Software piracy still widespread in Azerbaijan: study
Azerbaijan ranks sixth among countries with the
highest level of software piracy, as only 10 percent of programs
used on computers in the country in 2008 were licensed, the
Business Software Alliance (BSA) has claimed in a study.
The group concluded, however, that some progress has been made in Azerbaijan in this area during the past four years. Whereas the piracy level amounted to 94% in 2005 and 2006, it made up 92% in 2007 and 90% last year.
The study found that, among countries with piracy rates exceeding 90% were Georgia, with 95%, as well as Bangladesh, Armenia and Zimbabwe, where 92% of software used is unlicensed.
US piracy was listed at about 20% of the total market, the lowest in the world. The countries with the lowest piracy levels also included Japan and Luxembourg, with 21%, and New Zealand, with 22%.
Worldwide piracy rates rose from 38% of software in business and home computers in 2007 to 41% in 2008, with losses to companies estimated at $53 billion, according to the study.
Global PC software sales grew 14 percent in 2008 to $88 billion.
The study also said piracy levels are directly linked with the population`s per capita income, a conclusion supported by the fact that piracy is widespread in developing and "third world" countries. The BSA found that computerization is underway more rapidly than the rate of rising income of citizens there. This necessitates the use of new software, and users prefer to acquire pirated programs instead of licensed ones, which are quite expensive, due to consumers` low purchasing power.
Prices in the software market of Baku suggest that this conclusion is substantiated. According to local Best Computers company, which is engaged in official retail sales of Microsoft products, a user is required to spend a hefty 300 manats ($375) to buy the two main programs for his PC. For instance, the simplest version of the corporation`s Windows Vista operating system costs 100 manats while the basic Microsoft Office suite, which includes word processing and spreadsheet software - is 200 manats.
The same unlicensed programs could be purchased for just 3-5 manats ($6 at the most) in local stores selling disks and in the shadow market.
The BSA also said piracy will assume an even greater scale with the ongoing increase in the number of World Wide Web users and the application of broadband Internet worldwide. Of note, the number of Internet users in the world rose 135 million in 2008, with low-income countries accounting for 100 million of the increase. The figure is expected to further surge by 460m in these countries within the next five years.
The group concluded, however, that some progress has been made in Azerbaijan in this area during the past four years. Whereas the piracy level amounted to 94% in 2005 and 2006, it made up 92% in 2007 and 90% last year.
The study found that, among countries with piracy rates exceeding 90% were Georgia, with 95%, as well as Bangladesh, Armenia and Zimbabwe, where 92% of software used is unlicensed.
US piracy was listed at about 20% of the total market, the lowest in the world. The countries with the lowest piracy levels also included Japan and Luxembourg, with 21%, and New Zealand, with 22%.
Worldwide piracy rates rose from 38% of software in business and home computers in 2007 to 41% in 2008, with losses to companies estimated at $53 billion, according to the study.
Global PC software sales grew 14 percent in 2008 to $88 billion.
The study also said piracy levels are directly linked with the population`s per capita income, a conclusion supported by the fact that piracy is widespread in developing and "third world" countries. The BSA found that computerization is underway more rapidly than the rate of rising income of citizens there. This necessitates the use of new software, and users prefer to acquire pirated programs instead of licensed ones, which are quite expensive, due to consumers` low purchasing power.
Prices in the software market of Baku suggest that this conclusion is substantiated. According to local Best Computers company, which is engaged in official retail sales of Microsoft products, a user is required to spend a hefty 300 manats ($375) to buy the two main programs for his PC. For instance, the simplest version of the corporation`s Windows Vista operating system costs 100 manats while the basic Microsoft Office suite, which includes word processing and spreadsheet software - is 200 manats.
The same unlicensed programs could be purchased for just 3-5 manats ($6 at the most) in local stores selling disks and in the shadow market.
The BSA also said piracy will assume an even greater scale with the ongoing increase in the number of World Wide Web users and the application of broadband Internet worldwide. Of note, the number of Internet users in the world rose 135 million in 2008, with low-income countries accounting for 100 million of the increase. The figure is expected to further surge by 460m in these countries within the next five years.
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