Ⅲ.課文篇

Forty years ago, no one could have imagined the impact that computers would have on the world. Indeed Thomas J Watson, Chairman of the Board of IBM said in the 1950s that he thought "there was a world market for about only five computers." With more than 700 million computers on earth today, Mr Watson was clearly wrong.
四十年前，沒有人能想象計算機會給世界帶來（如此大）的沖擊。確實是這樣，IBM （美國國際商用機器公司）的總裁，托馬斯·J·華特森在五十年代說過他認為“計算機的世界市場大約只有五臺”。今天地球上擁有7億臺計算機，很顯然，華特森先生錯了。

As most people know, you need hardware and software to make a computer work. Hardware includes the computer screen, the mouse, keyboard and of course the central processing unit that does all of the hard work for you.
正如大多數(shù)人所了解的，要想讓一臺計算機工作，你需要有硬件和軟件。硬件包括計算機屏幕、鼠標、鍵盤，當然還有為你做所有艱苦工作的CUP（中央處理器）。

Software includes the computer's operating system, games and office productivity software (like PowerPoint or Word). Software is a form of intellectual property and is entitled to just as much protection as real property like your car or your home.
軟件包括計算機的操作系統(tǒng)、游戲以及辦公軟件（如PowerPoint 或者 Word ）。軟件是知識產(chǎn)權(quán)的一種形式，而且應(yīng)該受到和你的不動產(chǎn)，如汽車或者房子等一樣的保護。

Nobody would say that to steal hardware was OK, but millions of people around the world think that it is perfectly acceptable to steal software by copying it. Copying software and giving it away or selling it is stealing and therefore wrong.
沒有人會說偷硬件是可行的，不過世界上數(shù)百萬人認為以拷貝的方式來偷軟件是完全可以接受的?？截愜浖徒o別人或者銷售出去都是偷竊行為，因此這是錯誤的。

Software can be expensive - often more than you can afford - but that is no reason to think it is OK to steal it or buy a pirated copy. Mercedes Benz cars are also expensive, but I cannot just go out and help myself to one just because I want one.
軟件可能很昂貴－通常超出你的支付能力－但是沒有理由認為偷竊或購買盜版是可行的。奔馳車也很貴，可是不能僅僅因為想要一輛就可以出去自己解決。

Software is expensive to develop. If developers cannot make money by selling their software, how will they fund the development of new software to make our lives even easier?
開發(fā)軟件很貴。如果開發(fā)商不能通過銷售他們的軟件來掙錢，他們又怎么能投資開發(fā)新軟件，以使我們的生活變得更輕松？