Recently we have had some reports and have managed to obtain strong evidence that certain commercial sources have been involved in copying and selling the MIRAGE's Proprietary Software and Frameware to unsuspected individuals and companies.
Unfortunately, Piracy is a common disease that throughout the history of the computer industry, every successful company has been somehow forced to deal with.
As we'll be reporting to you in the future updates of this section of MIRAGE Home page, we are taking every necessary legal measures in a National and International scale to stop these bandits from using the MIRAGE's technology to get to a quick profit.
We are encouraging everybody to help us track down and prosecute these profit seekers, by reporting every suspicious move and every pirated MIRAGE product to us. Please take a few minutes and read or print this document and help us fight this ugly phenomenon in computer industry.Please feel free to contact us with your comments. Here is how to contact us:
Simply stated, software piracy is the unauthorized use of a computer program, software product, or computer font in an infringement of a copyright. In most instances, software cannot be purchased, rather a license is granted to an individual or corporation to use the software. In other words, individuals or corporations do not own the software; they obtain the right to use the software.
Why is software piracy so prevalent? The software industry has to deal with a product that empowers every user to become a manufacturing subsidiary. Each PC user has all the equipment and technical know-how to make perfect copies of software. The software industry is completely vulnerable to theft, and this theft is difficult to control. It's not like a clerk spotting a customer walking out of a department store with the goods under their coat. Ironically, most people don't even think they are breaking the law when they copy software.
Each year business loses billions to software piracy. The SPA reports that one out of every five personal computer programs in use in the United States today is an illegal copy. The SPA also reports that in 1991 alone, 1.2 billion dollars was lost to copyright infringement. The good news is that this is 41 percent lower than the 1990 estimate of $2 billion dollars. Worldwide, copyright infringement claims a staggering $10 to $12 billion annually.
In October 1992, President Bush approved Senate bill S893, which elevates software piracy from a misdemeanor to a felony. Making 10 or more illegal copies within a six-month period with a total value of $2,500 or more is now punishable by five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. That's for the first offense. For the second offense, it's up to 10 years in prison.
"As long as it [software piracy] was only a misdemeanor, we couldn't justify spending a lot of resources on it ... but we don't have that problem anymore," said Charles Owens, the FBI's unit chief for economic crimes in Washington. "Clearly we are not going to address the isolated cases of one or two copies being made. We're looking for people who are making [piracy] a business," Owens concluded. To that end, progress is being made.
The truth is that we need all the help we can get, tracking down the Software Pirates. Software pirates, destroy the market for the legitimate Software Authors who by their efforts provide the effective solutions to users who are in need of such solutions.
These efforts are usually very costly and require the Original Author spending Thousand of Dollars and Hours to accomplish a software product. Now, all that a software pirate has to do is to figure out a way to copy the product and that means big loss for the Original Solution Provider.
Since software pirates lack the creativity and knowledge to provide solutions, and all they want is to make quick profit, eventually they end up causing huge damages to every market they enter.
These damages are usually displayed as financial loss for the original software author which in some cases even might cause the Real Solution Provider to re-consider staying in a market which has been widely infested by Software Pirates.
The truth is, the Big Looser in this game are the people who are really in need of the products and technology which is being provided by Legitimate Software Developers.
You can Help!
Report every suspicious product sold either under the MIRAGE name or any other name to us. Report the source of Pirated MIRAGE Products, being sold anywhere in the world: In computer auctions, by Mail Order, by individuals or companies locally running ad in classified section of the magazines or……
Fortunately for the software developers, most countries in the world which allow Resell, Trade, Import and Export of Computer Hardware and Software, also comply with International Copy Rights Laws. Also, organizations such as Software Publishers Association (SPA) have international offices which are willing to help stopping the Software Piracy, in a worldwide scale. So, unless a software pirate lives on the moon, he or she can not be completely protected against being sought for prosecution by a Copy Right Holder.
Additional to all the legal measures, MIRAGE Multimedia Systems, Inc. will set up an Anti Piracy section on MIRAGE’s World Wide Web Home Page, which will be dedicated to tracking down the commercial sources of Pirated MIRAGE products and will have the latest updates and news on this subject, including the information about the companies and individuals who attempt to practice the Piracy Tactics.
The MIRAGE Multimedia Systems, Inc. is not required to supply driver updates, New ROM upgrade versions, New release of the programs or Provide Technical Assistance and Warranty Coverage to anyone who for any reason, knowingly or UN-knowingly is purchasing or using an illegally produced or altered version of a MIRAGE product. If you obtain a Pirated product, you also may become the subject of an investigation or be used as a witness by law enforcement agencies, in case of a possible lawsuit.
If you have UN-knowingly become a victim of a Pirate Vendor, immediately contact the legal (State Attorney General, Better Business Bureau, Consumer Protection Agencies, …..) and financial (your credit card company) authorities and report the matters. You may also contact the MIRAGE for further assistance.
- MIRAGE Does not license the use of its proprietary software such as the "AdJUST"tm Monitor adjustment program or Its Video BIOS, to other vendors. If the software says MIRAGE, but the hardware is not a Genuine MIRAGE hardware, you are dealing with a Pirate.
- All the Firmware and Software Drivers or Utility Programs supplied with MIRAGE Hardware or Software products are Copy Righted Material and are solely provided for the use by the original purchaser of a MIRAGE product. The purchaser or user of a MIRAGE product is not permitted to copy (Except as allowed by law), alter, sell, modify, reverse engineer or tamper in any way with any of the Copy Righted material, for any reason, including and not limited to Commercial, Educational & Personal use.