Most people I know have a copy of Microsoft Word, but barely anyone has paid for it. Is the battle against pirated software being forgotten?

Scarcely a week goes by without a news story highlighting music or video copyright infringement via the internet, but the lack of publicity surrounding software piracy has allowed us to conveniently forget that it’s illegal. Cracked versions of commercial software are swapped on the same file sharing networks that carry music and video files, and, equipped with a broadband connection, it’s relatively simple to avoid spending a small fortune on, say, Adobe’s Creative Suite 2 Premium Web Bundle. This week’s correspondents are predictably cagey about the contents of their hard drives, while hinting that it’s a significant issue. “Software that I’ve actually purchased?” writes one anonymous reader, “I think I might have a legitimate copy of Windows 2000. Somewhere.” Edith B is more forthright. “When I was a music student I felt no guilt whatsoever about using pirated music software; it was ridiculously expensive, and resources at my university were scarce.”

Al Thomas continues in this Robin Hood-esque vein. “I have a half-formed thought in my mind that expensive professional software should be free for personal users, who then pay if they start making money using it.” A similar idea has been launched this month by blogging software company Movable Type, who are giving away its software free for personal use in the hope that widespread use will encourage businesses to start using a paid-for version. In reality, it may be naïve to assume that businesses are any more conscientious than individuals when it comes to software; the Business Software Alliance estimates a 27% software piracy rate among UK businesses, and currently offer rewards of up to £20,000 for the reporting of offenders. Some readers share the BSA’s hardline stance; Edd Turner comments: “Some people seem willing to take for free what they should pay for, while refusing to believe that they’re doing anything wrong.”

There are legal ways to avoid shelling out for the big software packages. Free, open source progams are increasing in popularity – particularly the OpenOffice suite, which can read and write files in the ubiquitous Microsoft Office formats. “It’s not brilliant,” writes Nigel Armstrong, “but it’s free, and isn’t bloated with pointless features.” Equally, the free but unfortunately-named GIMP is a highly-regarded image-manipulation software package, perfect for those who currently use an illegal version of Photoshop but don’t need its formidable array of features. If, after exploring these options, you find that Word or Photoshop are perfectly tailored for your needs, your conscience will no doubt advise you whether to pay up.