Hi Peter, I guess I'll have to follow this thread to its conclusion. Again, these are my opinions, not those of my employer...
On 10/4/01 8:40 PM, Peter Apockotos <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> typed: >Here are some reasons that people pirate > >1. Testing purposes without the cost, I know some companies provide >versions for evaluation ( but some or most functions are disabled ) OK... but you're talking about a test. Do auto dealers let you borrow the car for a few weeks before buying for no charge. How about Kraft Macaroni and Cheese? ;) Software vendors try to give the users a chance to try out the software. Most give 30 days or so. If someone can't figure out if the sofware will do what they want in 30 days, then maybe they don't *need* the software. > >2. There is not a cheaper solution with the features needed. This one's weak. If you need the features, then you should purchase what you need. Pirating to get the features you want is not a valid argument. > >3. Software is overpriced due to the poor oversight of operating costs. Have you ever developed software for a global market? It ain't cheap. > >4. Not all people can afford the software they need because they do not use >it for a living. Again... if you need it, buy it. If you want it and cannot afford it, save up and buy it. > >5. Then there is the morally wrong reason of pirating for profit. All of these arguments are morally wrong. Basically, you're taking the work of someone else and using it without their permission. How would you feel if you had put in a year of your time on a project and someone decided that it wasn't worth what you were asking. You would tell them to use something else. They then break into your garage and get the plans and build their own. Put yourself in the software companies' shoes. > >Do these companies not see if they lowered the cost to consumer that they >would in fact sell more copies and reduce piracy and thus reduce operating >costs pertaining to piracy issues. What happened to the United States of >America between 1776 and 2001? We all have such a short time here, that it >is shameful that money controls our lives rather than ourselves. Regrettably, this is a common misconception. People are going to pirate software regardless of how little it costs. If Photoshop was $50, Adobe could probably sell 4 times as many copies. However, the money that they would make wouldn't support the effort to develop, test and market the product. On top of that, there would STILL be a piracy problem. The number of people that will buy a software title vs. the price of the software looks like a bell curve. Most software companies try to sell at the price that's the peak of the curve. Why? Why not? If you were selling widgets, you'd probably try to maximize your profit, right. Why is it so bad for software companies to do the same thing? Why don't people realize that software is like anything else that you buy in a store? If you went to Circuit City and took one of their copies of a Sony receiver, it's theft. I doubt that you would even consider it. Yet, when someone burns a copy of a software CD, they don't feel the slightest guilt about stealing from the software company. We Mac users bitch and moan about the lack of software for our platform, then we go out and pirate the crap out of the software manufacturers. Go figure why no one want to develop for us... smiles, Jamie -- G-List is sponsored by <http://lowendmac.com/> and... Small Dog Electronics http://www.smalldog.com | Refurbished Drives | -- We have Apple Refurbished Monitors in stock! | & CDRWs on Sale! | Support Low End Mac <http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html> G-List list info: <http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-list.shtml> Send list messages to: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To unsubscribe, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For digest mode, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subscription questions: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/g-list%40mail.maclaunch.com/> Using a Macintosh? Get free email and more at Applelinks! <http://www.applelinks.com>
