> It is a known fact that there is a "software crisis".
> For years now. Not enough available software for
> the right price and the users needs.
For as long as there has been software, people have been pirating it. Its a
fact of life. Its comments like this one.. "the right price" that the
hackers and crackers use to justify their efforts.
> Many guys waste their time breaking (cracking,
> hacking) instead of _creating_ software.
But they do it because they think they are doing the world a service since
they think the "right price" should be free. They paid enough for the
computer, why should they have to buy software, too?
Some do it because they want to prove that nothing can stop them, no law can
keep them from posting it, no one can track it back to them, and there isn't
a protection method that can't be broken. (I believe Aaron mentioned this
in his paper?)
> Wouldn't it be better helping them get new stuff
> _created_ than old stuff hacked?
But then you don't get that same rush you got as a kid when you stole a pack
of baseball cards....
> Currently I believe "OpenSource" is the way to go.
I knew Open Source would enter in to this discussion.. it always does. This
is another thing crackers use to justify their cause. Programs should be
free, source should be open, and software that doesn't follow this view
deserves to be cracked. Before anyone flames me, I'm not calling Open Source
fans crackers, but I believe a lot of crackers are Open Source fans... it
meets their ideal of getting something for nothing.
> But I admit: I may be wrong.
True.. and so might I. I think Open Source is a fad that will die out as
quickly as many of the dot coms have.. not because its a bad idea, but
because its a bad idea for making money. If the source is open, only the
coder gets paid, not the guy the coder worked for.
One last thing, to avoid having a prolonged thread on this subject, this is
the one and only time I will respond to this thread. Everyone, please
consider doing the same. If you want a longer discussion on this off topic
subject, consider starting another mailing list on e-groups. :)
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