Software piracy can be defined as unauthorized or illegal copying of software. Whenever a person purchases a paid computer software, he or she is provided with a license key for the same. The person can then activate it using the key whereby he or she becomes a licensed user of that software. Different software licenses have different usage limits though most of them allow you to install the software only on one system (i.e. a single computer) and you are allowed to keep a copy of the installation file only as a backup. However, some licenses allow usage of the software in up to 2-3 computers or on at times in a whole computer network (in case of corporate licenses). Many vendors also allow you to transfer the license for their software products from one computer to another. All such authorized installation of the software are called legal versions or licensed installations. But when you pass the same copy to your friends or reverse engineer it for multiple usage, then it becomes an illegal or pirated software.Many software companies are trying different ways to keep a check on piracy of their products. Most licenses nowadays are automatically attached to the motherboard or operating system which makes it impossible to be transferred to other computers without authorization from the vendors. Most software are also copy protected in recent times and require online activation. The companies have even started to employ anti-piracy agencies and methods to check and remove pirated copies from various websites including file downloading sites, warez sites etc. But even after all those precautions, most computer software are ultimately cracked and released to warez and illegal sites. As soon as a software is released, hackers start to reverse engineer the same and soon cracks are released to the internet.Software piracy is one of the biggest menace for the software industry and has resulted in loss of revenue worth billions of dollars. Though pirated software are mostly used by people who know about it being illegal but there are times when people use pirated copies of software without even realizing they are doing something illegal. These mostly occur when the computer shop or computer repair person installs pirated versions without clarifying or informing he same to the person who owns the computer. In recent years, a lot of awareness campaigns are being done by top software providers to let first time computer users know about the disadvantages and legal problems attached with using a pirated software. However, a lot more needs to be done to spread more awareness.It is our responsibility to follow ethical and legal means by purchasing only licensed software. By purchasing a legal license, we are not only rewarding the developers and supporters of the products for their quality and usage of the software but also helping in future development of the software. A significant portion of the revenue generated from any software goes into research and development which in turn would result in more features and stability in future versions of the software. So, the first and foremost reason for purchasing a legal license is that we can expect improvement in future versions of the software. Secondly, it is our moral duty to avoid a pirated software as the developers invest a lot of hard work and money in the development. So, they should be rewarded for the same. Thirdly, a pirated software is never going to be stable and updates are not available. Most pirated software have been seen to be susceptible to virus and malware compared to legal ones. So, a genuine and authorized version of the same results in mental peace as well as security and stability of your computer system. In case you are unable to afford it then you can always opt for open source or free software which can be legally downloaded and installed on your computer free of cost. As these are legal versions, you can also update it free of costs and thereby maintain security and stability of the same. Nowadays, most open source alternatives are comparable and at times even better than the paid software. If you are a developer then you can also reverse engineer the open source software and redistribute it as per your needs and in accordance with the license. And if you need additional features, you can purchase the paid versions when you can afford the investment.

