Piracy has always been a problem - that's a fact, but with the web evolving so fast, so does the distribution of illegal software and not only. New technologies are facilitating piracy beyond what any cracker or pirate could have ever imagined only some years ago! However, if at the beginning these things were hardly controlled, now the net is no longer a wild world with no rules and laws.

Only in the first half of this year, the BSA has prevented more than 36.000 illegal software products with a combined retail value of around $8m being sold through online auctions, as ZDNet informs.

However, no matter how big these numbers may seem, this won't thwart piracy for good. Sure, it's a serious crack down if we're to consider how others are fighting piracy, but if we are to think about the total number of illegal copies, crackware, warez etc that are out there, this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Furthermore, I think some people are actually encouraging piracy because of their lack on information. Some would rather use a cracked version of Microsoft Office instead of just downloading Open Office - why? Because a lot of them don't even know Open Office exists, and I'm not joking! However, this is not the only case, anti-viruses get the same treatment, as non-tech-savvy people have only heard of the famous AV solutions for which they have to pay.

The BSA can do a lot of good, but the anti-piracy fight could be won by the good guys, should users cooperate more. Yes, you too! Even if you don't use pirated software yourself, you should warn others about piracy! And if you know about a piracy case, and there is a great chance you might, then you can report it to the BSA - just follow this link.