Raids, systems and moratoriums

The NBI has been conducting “surprise” raids in computer shops all over the country for the illegal use of the Microsoft Operating Systems. More and more internet café’s are “temporarily” closing for fear of being caught using unlicensed software. A violation of the Intellectual Property Rights of Microsoft entails a penalty of imprisonment plus a fine of P150,000 per computer with an unlicensed software. At present, pirated software can be bought for only P80 while the original licensed software costs around P5,000. Due to the IPL enforcement causing internet shops to have their software licensed, the price has jacked up to P7,000 per software.

Now, internet shops are appealing with the DTI to give them a 3 year moratorium to purchase licensed software for their computers. However, this would be dependent on whether or not Microsoft would agree to such deal. Filipinos have been so used to installing “pirated” software for over a decade now that we have never realized the effect of such illegal use in the international scene. If all computers in the Philippines would use licensed software, (from commercial-business to educational- academic to personal use) then Microsoft would be earning billions from the Philippines. My brother runs a small internet shop in the province and he had to shell out P60T for the licensing alone, and that's just a small shop.

Imagine if the Filipinos can develop an Operating System of our own that would be compatible with the other existing systems. The people would be more conscious about using “pirated” software as the effects of piracy would be more “real” to us. Not to mention the revenues that would start pouring in. But because Microsoft is a foreign company, we really don’t care about the repercussions if we weren’t conscious about the legal consequences. In this case, it was only through the raids that the people found out about the legal effects of piracy as they stand to be penalized by imprisonment coupled with a huge fine. But if we think about it, it's really about time that we start taking our part in the global industry. Information technology operates not only on the local scene but in the international field as well, specially with intercontinental transactions and liasons. We have been using pirated software for a long time now that we have to appeal to Microsoft’s consideration and understanding. The industry could really use the moratorium in this transition from an age of piracy to an era of legal rights.