Piracy in India is an old story, one we’ve been all but desensitized to since the first PCs started showing up in offices and homes. It’s so open, so normal and so habitual that it’s difficult to convince people that there’s something wrong. And even in the last few years, with awareness campaigns and better distribution for legal software, the sheer audacity of the industry is still amazing to see.

 

Yes, piracy is a flourishing industry. Maybe people still think it happens only on the streets (or Torrent sites) and are unaware of the amount of money that gets siphoned out of regular channels and into black markets. Maybe the authorities still think it’s only a soft crime; an occasional distraction from “real” law and order situations. Good, bad, wrong or right, consciously or not, piracy has gained enough social sanction that even registered DVD duplication units are known to accept orders for producing these knockoff discs.

 

Surveys published by the Business Software Alliance (BSA), IDG and KPMG point out that piracy is highest in developing nations, and that there is a direct correlation between piracy and malware infections. The monetary value of unlicensed software, i.e. the loss incurred by manufacturers, was pegged at US$ 50.2 billion for the year 2008. Pirated software even outstrips free software, since the cost advantage is negated. And while India isn’t one of the top 25 offenders, losses are mounting enough that manufacturers and distributors are finding it tough to do business.

 

For the end consumer, on the other hand, it’s a bonanza. A pirated version of Windows Vista Ultimate comes for Rs 60 today, as opposed to Rs 4,900 for a legal copy of Home Basic. And Windows 7 has been available on the streets long before it's launch last week. Who wouldn’t give it a try? And who wouldn’t buy five of the latest movies for Rs 100 on the roadside, to watch at peace on their computers at night? Who wouldn’t want to stop at a corner stall where a vendor with a cheap laptop will fill their phones with all the current Bollywood soundtrack hits for Rs 150? They can get a few fresh gigabytes’ worth every month.

 

Maybe without piracy, we wouldn’t watch as many movies, read as many books or use as much high-end software as they now do. Maybe we wouldn’t even grow or learn without it—how many of us can say our first computers used a licensed OS (or how many of us even knew there was such a distinction)? Most likely, we’d all be quite lost and upset if all access to pirated material was suddenly blocked. We’re at the pirate party already, and we don’t even think it’s a problem.

 

The most popular and universal mode of playback of any audio/video content is the computer. All you need is to update the codecs and use software such as Windows Media Player, Winamp, VLC, etc. Computers have large screens making them the easiest method of viewing video. 

 

The easiest way for content to be shared and pocketed is the mobile phone. Even though a mobile phone has a small screen, it is a popular option as it can be viewed easily while travelling. Usually all mobile phones support the most popular 3GP and MP4 formats which help reduce the file size. As the content can be compressed into a smaller size, a single movie can be stored in less than 200 MB. Most mobile phones allow users to swap the memory card. Sharing media from a computer to a phone is the easiest and fastest means of piracy. Memory cards are dirt cheap - around Rs 200 to Rs 500 for a 2 GB card. Watching porn on mobile phones is easy in classrooms, toilets, automobiles and offices with the least threat of being caught. In many cities, the mobile phone repair-walla boldly advertises that he would download audio and video content onto your memory card. Those who cannot afford an Internet connection or a computer use thes shopkeepers to get content on their mobile phones. 

 

With larger screens compared to mobile phones, PMP devices are another form of watching video on the move. These devices have a built-in hard drive (fairly large capacity of around 40 GB and above) and can store a large collection of audio and video content. The PMP also supports the popular DivX formats apart from WMV, MPEG-4 and MOV, with newer players available that also support the most recent MKV format.

 

The screen resolution is good and the picture and audio quality is excellent, which makes watching video a great experience. Since these players are mainly for playing media content and are a little more expensive and bulkier than a mobile phone, few can afford them.

 

Game consoles such as the older outdated PS2 can play a DVD movie without any modifications. The newer PS3 can play Blu-ray content off the shelf, but as Blu-ray media is presently expensive, HD movie piracy is a little slow in the country. Mod chips and tweaking software can enable gaming consoles to easily play pirated content for a small price. But as the gaming consoles are presently expensive, most well-to-do families are the only ones who can afford these playback devices.

 

 

The most recent and cheapest form of viewing pirated content is the DivX DVD player. Costing barely Rs 1,400 (or even less), these are capable of playing DVDs and DivX movies. The recent addition of the USB port to these players enables users to play content off flash drives and external storage devices without burning expensive optical discs. This not only saves money and time, but makes it easy for a person to share the content with friends. Portable players also allow people to watch pirated movies.

