Business Software Alliance (BSA), the international association established by the software industry for promoting use of original software, is geared to launch a mass awareness campaign about the negative impact of software piracy, at its stand during Computer Shopper 2003.
Computer Shopper, to be held at the Airport Expo Dubai, from October 18-24, 2003, is the region's largest consumer exhibition for IT products and services and the retail arm of the Gitex Dubai 2003 exhibition.
“The year 2002 has been a highly successful period for us, because we have been able to get Copyright Laws further enforced in a number of Gulf countries and consequently brought down software piracy to record low levels,” said Co-Chairman, Middle East for BSA, Jawad Al-Redha. “The next important step is to take the campaign further through a mass awareness exercise targeted at resellers and end-users.”
“Gitex is the foremost IT exhibition in the region, attracting leading international technology companies. We could not have asked for a better platform than the Computer Shopper for achieving our aims,” added Al-Redha.
BSA is launching a new marketing campaign and an interactive online quiz on its website, with questions relating to piracy and the use of illegal software. The BSA on-line quiz will be launched within the coming week and will run throughout GITEX. Participants who answer the questions correctly will have their name put in a draw to be made on the final day to win prizes sponsored by BSA's member organizations.
“Through our continued efforts, the UAE has witnessed a fifty-point drop in piracy, from 86 percent in 1994 to 36 percent in 2002. This has contributed in making the UAE an ideal investment destination for international companies. Gitex being the showcase for the booming IT industry in the Middle East, BSA is determined to register a strong presence by promoting legal software, and offer an ideal environment for the growth and development of the IT sector, by creating a piracy-free society,” stated Al-Redha.
BSA is an international organization representing leading software and e-commerce developers in 65 countries around the world. Established in 1988, BSA has offices in the US, Europe and Asia. — (menareport.com)
© 2003 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
