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.

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...

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).

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.

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

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".

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).

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).

I don't get it. They sue people for downloading songs which cost 1$ a piece, but there is server software on P2P networks worth 6-10,000$.