 

Last but not the least; the latest LCD TVs also make it easy. Top TV brands have now started embedding their latest products with USB ports which can play DivX video and audio by directly connecting a USB flash drive to the TV. Watching high-definition movies on a TV is the most exciting experience. With pirated HD movies freely and easily available on the Internet, households are moving on from older CRT TV sets to the newer LCD TV and saving on the cost of buying an additional DVD/DivX player.

 

 

Movie piracy is rising rapidly in India. But with high entertainment taxes in India, a movie ticket is no less than Rs 150 to 200. The average weekend expenditure of a family can be anywhere between Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500. People watch the latest movies at home by getting cheap pirated copies. Pirated movies are available around street corners, railway stations and market areas in most cities. They cost anywhere between Rs 30 and Rs 150, ranging from older favorites to the latest blockbusters. Some are at times available even before their cinema release dates. 

 

Movie pirates use a lot of expert techniques. They make money on someone else’s rights. Most of the new releases are recorded using a basic video camera (the smallest in size that can be easily slipped into a movie theatre) or at times even high-end mobile phones are put to use. Usually, the theater owners and/or staffers are hand-in-glove with the pirates and let them film the movie from the projection room on the day of release. These movies are then edited to upscale the audio and video quality to the best they can. At times, scenes and songs are even edited to regulate size and accommodate the storage medium. Screener DVDs are also available with the best clarity and with uncut and uncensored scenes. These are stolen by employees of the film industry and sold to pirates for a hefty price.

 

Usually, pirated movies are openly sold in the market. The people pirating these movies usually get their stuff from other citiesor countries. Movies from India, especially the south film industry, sell rights abroad, but due to a lower volumes, DVDs rather than film reels are distributed. These are easily ripped and come out almost like original prints. These copies make their way back into the country. The same goes with Hollywood flicks that are not big-time hits in India. Usually one copy is bought for a premium and the DVDs are replicated using a simple computer at home or an isolated place. The DVDs are produced in bulk and are packaged in plastic sleeves with lookalike covers. At times you end up buying a non-functional DVD. This is also another form of profit: cheating the customer and promising that the copy is guaranteed to work and is returnable if any defects are found. If you are a regular, they are usually exchanged on faith, but if you are a first time buyer, they don’t recognize you the next time you approach them. 

 

Profiting the most in the form of piracy is the porn industry. Porn has always adopted the latest technology whenever it was ready—be it VHS, VCDs, DVDs and now HD Blu-ray discs. Buying and selling porn in India is illegal, but accessing it over the Internet is not feasibly punishable by law. This has created a large and hot-selling porn market. Movie pirates are known to sell porn flicks and adult material to underage children, no questions asked. One can buy porn in the open without any fear of being questioned. When the media makes a hullabaloo, the pirates are forced to go into hiding till the matter cools down. Usually after a few days, everything is forgotten and they re-emerge.  

 

 

A stroll down the by-lanes of the tourist-hub south Mumbai will give you an exact idea of how easily one can buy porn off the shelf with as little as Rs 50 per DVD. You will find a whole collection of them in different categories to match your tastes. Most pirates also camouflage their shops by showcasing legal copies of movies from MoserBaer and other similar companies. But when you approach them, on the sly they ask you if you are interested in any “other stuff”. They usually hide their illicit booty with neighboring garment vendors or hide them in burrows and A/C vents. If you ask them about the risk of you being caught purchasing the pirated movies, they will assure you that they deal with the local law officials and that you are safe. Some boast that the buildings they peddle their wares from house government offices and they have their “setting” with them!

 

Pirates are getting high-tech, and cutting the risk of being caught red-handed with the physical media. The latest intelligence reveals that when you go out to purchase a pirated movie, you are not handed a hard copy but the pirate will send you an SMS with a URL and password and you can download it. The password has a one-time use and the site usually closes down within a few days. This keeps the pirates from being traced. 

 

Pirated porn is easily available for free over the Internet. Googling the name of what you need will help you out without any hassles. Usually, third-party websites give you links to the largely known Internet storage website Rapidshare, where one can download numerous free movies, both mainstream and adult. Search engines exist to help users locate porn specifically. It can also be accessed with ease through online video streaming websites. Till the Indian government regularizes and grants permission to legalize adult content in India, the Internet and pirated copies are the only way a person can go out and get access to adult material. The ban is also therefore pointless, and only serves to encourage piracy on a massive scale.

 

 

The losses that the Indian music industry incurs due to audio piracy amount to millions of rupees every year. The popularity of the MP3 format among masses has led to an exponential increase in piracy. Mediums for playing MP3 files are very affordable. DVD players that support MP3 are available for as low as Rs 1,200. Even a sub-Rs 2,500 cellphone plays MP3 files. 

