n Efforts needed to change our mindset IN some ways, enforcement of intellectual property laws are a marker of a nation's maturity, and China, having forged its way to the top of the list of the world's strongest economies, is finally seeing fit to rein in decades of piracy, especially pirated computer software. According to economists, the US stands to profit most from the promised enforcement, with an estimated $4 billion in sales to China if it halves its consumption of pirated software. Asia has long been a center of software piracy, ranging from computer software to DVDs. Laws have been on the books but enforcement has been lax, primarily because the concept of intellectual property has been of little concern to Asian populations. That has begun to change in some countries as they build their own industries and design their own software. This is a sign of maturity as it marks a realization that intellectual property is, indeed, property, little different from a car or a house as far as ownership goes. In the case of China, there is a practical aspect, as well, that potentially affects everyone who uses pirated software. Pirated software can contain viruses and “back doors” that permit outsiders to invade government computer systems. The enforcement is to be accompanied by a campaign by the 30 largest companies in China that will promote the use of legitimate software. It is a serious attempt to change the thinking of the Chinese consumer. This same approach could be used in the Kingdom to reduce the common consumption of pirated software here. Pirated software is sold openly across the Kingdom, and it is consumed at all levels of society. The quality varies but the price is always low and is the main draw to consumers. If anti-piracy laws were enforced, the consumer may find himself paying more for entertainment and for those application icons on computer desktops. But the quality of software consumed would increase dramatically, and being forced to purchase legitimate software would engender an appreciation for the hard work that goes into software development and distribution. Some countries will take a long time to come around, but those which are more mature should seize the opportunity to minimize software piracy. We should decide just what kind of country we are. __
