software Alliance (BSA) Asia data from 2003 shows
\nIndonesia, with a software piracy rate of 88 percent, ranks
\nfourth in the world after Vietnam and China (92 percent each),
\nand Ukraine (91 percent).<\/p>\n
The BSA said the figure went down from 89 percent in 2002, due
\nto the efforts of the government. The copyright law, which
\npunishes those found to be involved in software piracy with five-
\nyear jail terms and\/or a maximum fine of Rp 500 million, was
\nenacted in late July last year.<\/p>\n
\"Corporations usually prefer original Microsoft packages,\"
\nsaid Debi, a Mangga Dua vendor who had a stall at the exhibition.
\n\"But students find it hard enough to buy a computer, let alone to
\nspend more money on original software.\"<\/p>\n
To avoid being brought to court for copyright violations, Debi
\nsells \"empty\" computers without software for personal use. \"What
\nthey do with it at home is their business,\" she said.<\/p>\n
U.S. giant software company Microsoft raided several
\nelectronic shops in West Jakarta three years ago. Based on
\nevidence gathered from the raids, the company filed lawsuits and
\nwon a total of US$9.1 million in damages against five Indonesian
\ncompanies for installing unlicensed software on the computers the
\nfirms sold to their customers.<\/p>\n
Many shops in malls and other public places took their pirated
\nsoftware and games off the racks during the first months of the
\ncrackdown on copyright law, but now, business has returned to
\nnormal due to lax controls.<\/p>\n
The Ministry for Justice and Human Rights blamed the rampant
\npiracy in Indonesia on weak law-enforcement and people's lack of
\nawareness about the issue.<\/p>\n
Ministry data says Indonesian companies incurred a total of
\nUS$259.9 million in losses in 2002 because of piracy. The total
\nincluded film industry losses of US$28 million, music industry
\nlosses of $92.3 million, software industry losses of $109.6
\nmillion, and publishing industry losses of $30 million.<\/p>\n
Rido said another problem was some original software packages,
\nlike Adobe or WinAmp products, were now difficult to find. \"It's
\neasier to get the pirated versions,\" he said.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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