Going legit: How to use legally licensed software

Going legit: How to use legally licensed software

Arnawa Widadga, Contributor, Jakarta, arnawa__widagda@yahoo.com

For the software, film and music industries, piracy is a big concern. And many manufacturers and designers are likely to be pleased at signs here that intellectual property rights are being taken more seriously by law enforcers and by some principled consumers.

However, price is still the biggest reason why piracy continues to flourish in the country and sellers have successfully adopted guerrilla tactics to avoid enforcement, which is often weak. While education campaigns have raised pubic awareness about copyright and intellectual property issues, these have only had a limited impact. The fact remains that many people who have access to pirated software, movies and music CDs cannot afford the originals.

To encourage the use of original products, Microsoft has launched a cheaper, slimmed-down version of Windows, especially made for Southeast Asian markets. However, the still-high cost of restrictions and lack of features have turned off most potential buyers and sales to private owners are low.

However, for people who prefer to buy original software for legal reasons or simply as a matter of principle, there are three ways to buy licensed products. The most expensive, is to buy the full version of Windows -- the software box. For most users, this will either mean the Windows XP Professional or XP Home Editions.

Since they cost the same, it is probably better to get the professional edition. The full version costs around US$400 a license, valid for one PC. For those fortunate enough to already have an legal, original Windows 98, Windows Millennium Edition or Windows 2000 installed on their PC, they can get the upgrade version, costing about half as much for around US$200. Remember, the upgrade version license is only valid if you are upgrading.

The cheapest way to get a full-featured XP Home Edition, however, is through the bundled version, often called the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) bundle that you get when you buy a computer.

After the recent legal battle between Microsoft and computer retailers in Indonesia, most PC stores in the Mangga Dua Mall in West Jakarta are now legally obliged to provide the OEM bundle with every PC they sell.

They won't advertise it, but they will tell you about it if you ask. It is likely you will have to pay slightly more than for a empty PC with no operating system installed, but it is still a bargain. Some stores may choose to sell this OEM bundle separately -- a legally gray area because the software license is only valid if you buy a whole new PC, not parts. However, once installed it would be difficult for anyone to prove you did otherwise.

Institutions buying original software, whether Microsoft or other brands -- especially government, educational and non-profit organizations -- should always ask representatives for discounts, as most will offer special arrangements.

These institutions and companies who use software for commercial purposes can also ask for extra bulk discounts.

The last option may not suit all users, although it has been the choice of most system and network administrators for years.

If you don't want to pay, then don't use Windows. Using any Linux distribution means you're using software that's freely available due to its open-source nature. In most cases, you're only paying for the cost of the CD.

There are even distributions bundled with books and magazines. However, contrary to what some people believe, using Linux is not without some cost and hassle, so this step is not recommended if you're a first-time computer user.

For software applications, however, you will have plenty of options. Most Linux applications came bundled with the installer CD. For Windows applications, meanwhile, you can generally download applications directly from the Internet or buy a magazine-bundled CD with the software you want.

Software applications for Windows and Linux generally come in several categories. Freeware and shareware, are generally absolutely free or low cost and there are often no strings attached, although sometimes voluntary donations or cheap registrations are asked for.

Trialware, on the other hand, gives you a full-featured or limited-featured version of a piece of software for a limited trial period, usually 30 days or less.

Some shareware products feature ads, can be annoying for some and some adware can install lots of junk on your system, which slows it down and can be a major pain to get rid of.

To avoid this, it's a good idea to check out the software you plan to download on the Internet first, searching for the name of the software you plan to download and for users' comments and professional reviews.