Identifying the best self storage software programs can be difficult. This is largely because although many of the features may seem similar, the differences can actually be very large. Another common problem is that the best software for one person may not be the best for you. Fortunately, there are a few general rules that you can follow when trying to decide which self source software program is going to be the best fit for your business.Self Storage Software Programs Minimize Manual TasksOne of the most important things that your self storage software should do is minimize the tasks that are normally done manually. This could range from sending out monthly billing statements to general accounting. For example, a common problem that a lot of people run into is that their software cannot process a certain type of payment that they often receive, such as direct deposits or payments through an online gateway. The whole point of using this type of software is to help you stay organized and minimize the amount of time needed doing these types of manual tasks. If the software doesn’t end up saving you time, then you should definitely be looking into a different option.Software Programs Integrate When NeededAnother characteristic of the elite self storage software programs is that they can be easily integrated with the hardware that you are using as well as other pieces of software. For example, if you are running a newer version of Windows 7, then your software should be compatible with it. If the software developer cannot keep up with recent releases, then there’s a good chance that you will not be able to get support when you need it. Additionally, depending on the type of software that you decide to use, it needs to integrate with your other tools. For example, if you choose a basic software that does not include an online payment gateway, then it should at least be able to integrate with the one you are using now.The Best Software Programs Can Be Self ContainedIdeally, integration will be a minimal issue because the software itself is fairly self-contained. The more comprehensive the software is, the less opportunity there is for an integration problem to occur. Many of the best self storage software programs can now not only manager property, but also send out automatic billing reminders, except payments, and even take care of your general accounting needs. There are many industries where getting the software with the most features isn’t always beneficial, but the self storage industry isn’t one of them.Software Programs Should Allow You to ExpandFinally, the best self storage software programs will have the ability to grow and expand as your company does. For example, there is a lot of software that was designed with the small business owner in mind. They can do everything you need, but once you have multiple properties the software actually becomes more of a hindrance because it wasn’t designed to handle information from multiple locations. A simple solution to this problem that has become popular is to provide you with a web-based platform that can integrate with your local software. This insures that you get access to information provided from multiple locations in a centralized admin area. With this capability, expanding your self storage business will never cause an issue with your software.

Software trade group Business Software Alliance or BSA has revealed findings of its own study that found that for every 10 software products sold via the Internet, about four are pirated copies of original OEM software The most usual victim of such piracy is of course, the most popular software in the world, the Microsoft OEM software.To understand the real issue behind this, it would be appropriate if you would be refreshed about OEM. The word stands for ‘original equipment manufacturer’. OEM is a re-branded component of a computer unit. You know for a fact that not all parts of a computer unit is designed and built by a single manufacturer. There are specific parts, like chips, memory, and drives that are made by third party firms.For example, you are buying a computer unit made of maker A. because Microsoft is the most used and functional software you will definitely opt to buy the computer if it already contains Microsoft software That software is known as Microsoft OEM software In other words, Microsoft OEM software is a computer program that is installed in a computer unit upon purchase by consumers.Online scamsThat is the main thrust for piracy concerns. Because computer manufacturers are always aiming to minimize their costs and maximize popularity and demand from consumers, they always aim to offer the best packages and deals to the market. What else can be better than selling computer units already installed with Microsoft OEM software?As computer manufacturers find Microsoft OEM software online and elsewhere, they most likely encounter scam and fake copies of the software Investigations have it that PC makers are not always to be blamed for their patronage of pirated Microsoft OEM software Most of the time, several Microsoft OEM software packages available in the market look like original products, only to be found out eventually that they are not.In fact, investigators are also most of the time deceived. They can attest that they, too, can be fooled by pirated Microsoft OEM software being distributed in the market. Perhaps, there must be more stringent and more particular rules and regulations that should be installed and established to regulate the rise of fake Microsoft OEM software.Fake Microsoft OEM software in emailsThe most common form of dissemination and circulation of pirated copies of Microsoft OEM software are through emails. For sure, you are familiar with spam emails. Such mails are proliferating in the emails of people around the world. Usually, headings and titles indicate cheap and marked down costs of particular Microsoft OEM software.BSA asserts that as always, consumers are thrilled and deceived by cheaper and more affordable versions of products. In the case of software consumers are more than anxious to secure cheaper installations of Microsoft OEM software to be particular.And why not?Pirated Microsoft OEM software are very cheap. At the same time, they are coming in full and unlimited versions, making them more in-demand and highly attractive to buyers. If you would try buying the legitimate copies, you would notice that they are more expensive. Another setback is that despite the high tag prices, software copies are limited and are not in full versions.Thus, when there is Microsoft OEM software that is in full and unlimited versions at lower prices, consumers would naturally come across to patronize the products. As for counterfeits against hoaxes and pirated versions, it is always hard to tell if a product is pirated or not. Most of the time, pirated Microsoft OEM software looks exactly the same as the original copies. The features are almost always the same and the overall packaging and functions bear no difference than the original versions.