 

If you want a pocketable MP3 player, you can pick a Chinese one from the roadside for less than Rs 1,500. You don’t have to spend much to pack these devices with songs of your choice—an MP3 disc with over a hundred songs costs a mere Rs 30 at roadside shacks. Even though the songs on it might be encoded at a low bit rate or even ripped from an audio cassette, they are good entertainment for those who don’t care for sound quality. What keeps piracy going strong is the choice of compilations you get right under your nose. Be it the hits of Kishore Kumar or all Bollywood movies of 2009, it won’t be hard to find. 

 

Such compilations aren’t available on original CDs, so pirated MP3 discs are hot favourites of the aam janta. That’s just a picture of what sells on the road. What’s on the Internet is even more interesting. It’s possible to download just anything off the web. P2P and Bittorrent are no longer unheard of. Where else on the planet would you find entire discographies of Elvis Presley, the Beatles or Michael Jackson for free? Bollywood music albums are available on the web even before audio CDs hit the stands. 

 

One reason why people don’t hesitate about buying or downloading pirated music is that unlike pirated software, there’s a very low risk of getting infected by viruses and Trojans. Plus you can get high quality or lossless audio CD rips of albums too. Some Bittorrent websites also publish description of music albums so that you get a fair idea about the genre of music and artist’s background. Music companies have tried several methods of protection to prevent the disc from being ripped using audio CD rippers, but there has always been a way out. Plus there are lossless audio formats that guarantee CD quality output. Nothing comes close to original audio CDs when it comes to audiophile quality output, but there are music pirates who are audiophiles. You even get ISO images of audio CDs along with high quality cover art so that you can print them and use them as CD inlays.

 

In several countries, recording associations have sued music downloaders. The same doesn't appear to be happening here, and there is no fear of it starting anytime soon.

 

 

Evidently, the issue of ebook piracy hasn’t surfaced and been addressed as much as other digital content. But it still remains a major issue for publishers. If you’ve heard of The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II, or Textiles in Automotive Engineering, chances are that you have stumbled upon an ebook site, where there are gazillions of other titles listed by category. Ironically when you search for a book to buy one online,  chances are that the results will list pirate sites even before the official site.

 

Here are a few reasons why people might resort to bookp piracy. Downloading ebooks for free is not only be convenient, but if you don’t like the ebook, you can delete it. Torrent sites offer an enormous number of niche titles which you may never find normally at a book shop. Websites have dedicated search engines for ebooks. Punch in the title, topic or genre and you’ll find it, so availability is another factor. Language plays a big role too. If you’re learning a language and want a specific book to read, you might not find it locally at all. Even foreign magazines—including CHIP's various editions—can be found.

 

International magazines, books and study material can be hard to find, but not on torrent sites. Also niche topics like ‘Optical Radiometry’ pose no problem. Usually sites provide links to third party hosts where the actual file is available. Here’s another way paid books are read online for free. www.scribd.com and www.esnips.com allow readers to read digital books in a web browser. But you do lose the pleasure of holding a book in your hand, reclining in your chair and reading at your convenience

 

The long and short of it is that ebook piracy has been a mainstay for a long time now and doesn’t seem to be anywhere near fizzling out, unless sufficient market awareness is created.  

 

 

Pirated software is so easily available that many are reluctant to buy original despite knowing the legal implications. Despite software pirates being tracked down by police a number of times in the past, the nuisance is still going strong because the magnitude of piracy is so big that the authorities are helpless. 

 

The sources of pirated software aren’t just a few. Apart from roadside hawkers even system integrators and unrestricted Internet access contribute to spreading it. When you buy a branded laptop or desktop PC you get licensed version of Windows, but when you buy an assembled PC from a system integrator you’ll probably end up with an illegal copy. And he’ll just charge you a mere Rs 500 or Rs 1,000 for the job. 

 

Microsoft and other vendors have devised special packages (such as Microsoft Office Home and Student Edition) for emerging markets to curb piracy. Although it may have helped to some extent, users are still lured due to the ease of access and the number of titles available. If you want the Adobe CS4 Master Collection that officially costs Rs 1,55,000, the pirated version is easily available for less than 0.5 percent of the original price. The hawkers look illiterate but they’re smart enough to educate you on how to use the crack and serial number bundled on the pirated disc. But there’s a risk involved here—the pirated disc may be infected with a virus or Trojan that can destroy the data on your PC. 

