Being a huge and hotly debated issue I want to know ur thoughts on the subject. Feel free to xpress urself here. Is it good or is it bad? Is there any solution to it? Or are we just have to live with it.

First of all, what is piracy? It means "to reproduce copyrighted material without permission". In other words, its stealing. This is SIN. Since I gave my life to Christ I have stopped downloading pirated software cause I had strong convictions about such activity.

So u now buy the software from the vendors? How do u do that?
Now I buy with master card but for the thousands that have no credit card what do they do?

sunnyhova:

First of all, what is piracy? It means "to reproduce copyrighted material without permission". In other words, its stealing. This is SIN. Since I gave my life to Christ I have stopped downloading pirated software cause I had strong convictions about such activity.

The issue of piracy is hardly to avoid. It does not only happen with softwares but movies, musics, cars, etc. Let's take microsoft products for example, many people using microsoft products like microsoft office think that it is free. Apart from that, even the operating system might be running on fake windows. Ok, let's talk about movies, if all Nigeria buy original nollywood movies, believe me the actors will be among the top richest people in Nigeria. There are some softwares that cost 2500dollars to 5000dollars. I wonder how many people are willing to buy it if they can get it somewhere at less than 2dollars. You get my point. This is what I believe, if a user can get a software somewhere for free, or at a lower price, I am not against him but I will encourage him to pay back in full when he has the money.

Good point. I think u make quite some sense. But in the situation of things now, how does one even pay for it. The credit card system though improving is not up to that level yet. And besides for movies, I believe the revene comes from cinema if I'm not mistaken. And besides how do u convince the ppl to change when a 24 season 1 DVD is 200 bucks while the original is 10k. And most software company are not located here. So how does on cope?

demand and supply.the publishers are makin excess profit so pirates reveal the real price not the usurious nonsense microsoft and co spew.when e tire dem dem begin de sell real windows for 3dollars in china.pirates make life easier. why shud you sell software for 10k to 1million elite wen you can sell for 100 to 1billion unless ur a shylock who deserves to be pirated.thank goodness for capitalism

I don't really believe u r right there, the resources these ppl put into their softwares more than make their final cost reasonable, besides those that can't afford it for the most part won't even make good use of it. My issue is with availabilty and not pricing

Most software abroad can be purchased in Nigeria. there are various third party reseller who sells almost all the type of sofware you may want to buy here in Nigeria.

You can also use your master or visa card to purchase any product online and get it sent to you. GT naira master card can be used to purchase software online. If the manufacturers can't send it to you directly, you can use a shipping company (they are everywhere in nigeria) to help you with the purchase or/and the shipping. They can even buy it for you and ask you to pay them in Naira(get more info from any of this sites aarcargo.com, http://www.onlinepurchasesnigeria.com/Home.html, http://www.shopabroad.com.ng/).

.

Ok

Hmmm, Interesting,

Solution to this problem is far due to large unemployment and poor in the land especially among the youth.

There are no enforced laws against it in Nigeria. Continue the downloading.

Mobinga:

There are no enforced laws against it in Nigeria. Continue the downloading.

Keyword "enforced law", but there exists a law against it.

Many who pirate software are fully aware of the legalities, though they are able to rationalize continuing the practice. Some have difficulty understanding the distinction between freeware, shareware and commercial software.

Software piracy is illegal. Each pirated piece of software takes away from company profits. This would best be understood if you are into software development.

Maleeq:

Keyword "enforced law", but there exists a law against it.

Many who pirate software are fully aware of the legalities, though they are able to rationalize continuing the practice. Some have difficulty understanding the distinction between freeware, shareware and commercial software.

Software piracy is illegal. Each pirated piece of software takes away from company profits. This would best be understood if you are into software development.

I am into Software Development. This doesn't change my stance on illegal downloads in Nigeria

Mobinga:

There are no enforced laws against it in Nigeria. Continue the downloading.

Exactly, I never really thought about it that way. If the Nigerian police starts to jail all these local places where they sell pirated software, it will reduce vastly. I guess the problem is because we are not rich enough to buy these softwares, if Nigeria could focus on developing our ICT sector a bit, not only will we be able to make cheaper softwares which our own citizens can buy, but we will also encourage developers and create more employment for youths.

skydancer:

Exactly, I never really thought about it that way. If the Nigerian police starts to jail all these local places where they sell pirated software, it will reduce vastly. I guess the problem is because we are not rich enough to buy these softwares, if Nigeria could focus on developing our ICT sector a bit, not only will we be able to make cheaper softwares which our own citizens can buy, but we will also encourage developers and create more employment for youths.

Gbam. !.

.

Software piracy is one of the reasons ICT in Nigeria will continue to suffer for a long time. ISPs, forced by legislation can tackle this.
The Nigerian Government don't understand the impact of ICT on technological development. If they do, software piracy will curbed. Unfortunately, it is going to be the same way for a long long time.

highland:

Solution to this problem is far due to large unemployment and poor in the land especially among the youth.

I so agree with you.

If i have a good job that pays me well, why would i wanna stress myself downloading when i can just walk in to a pc mart and buy it!

This phenomenon is hard to change.

xtremeidea:

I so agree with you.

If i have a good job that pays me well, why would i wanna stress myself downloading when i can just walk in to a pc mart and buy it!

You say that. However, it is primarily because you can get away with it. Even if you get paid handsomely, if you cant get away with a pirated copy of a $500 software, you probably won't pay for it.

:-x

As what I could understand about software piracy, it is a method wherein a software is being copied but with no proper permission from the programmer or seller who owned the software or may have no license at all.

Pirate reduce the rate of unemployment somehw, so any youth involve in it can't stop it cuz dats it's source of living.
I don't think its can't be stoped cuz man must survive.

Aint got much to say,but believe me naija would have been 15yrs lagged,if not for pirated softwares n believe me most pc in government offices run,pirated windows o.s and apps. I know cos am an i.t staff.

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The Nigerian Government don't understand the impact of ICT on technological development. If they do, software piracy will curbed. Unfortunately, it is going to be the same way[img]http://www.filii.info/g.gif[/img] for a long long time.