Oman needs to revise its copyright laws

Oman needs to revise its copyright laws to take into account recent industry developments, Jawad Al Redha, regional director, Business Software Alliance (BSA), told Gulf News.

He reiterated that piracy levels remain a concern both in the reseller and end user segments, but praised official action taken to date, which has seen the country charting the sharpest drop in Gulf piracy levels during 2000.

"Piracy rates fell to 78 per cent in 2000, a 10 per cent decrease from the previous year, as a result of the commitment of Omani authorities towards preserving copyright laws," he said. "The year saw a number of raids by the Omani Ministry of National Heritage and Culture and the Royal Oman Police, where effective action was taken against those infringing copyrights."

He noted that the ministry also conducts regular awareness campaigns to educate people about the importance of having a legal software market and adhering to copyright laws.

He agreed that Oman's laws prohibit the use of or trade in illegal software, and clearly spell out the penalties involved. "But with the advent of internet piracy, the BSA is calling for amendments and updates to copyright laws in Oman and around the region, because certain elements are different in cyberspace and should be addressed directly by the laws and regulations.

"We are receiving tremendous support from the Omani Government and are certain an update of the laws will be considered," he added.

He pointed out that raising public awareness plays a key role: "Many companies in Oman are licensing their software, but not fully - they are not aware they should obtain a licence for every piece of software they use, on every PC they have."

The IT industry in Oman, is witnessing rapid growth, and stringent enforcement of copyright laws will lead to more investments flowing into the country from local and international IT companies, he argued.

On the issue of high software prices instigating piracy, Al Redha responded: "Software programs are productivity tools that companies should pay for, exactly like they pay for their other purchases, and software companies - whether Arab or international - are always careful to price their products correctly.

"But copies will always be cheaper because those who produce them have not invested in R&D; most counterfeit software is also full of viruses."

He however noted that the BSA has been encouraging members and other software vendors to offer special discounts to the educational sector to allow students, teachers and educational institutions have access to original products, and that some companies today offer the sector cut-rate levels - 97 per cent off the sticker price.