BBC News: Software piracy 'seen as normal'. ⇒
24 June 2005, lunch time
I would just like to say that I see nothing wrong with pirating software -- and I'm a software developer. That said, paying someone for pirated software is stupid and selling pirated software is reprehensible. This link was found via Slashdot.
This is a post from my link log: If you click the title of this post you will be taken the web page I am discussing.
Agreed. I don’t understand why (ahem Pacific Mall) people want to pay and support these pirates.
It’s one thing to download, it’s another to have someone benefit from illegal activity.
by matt on June 24 2005, 1:11 pm #
I’d add though, that you are a software developer, but not an investor / owner. Although your salary is partly affected by the success of the company, you’re likely too removed from that process to make a direct link to software piracy.
I do think that people will be willing to pay a reasonable price for software. Currently there is room for improvement in the pricing structure. Piracy is just too easy right now for people not to do it. Like if Walmart left its stuff on the sidewalk and asked you to leave payment in a payment box if you take anything.
It doesn’t help that people with the most tech savvy, are the least employed (young). Think high school / university youth.
by Victor on June 24 2005, 6:02 pm #
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think I’m entitled to anything, I just see software piracy the same way I see speeding. I think ideally all software would be free for consumer use, and pay for commercial. Of course, I think the economics of such a scheme probably don’t make sense for many software companies.
Funnily enough, I actually recently bought Transmit. It is probably the first software I have bought since … I don’t even remember.
by ramanan on June 24 2005, 6:07 pm #
Ironicly, the internet help stop piracy once more people are connected. At that time, companies will be able to require online registration of codes / constant connection (once the majority of its customers can be expected to have a constant connection.)
Examples of software that currently has zero piracy are: Online games such as EQ and World of Warcraft that require an account to play at all. The exception to this is Ultima Online, which now has player run servers (likely not possible for the other games), that can be used with non-registed accounts. A second example is Quickbooks / Peoplesoft online, etc. These pieces of business software often do all work online, and each new user must have a paid account to access.
Thus the wonderful laws of economics will fix piracy in the end, and not legislation or advertisment.
by Victor on June 24 2005, 6:40 pm #
Actually, I’m pretty sure Quickbooks had to remove all that online registration baggage from their latest version because of the huge number of complaints they recv’d. Consumers will only put up with so much crap.
by ramanan on June 25 2005, 7:15 pm #
Actually, there’s a version of quickbooks that is all online, not just the registration. You have to log in to the web to access the books, or at least the get the most up to date ledger. I’m not sure about the registration of the regular version, that’s likely that people don’t want to register.
by Victor on June 27 2005, 12:15 pm #