Jupiter Kalambakal

Nearly half of the world's computer user population use illegal software on their techie units. And ironically, hardware theft is more rampant in developing and more sophisticated economies.

In a survey conducted by the Business Software Alliance (BSA), it found that only 13 percent of personal computer users worldwide buy original software, while another 40 percent bought their software "mostly legally."

The rest of the pack, or 47 percent, are "thieves" - hardcore software pirates - who either acquired their software through illegal means, such as downloading it from networks or buying pirated copies on street markets.

BSA noted that large majorities of computer users in developing countries frequently obtain software through illegal means. Users normally purchase a single license for a program and then install it on multiple machines, or download programs from peer-to-peer networks - all these in spite the developing economies' support for intellectual property principles.

The Washington-based BSA is an industry group working for copyright protection. Among its members are some of the world's biggest technology companies, like Apple, Microsoft, Symantec and Adobe.

BSA, in its report released in May, said pirated software installations cost the industry nearly $59 billion globally last year. China was the world's second-largest culprit behind the US, installing $7.78 billion of stolen programs in 2010. While in the U.S., it was estimated at $9.5 billion.

The BSA survey involved 15,000 PC users in 32 countries.