One of the problems facing software publishers is the wholesale pirating of the computer programs
they produce and market. Ken Wasch, Executive Director of the Software Publishers Association
(SPA), says that for every legitimate copy of PC software in use, an additional copy exists. The
Copyright Act of 1986 covers computer programs, and makes the pirating of software Illegal. You do
not have the right to make and distribute extra copies of a computer program to your friends any
more than you have the right to copy and distribute "The Hunt for Red October."
The SPA has begun to fight back against software piracy through the establishment of a toll-free,
confidential piracy hot line, 1-800-PIRATE. Early results from this effort indicate that the majority of
calls are from co-workers of software pirates, and the average courtroom sentence has been a
,000 fine against pirates for violation of the Federal Copyright Act.
Most of the computer programs used on Army-owned PCs are commercially available programs which
are licensed from software publishers. The Army does not own these programs, but has only paid for
the right to use them. These programs are covered by the Copyright Act of 1976, and by some sort
of license agreement between the Army and the software developer. The copying of such programs
is either prohibited or limited by this agreement The following is an example of a software license
agreement
SOFTWARE END-USER LICENSE AGREEMENT
IMPORTANT: This software is a proprietary product and is protected by copyright laws. It is licensed
(not sold) for use on a single machine, and is licensed only on the conditions that you agree to the
terms of this AGREEMENT.
1. USE. You may use the software on a single machine. The software may be removed form one
machine and physically transferred to another machine, but shall not under any circumstances be
used concurrently on more than one machine.
2. COPY. You may copy the software into any machine-readable or printed form for backup
purposes in support of your use of the software on a single machine.
3. TRANSFER. You may transfer the software together with this license to another party, but only if
the other party agrees to accept the terms and conditions of this AGREEMENT. If you transfer the
software and license, you must at the same time either transfer all copies, whether in printed or
machine-readable form, to the same party or destroy any copies not transferred.
EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY PROVIDED IN THIS AGREEMENT, ANY USE OF COPYING OF THE
SOFTWARE, INCLUDING DOCUMENTATION, OR TRANSFER OF THE SOFTWARE IS PROHIBITED.
Under the terms of the above agreement, your right to use and copy the computer program is limited
to the following:
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