Most statistics against software piracy assumes that each pirated software equals one lost sale, and goes on to further “estimate” the total number of illegal duplicates. The total lost is often cited as 200 billion per year at least. But this methodology is questionable.
1. There are many copies of illegal software used by people who can do without them. In other words, they would never spend money to purchase them.
2. If piracy were not possible, sofware companies could potentially lose the same 200 billion per year worth of users who are interested in the product and may make a purchase decision thereafter.
3. Software piracy allows people to work more efficiently at infitnite gains (per dollar spent for the sofware) and generates additional disposable income (from the savings) that can and will be injected back into the economy.