As a computer consultant for many small businesses in my area, there is one problem I see time and again. Business owners, trying to minimize expenses wherever possible, opt to use pirated versions of Windows and other software packages. Their line of thinking is understandable… why pay a few hundred dollars for something you can easily acquire for free? Below I’m going to list three reasons why an illegal version of Windows will cost your business more money in the long run.

1). You Don’t Get Updates

Updates are more important than most people realize. Microsoft is constantly working on improving their operating systems, fixing bugs, patching security flaws, and adding newer and better software packages. Updates ensure that your systems remain stable, secure, and up to date with newer technologies.

Because Microsoft must release patch notes explaining all of the changes each update brings and what security flaws they’ve found and fixed, it’s not difficult to program viruses that specifically target these flaws. Knowing that many people don’t keep their computer up to date (because they are running pirated versions of Windows), a lot of the malicious software out on the internet use loop holes that Microsoft has already fixed.

Not having an up to date copy of Windows ensures that you’ll always remain one step behind the latest security threats. This is not something to take lightly, especially if your accounting is done on a computer, you make personal and business purchases online, or store important customer information and files. Your customers would also not appreciate receiving spam messages and virus infected emails from you because your computer has been compromised.

Fixing these sorts of problems is often costly. As a business, you’ll usually need to bring a computer technician on-site, as it makes no logistical sense to drop off multiple computers at a local repair shop. From experience, I’ve noticed that it often takes significantly more money to fix these sorts of problems than it would have to purchase legitimate copies of Windows and avoid these issues all together.

2). The Cracks Don’t Last Forever

While avoiding updates will keep your pirated version of Windows working longer, Microsoft is constantly trying to find and disable all of the cracks and fixes. I’ve found from experience that pirated software doesn’t remain working forever, especially in that hands of people with little computer know how that had their pirated copy of Windows installed by their friend’s kid who downloaded it from the internet.

When the cracks no longer work and you can’t get back into your computer, you’re going to have to bring another technician on-site to get everything back up and running. If this happens more than once you’ve likely already paid more than it would have cost for a legit copy of Windows. This is not even taking into account the lost revenue from not being able to use your computer(s) during that time.

3). You May Get Caught

While I have never reported any of my clients, and never will, I always do my best to inform them of the risks of running pirated software, and the benefits of actually paying for legitimate copies. All it takes is one disgruntled employee or computer technician to have Microsoft come knocking on your door.

While they may not spend much effort trying to prosecute a 14 year old kid running a pirated version of Windows XP, as business owner with close to or over a million dollars in revenue per year, you can be sure that Microsoft won’t let you off the hook so easy. Settling with their lawyers can be a financial disaster for your business, and going to court could easily put you under. You need weigh the risks vs. the rewards. Is it really worth putting your business in jeopardy to save a few hundred dollars on Windows?