When you buy software you at the same time are purchasing the right to use it, with certain restrictions. If you copy, distribute or install the software in ways that the license does not allow, you are violating federal copyright law, which carries both civil and criminal penalties. Copyright protection is no longer limited to books, songs and movies, as it now of course includes computer software. Worldwide, more than 38 percent of all software in use is illegally copied. In 1998 alone, piracy cost the software industry $11 billion in lost revenues. More importantly, software piracy can also be very expensive to your business. Procedure? Purchase genuine software products and install them in accordance with the license agreement, which should be kept in a safe place. When purchasing software that is installed by someone else, be sure that your vendor provides you with all original disks, manuals and certifications, as well as proof that your use is properly licensed. Know what is going on at your company. Ignorance of the actions of an employee is not a defense to copyright violations.