Opinion on Software Theft

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None of the above :

I'm not in favour of software copying cuz I'm a computer science guy and if I make a software and it gets copied, I'll get a huge loss ... financial and moral:(

I'm in favour of software copying as I use a lot of softwares and if I start copying all of them then I'll save a lot of money ;).

nanosani

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I think it is NOT ok to copy software but I've done it. When a software costs a lot and you are a student you cant buy anything too expensive. I do not regret having copied the software I did copy because I would not be in the situation I am right now. For example, the only place I could use most programming software was at school and when I copied the software I could better my skills at home and become better. Now because I have used the pirated software, I will soon have a job and have a decent salary to buy my legal software. I know students can get some educational versions of software but its still big amounts. I think students should be able to have software for low costs.

belama

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theres a program i am wanting and the student version runs in the thousands... its ridiculous...

jhdobbins

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theres a program i am wanting and the student version runs in the thousands... its ridiculous...

Exactly what Im talking about. Student cant afford extreme prices. If they want us to buy licensed products in the future they should be thinking about letting us learn with the software before.

belama

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Hello,

Well, it appears that Micro$oft has figured out your dilemma... and offers great student discounts to Office. But if you are a company upgrading Office, the costs are huge.

I love the idea of Open Source software, such as OpenOffice. I use that whenever I can. But I aso went out and purchased some software at home for my Mac OS X computer.

I like the idea of online demos, or software with expiration dates on it, so that you can get the feel of the product before you buy the complete version.

You will find certain companies like QUARK thata extort tooth and nail for unstable crappy software. Just go read their online forums if you do not believe me. The stuff is just not good. You will also find companies like Apple that will have a moderately priced bulk license for their OS, such as the Family OS X (5 user) license for $150 or something like that. You will also find companies like AutoDesk that have ridiculous registration / authorization technique that doesn't work 1/2 the time, and you loose money waiting on the phone for them to get you a proper license key.

Christian

kc0arf

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The thing is that if software wasn't that expensive, people wouldn't have to copy them. So in a way it's kind of their fault. Not everyone can afford to pay a few hundred bucks for Windows for EACH computer they have.
But companys mainly make their money of other companys wanting licences to their software anyways.

Patate

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I'm all for copying software, i am self centred and dont care about people making money other than myself :)

YoungCoder

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I like the idea of online demos, or software with expiration dates on it, so that you can get the feel of the product before you buy the complete version.

Me, too!!companys mainly make their money of other companys wanting licences to their software anyways.

So far, some good ideas in response to this poll. Patate has hit on something here - itis true that the majority of a software companies´ revenue comes from corporate clients. Makes you wonder why they don´t give the stuff away to us mortals so that they carry their opinions to work.

Hey guys, only 6 votes out of 40+ views, let´s get with the program and vote! :cheesy: We want to know what you think - no one will know how you voted...

zeroth

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It shouldn't be copied, but all of us have done it I think!

Catalana

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The thing is that if software wasn't that expensive, people wouldn't have to copy them. So in a way it's kind of their fault. Not everyone can afford to pay a few hundred bucks for Windows for EACH computer they have. But companys mainly make their money of other companys wanting licences to their software anyways.

Wrong. I've encountered pirated copies of freeware. People actually removing copyright information and the name of the original authors from freeware programs and distributing them as their own (often asking money for them).

If you buy a computer, factor in the cost of software. If you can afford more than one computer you're not a penniless student (who can get discount educational licenses) anyway.

duckman

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The attitudes about stealing software are amazing - do you have an opinion?

Software piracy should be treated like piracy at the high seas. Keelhauling is to good for the criminals!

People scream foul about shoplifting yet casually steal tens of thousands of Euros worth of software.

When confronted with their crimes they claim noone is hurt because software doesn't cost anything anyway and they're "only punishing large corporations for overcharging"...
This attitude prevails even among many who work in the industry and make their own income from creating software that is sold, making the situation even worse (and harder to understand, these people make money creating something they say doesn't cost anything to create).
Worst of all: I've seen many requests on usenet for pirated copies of software to create copy protection and for commercial compilers, often in official support groups for those products...

duckman

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It shouldn't be copied, but all of us have done it I think!

Not for the last 20 years, and even before that only software that wasn't available in any other way (that was before the internet and online stores, with the only computer store in town having maybe 5 titles).

duckman

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I think Bill Gates could afford to give away software for home PCs.

As said before- these companies make their money from corporate America.

But they will squeeze us little guys for every cent they can get away with. You squeeze a penny or maybe $200 for each copy of Windows that you sell to the home PC user and it adds up to millions in profits each and every year.

Nope, I don't have a problem with copying software at all.

chrisharris

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I think Bill Gates could afford to give away software for home PCs.

As said before- these companies make their money from corporate America.

But they will squeeze us little guys for every cent they can get away with. You squeeze a penny or maybe $200 for each copy of Windows that you sell to the home PC user and it adds up to millions in profits each and every year.

Nope, I don't have a problem with copying software at all.

Well that is the whole concept of our economic system in America. I mean, if you were in Bill Gates position, Im sure you would try and get every cent out of every person you possible could.

Its all about bending people over and screwing them, there is a legal way, and an illegal way. You could make arguments for both sides, but if your going the illegal route, the odds are stacked against you.

moderate_rock48

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Hello all.

Ok to be truthful 55/9% of all my software is not legel, As Adobe wants you to pay $699.99 for Adobe photoshop 7 and more for cs and Now even more for CS2

Macromedia, Is not that badily priced but when they came out with there Macromedia Mx Professional Crap they jack the prices up sky high..

So Yes I would blow smoke up someone A$$ just to get Free Software that I need or Wanted to learn.

Peace out,
Michael

SuperFlyHost

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If you can't afford the price, use a cheaper alternative...
There's PSP, Gimp, etc. etc.

Theft is theft also if it's "because I need it and can't afford it".

duckman

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I personnaly think that the majority of people who copy software, not so much that they can't afford it but really need it, but can't be bothered to pay the price.

I'm quite proud of the fact that on my two PCs, all my software is legit, (excluding a possible dodgy copy of Studio MX I bought from Amazon). I wanted office on my laptop, and despite being easily able to nick it from work being a network administrator, used open office instead. People can easily get linux for PCs, and XP OEM is not that expensive, if you build your own, or even free with new PCs.

I have got the ocasional pirated software and CDs, videos back in the day, but wouldn't do so now. Just because it's easy doesn't make it acceptable. The owner of BMW is no doubt a rich guy, and the cars in this country are overpriced, but that doesn't mean I can take a M3 off a forecourt, (unfortunately).

MartyMcFly

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Well said Marty, and my opinion exactly.

If you can't afford or can't be bothered to pay the price for highend software use a free or cheaper alternative.

I work in software development myself.
My company does provide staff with corporate licenses for many packages we have at work, so we can get them free or cheap. Similarly for students and educational staff educational licenses cover the same ground, offering them cheap access to high end software they may need (usually the same software used in classes and labs).

duckman

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