IDC did perform the study in question, but began waving the caution flag when the BSA proceeded to draw questionable conclusions from it by distorting the findings and making unwarranted assumptions through contortive interpretation of the findings. In fact, IDC is rather unhappy with the BSA for the manner is which the study they performed is being used.

To derive their total figure from ‘losses’ due to so-called software ‘piracy’, the BSA assumes that each infringed replica of a software product is tantamount to someone stealing from the company’s cashbox, the full, undiscounted, retail price for the work in question.

This approach does not take into account, shrinkage, breakage, loss leaders. demos, volume licensing agreement, quantity discounts, quid pro quo deals, trade show giveaways, employee theft, returns, customer bankruptcies, spoilage, evaluation copies, unpaid invoices, natural disasters, and “my dog ate the paper with the license key.”

Shutting down so-called ‘piracy’ websites is nothing more that a redressed version of whack-a-mole. The only thing it achieves is giving those in authority the satisfaction of an adreneline rush by pounding the living crap out of something.

It should surprise no one (except technologically challenged, pin-headed, inept bureaucrats) that such approaches are not very effective.

–TurboGeek