United States Copyright Law and Software Piracy on United States Air ForceMicrocomputers

摘要

This study looked at the United States Copyright Law and its applications tocomputer software. The study looked at USAF policies and regulations governing the protection of copyrighted software. The literature review, including personal correspondence with inspector generals and computer and legal personnel, indicated that the Air Force has numerous policies concerning software copyright and the violation of those copyrights (software piracy). These policies and regulations were compared to standards set by the software industry and the results suggested that the appropriate policies are in place, but in some instances, enforcement was lacking. An attitudinal survey was conducted with 125 enlisted personnel and 125 officers, with a 58.4 and 60.0 percent usable return rate. Using a simple 5-point Likert scale and Yes/No questions, no overall significant differences of attitudes were demonstrated between the two populations. While many of the respondents felt that there was a problem with software piracy, few claimed to be personally involved. Understanding of copyright laws and what can and cannot be legally copied on microcomputers was lacking, especially in the junior ranks. Overall, it was determined that entry level education and enforcement of policies governing software piracy need to be increased. Keywords: Copyrights, Computer programs, Microcomputers, Ethics, Patents, Air Force, United States, Theses.(rwj)