Using pirated rendering software won't only endanger your reputation as a professional artist, architect, and 3D rendering expert, but it will also negatively affect your productivity and business, endanger your personal data, and potentially cause a system failure.

According to some studies, CAD is among the most pirated software solutions on the planet. Many 3D artists rely on software piracy to get their hands on powerful rendering software tools that otherwise cost money.

Among those tools is AutoCAD. This most frequently pirated software tool is easy to obtain through numerous online cracks and torrents.

People often believe they're buying genuine software where, when in fact, they've been victims of software piracy. Don't become a victim, know your software, and learn why you should avoid using pirated rendering software.

Software Piracy and Why It's Bad

Any software that has been illegally distributed, cracked, or copied is referred to as a pirated piece of software. This term describes any piece of software that is either downloaded or copied with the intent to use it without paying for it, without legal rights or full ownership.

The thing with any pirated software is that use and distribution are illegal. This is a crime referred to as software piracy and is punishable by law. Software piracy includes many different processes, such as software cracking.

This process involves a certain type of modification done to the original version of the software. Pirates usually remove or disable certain features they deem unnecessary, but that's exactly where the problem lies.

Most of the time, pirated rendering software doesn't have the necessary features that you need to create breathtaking visualizations to astound your clients. The features that are usually disabled or removed include nag screens, adware, and copy protection features.

You can't expect to beat your competition and become the best of the best if you're using a pirated version of rendering software that lacks the tools you need to achieve your goal.

Any unauthorized distribution, copying, or downloading of software is regarded as software piracy. There are common ways to obtain pirated rendering software such as AutoCAD:

●       Downloading software torrents from online platforms

●       Using a cracked version of previously registered software

●       Using unauthorized key generators to generate invalid license keys or serial numbers

Let's delve deeper into risks associated with using pirated software.

The Risks of Using Pirated Software

You can avoid becoming a victim of software piracy if you learn about the disadvantages and risks of using pirated, counterfeit, or cracked rendering software.

It's also essential to know how to protect yourself from data loss and malware. We'll name a couple of risks:

●       Malware infection - pirated rendering software can expose your devices to various forms of malware, resulting in significant computer damage, loss of valuable data, and many security issues. 1 in 3 pirated software can infect your device.

●       Hidden costs - identity theft, computer repair, and software failure are all additional costs that you didn't have in mind.

●       Decreased productivity - the time and effort it takes to get back to normal after a malware attack will result in decreased productivity.

Now, these risks are just the tip of the iceberg. Using pirated rendering software is illegal, which means that you can face jail time or pay a rather hefty fine. And, again, pirated software is the best source of malicious programs and computer viruses.

On top of all that, any hacker can use many different malware tools to steal your sensitive data, passwords, and more. Here are some other risks:

●       Malfunctioning - the majority of pirated software solutions are very prone to multiple complications and malfunctions. The most severe cases include viruses and total system crashes, while milder versions cause numerous computer problems and the corruption of critical system files. If you notice that your newly acquired rendering program hasn't arrived with a valid identification or authorization key, it's better to avoid running it.

●       Risky purchase - you can't expect to get your money back for something you've acquired illegally.

●       No support - in case any of the aforementioned actually happens to you, you'll have no contact or customer support to go to.

●       No useful updates - one of the most significant disadvantages of using pirated rendering software is the lack of the most valuable upgrades and updates. Legal software comes with critical patches, offers, updates, and upgrades. These little features are handy when it comes to coping with the latest trends. The renderer your competition is using at the moment might give them just enough advantage over your work because you tried to go cheap on your software tool. Let that sink in.

●       Data and other long-term losses - nothing can ease the pain of data loss in the middle of your work. You have a deadline to follow and no project to present to your client because your faulty software caused your system to crash. Data loss is probably the worst thing that can happen to not just architects and rendering artists, but anyone with a computer.

Last but not least are the financial risks and reputational stigma. Using unlicensed software makes you go against the law. If the company you work for or clients find out about this little detail, the chances are that you'll develop a few problems all of a sudden.

Not to mention that you'll have a lot of trouble finding work in the first place. All this hustle isn't worth risking your entire reputation as a rendering artist. No client will ever appreciate finding out that you've been giving them pirated designs.

On the other hand, you'll be experiencing huge financial liabilities if you get caught using pirated software. Software piracy goes against just about any jurisdiction you can think of. This alone carries a lot of damages, fines, and whatnot. Add data loss, decreased productivity, lost profits, and actual damages to that bill.

Benefits of Using a Genuine Rendering Software

Things look a lot different and much better if you choose to do your architectural rendering using genuine rendering software. Since it comes with all the necessary patches and updates, you'll be able to keep the right balance of realistic elements and lighting to get the most out of the aesthetics of your work.

3D rendering software helps many professionals from different industries complete their work. Here are some of the benefits of using genuine software:

●       Cost-effectiveness - using legal software doesn't include additional costs, and it helps minimize the expenses of the designing process.

●       Time-saving - legal software isn't prone to malfunctions and other issues that come with pirated software, and it helps to significantly reduce the time it takes to complete a project by making the process faster and simpler.

●       Multiple options - legalized software allows you to take your designing process to a whole new level because it provides all the necessary features, upgrades, and updates you need to get the maximum value for your money.

●       Visual tours - nothing makes your clients happier than showing them how your project will look like before construction. Legal software allows you to provide all necessary visualizations so that your clients can clearly see estimated scales and dimensions, all the specific intricacies and details, and so on.

In terms of professionalism, we can't emphasize enough why it's important to avoid using pirated software to do your rendering. Aside from all the aforementioned, professional 3D rendering software allows architects and rendering artists to visualize the building structure and explore every single detail before the projects move to the final design stage.

Aside from saving time, money, and effort, using genuine rendering software allows for an error-free and much smoother construction stage.

Put simply, using genuine rendering software allows you to overcome all the hurdles and improve your performance. Since the goal of every professional visual artist and architect is to become the best at what they do, you won't achieve such a goal if you use pirated software.

Tips to protect yourself from software piracy

To conclude this story, here are a couple of useful tips that should help you stay safe from software piracy:

●       Share with care - avoid sharing separate product keys.

●       Avoid platforms you don't know - if you're downloading rendering software, do it from the well-known and reputable platforms to avoid counterfeit products.

●       Never use any illegitimate product keys or unauthorized AutoCAD key generators - key generators are program cracks that generate fake product activation licenses. They're usually malware-infected.

●       Shop safely - only buy software products from well-trusted and reputable sources and vendors. That way, you can get your money back in case something goes wrong.

●       Use software verification - software verification makes sure that you can use the purchased product on your device.

●       Use free trials - free trials are the best way to see if some software tool works to your advantage. Use free trials to test the product before you decide to buy it.