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Crime That Pays(Pretty Well Too)Student ID# I2014422166Name: Atif Rao MuhammadSubmitted to : Xiaoping Xu

Q.1:Collectivism and individualism, democracy and totalitarianism, rule of law and rule of man: What do these concepts say about the IPRs of software and the legitimacy of its protection? Different attitudes towards IPRGenerally speaking Individualism, democracy and rule of law usually support the concept of Intellectual Property Rights as rules in these systems ensures the protection of individual rights and property". For example, in USA the software is automatically protected by federal copyright law from the moment of its creation. Any illegal usage may cause the user fine as well as jail.Whereas Collectivism, totalitarianism and rule of man are not so strict on this issue as these systems prefer social welfare on individual gains. Therefore new ideas or technologies are public goods for everybody to share freely. Cultural Esteem rather than material gain is the incentive for creativity. Although both approaches are supporting IPRs from different perspectives but still no part of the world is exempted from piracy and it is rising day by day. This is largely due to accepted legitimacy of piracy i.e. Bandits are everywhere Q.2:What is the relationship among governments, institutions, organizations, and companies in developing legal means to fight software piracy?The governments, institutions, organizations and companies can play a vital role in fight against software piracy because standards of software piracy are quite clear and mutually agreed.However it requires mutual coordination i.e. governments should provide legal protection to intellectual property, companies should file cases against firms using illegal software, institutions and organizations should induce the governments to set standard (through global agreements)to protect IPRs according to global principles not to local standard.Q.3:Can the software industry control software piracy without government help? Why would the software industry dislike greater government regulation?The software industry can control software piracy to a limited extent without government involvements.it can take following steps To create awareness among public about the illegal copying of software.To introduce some technical barriers which hinder the use of software.To take strong legal actions against the Pirated software producers and users.It needs to build up some robust technical and business barriers to stop piracy without government help.

Continued:Q.3 (why Software industry dislike government involvement)?Software industry sometimes dislike government involvement because it may lead to loss of company sovereignty.(government may direct the industry to adopt some regulatory measures regarding prices etc .)Greater government involvement some time leads to obstruct software competition at local level as well as global level.How do you think customers in wealthier countries versus those in poorer countries justify software piracy?Law of Demand:The customers who lives either in wealthier countries or poor countries they tend to buy pirated product due to cheaper price.Common Property VS Private Property:Consumers in high-theft countries do not understand the differences between the pirated and the original software. They considerthat any property as being common to all and existing for the benefit of all.On the other hand, people in the low-theft countries well understand the concept of the intellectual property rights. They understand that there is a reason behind the copyright act. Another thing is that, the political and the legal system of the low-theft countries are far stronger than that of in a high-theft countryContinued..Think you have to Cheat to SurviveOwing to media expansion the technology has allured people of both rich and poor countries. Since the rich can buy high-tech products and software whereas it is very difficult for people living in poor countries therefore to buy an original one. Therefore they tend to buy pirated software so as to improve productivity/quality of life.

Q.5Can you envision a scenario where companies and consumers reach a relationship that eliminates the profitability of piracywhether it is for software, music, movies and other digital products.It is quite unlikely that companies and consumers can reach such scenario or far from reality because each country has its own legal, cultural, social and economic dynamics therefore enforcement of global treaties without considering these aspect cannot be helpful.However the steps like selling products at lower price to poor countries likelow price edition books in low income countries. Or offering MS office at low price may lead to reduce piracy.