 

There are thousands of websites that provide links to pirated software, cracks to convert shareware into full versions, serial numbers for registering software illegally, and so on. Cracks are so easily available that even those who don’t have any idea about piracy can easily get into it. For example you can accidentally end up at a “cracks and warez” site while searching for shareware or seeking information on a particular program using Google. Such websites can contain malware. This can be put to an end if people stop encouraging pirates and start purchasing legal software. At times people resort to piracy when they are unable to find legal software at stores. Hence, distribution networks and retail chains for software should also gear up so that legitimate software can be bought easily.

 

 

Piracy in games isn’t very different, especially when it comes to pirated game DVDs being sold at a much lesser prices and large numbers of downloads from torrent sites. The main difference is that games, being a concentrated market, aren’t talked about as much as music and movies. A genuine PC game DVD can cost anywhere from Rs 500 to Rs 2000 and similar prices apply to games for consoles such as the Sony PlayStation 3. On torrent sites, PC games are downloadable for free and console games sell for as little as Rs 30 outside railway stations and in busy market places. To name a few sites that offer games, there’s www.torrentz.com, www.gamestorrents.com, and www.mininova.org.

 

The obvious reasons for buying pirated games are, affordability—more than anything else—and very easy accessibility. As commonly seen, these games are sold in thin polythene bags with counterfeit labels. The media is low quality and prone to scratches. A single scratch can render the DVD unusable because many PC games contain compressed data which needs to be decompressed before installation. If one file is corrupt, the game cannot be installed. 

 

The downsides don’t end here. If you manage to install the game, there’s no guarantee if it will run properly because many games contain bugs and even Trojans and viruses. Downloading and playing pirated PC games is not so easy anymore, there’s work involved such as patching and cracking before you can start playing. If you’re thinking about warranties, pirated games aren’t playable on consoles bought officially—ones that aren’t equipped with mod chips—which  are a violation of the warranty terms. If you manage to play pirated games on a modded console, there’s no warranty and support, either for the game or for the console, whereas official players have these benefits.

 

 

Despite the efforts of software developers to reduce piracy by copy protecting discs and devising newer strategies for registering software, it doesn’t seem like crackers are giving up. No matter how tough the protection is, they never fail. 

 

 

Most software vendors issue unique serial numbers to users for registering applications offline after purchase. There are numerous websites that provide these serial numbers and search engines dedicated to them—you just have to key in the title and your screen will be flooded with results for all versions of it. Pirates include lists of these illegal serial numbers along with the shareware or full version of the software in a text file on the disc. 

 

 

Serial numbers are based on secret algorithms. While some are completely random, the rest are the result of complex formulas that are unique to each PC and hard to crack. Some serial numbers depend on the name and email address of the user. Some make you provide your name and email address and input the serial number. This generates another code that you have to provide to the developer over the phone based on which you get the final activation code. Software crackers are geniuses who study patterns in serial numbers and decipher the formulas behind them. They develop key generators, but these can inject a virus or a worm in your PC that leaks your private information to crackers without your knowledge.

 

 

Certain applications check the authenticity of the serial number by verifying it online after the user enters it. If the user enters an illegal key, it is rejected but crackers have developed a workaround for this too. A couple of files in the software’s program folder communicate with the developer’s server for verifying the serial. Some cracks patch these files to disable communication. Some also inject code into the executable files of the software that ruins the serial number checking mechanism. Patches can also inject viruses or worms into the program’s executable file. 

 

 

Several games and applications require the original disc in the drive for them to work. This is done to ensure that the user has a genuine copy. Cracked executables and system files replace the original files with to make the games work without the original disc in the drive. Cracked filesare included on pirated discs.

 

 

Movie DVDs are protected by region codes so that they cannot be played in certain regions. This protects distribution rights of movies around the world. However, region code hacks are easily available for DVD drives and players. There are applications that can fake region codes of DVD and Blu-ray discs.

 

 

Unwillingness to shell out money for legitimate content is one of the biggest reasons why people take the illegal route. Others do it just for the thrill. “Why should I spend through my nose if I can get Windows 7 or Adobe Photoshop for just Rs 100?” or “I’ll download a couple of movies for the weekend. Who wants to buy originals or spend on renting movies?” MP3 CDs and VCDs cost a measly Rs 30 per disc. Moreover you can download virtually any movie on the planet for free. 

 

However, when you download a 1 GB full-length DivX movie on a slow 64 kbps broadband Internet connection you can actually end up spending more than the cost of a movie ticket. Firstly, you’ll spend hours downloading a single movie. So calculate the amount of electricity and Internet bandwidth consumed. 

 

If you get a bad print, your expense will go to waste. But for games and software there’s no question of ending up with poor quality audio or video. You can get applications that cost thousands of rupees for free. Even if you spend a week keeping your computer on every night for downloading software and games that are gigabytes in size, you spend only a fraction of the actual cost of the software.