Business Software Alliance (BSA), the foremost organisation dedicated to promoting a safe and legal digital world, has announced that Computer Shopper 2004, the retail arm of GITEX Dubai 2004, which concluded today (October 8, 2004) was piracy free. This is the third year in a row that BSA has been successful in ensuring that GITEX Computer Shopper was free of any illegal trading in pirated software.
Jawad Al Redha, Co-Chairman, Middle East, Business Software Alliance (BSA) said: "We are delighted to have achieved our objective of ensuring that the Computer Shopper event was free of incidents of piracy. The event was made successful through the cooperation of the organisers and most importantly the visitors, who have responded positively to issues of IPR, which we highlighted through our presence at Computer Shopper."
BSA undertook a series of initiatives at GITEX Computer Shopper 2004, aimed at educating the visitors, partners, resellers and end users about issues relating to IPR and the benefits of using original software. A sophisticated public awareness campaign targeted at end users highlighted the influence of original software on raising creativity, productivity and quality of work. In addition, BSA also distributed flyers and booklets to the visitors of Computer Shopper, which contained information about issues relating to IPR and offered practical tips and resources for better software management.
"Keeping the event clean for the third year in a row is exceptional and is a clear evidence that our efforts are increasingly bearing fruit," said Al Redha. "Legal implements, though they can deliver instant results is not as effective as educating the public about issues relating to IRP and piracy. We aim for a change in the mindset of the end users. The awareness campaigns, are producing the desired impact, as evidenced by the keen interest shown by the end users and visitors from around the region to Computer Shopper for IPR related issues."
In addition, BSA also worked with the organisers of Computer Shopper 2004 to ensure that the software sold by exhibitors at the event is an original copy. To facilitate this, the BSA had formed a watchdog committee to monitor the sale and usage of software during the show and prevent any illegal trading activity.
"We have clearly been successful over the past two years in keeping Computer Shopper 2004 event free from incidents of trading of illegal software," said Al Redha. "The success has certainly determined us to invest more energy to ensure that all countries in the region accord IPR laws the highest status. We have now adopted a pioneering approach to our work, by making public awareness campaigns central to our efforts, appealing directly to the end users to educate them about the benefits of using legal software."
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About Business Software Alliance (BSA)
The Business Software Alliance (www.bsa.org) is the foremost organization dedicated to promoting a safe and legal digital world. BSA is the voice of the world's commercial software industry and its hardware partners before governments and in the international marketplace BSA helps governments and consumers understand how software strengthens the economy, worker productivity and global development and how its further expansion hinges on the successful fight against software piracy and Internet theft. BSA programs foster technology innovation through education and policy initiatives that promote copyright protection, cyber security, trade and e-commerce.
BSA members include: 4D, Adobe, Agfa-Monotype, Apple, Autodesk, Avid, Bentley Systems, Borland, BVRP Software, Centennial, Cisco Systems, CNC Software/Mastercam, Grupo SP, Entrust, HiT Internet Technologies, HP, IBM, iInventory, Intel, Intergraph, Internet Security Systems, Intuit, LMS International, Macromedia, Magix, Mamut, McAfee, Microsoft, Microstar, Nemetschek, O&O Software, OWG, Panda Software, Realviz, RSA Security, SIA, SolidWorks, Staff & Line, Sybase, Symantec, TeamSystem, Trend Micro, UGS PLM Solutions, VERITAS Software, Visma, WRQ.
BSA Anti-Piracy Hotlines
Kuwait Hotline: 2438033
UAE Hotline: 800 4828
Other countries: (9714) 332 2307
Or contact:
Orient Planet PR & Marketing Communications
PO Box 23345,
Dubai,
UAE
Tel: +971 4 3988901
Fax: +971 4 3988941
Email: info@orientplanet.com
Website: www.orientplanet.com
© Press Release 2004
