Business Software Alliance (BSA), a group formed by world's leading software developers to check piracy, said on Friday that it would not take legal action against the companies using pirated software till June 15 in Pakistan.
"BSA is more than happy to extend the truce till June 15, encouraged by the positive response it has received from the business community," said a BSA spokesman here in a statement.
Earlier, the BSA in it's fight against pirated software users had announced a 35-day grace period for all the companies to install licensed software on their computers, without the risk of legal action and penalties.
"The grace period extension would ensure that all the companies have a fair chance to comply with the law and that they get the legal software penalty-free," the spokesman said.
Explaining the reasons why the companies should install legal software, he said, licensed software saves time, money and makes employees more productive, while the illegal software is more likely to fail and there are no warranties or support for it. The illegal software was one of the prime sources of computer viruses that could destroy the company's valuable data, he cautioned.
He observed the cost of software piracy settlements usually far outweighs the costs incurred by a company using legitimate software and added that in some circumstances the businesses are vulnerable to raids and seizures of computers as an evidence for the court of law.
He said software piracy could lead to stiff fines up to Rs 100,000 or imprisonment of upto three years, because it amounts to theft of intellectual property. The spokesman has urged all the national and multinational companies and organisations across the country to take advantage of the extended grace period.
BSA is promoting the growth of the software industry through its international public policy, education, and enforcement programmes in over 80 countries throughout North America, Europe, Asia, and Latin America, the statement added. Its world-wide members include Adobe, Apple Computer, AutoDesk, Bentley Systems, Macromedia, Microsoft, Network Associates and Symantec.-PR
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