Types of Software Piracy

[ronjor]

Software Piracy Harms No-one? Think Again - It Hits Each And Every One Of Us In The Pocket
Federation attacks complacency as piracy costs £2.5 billion in lost government income


In a presentation to business leaders John Lovelock, Manager, Federation Legal and Affairs at the Federation Against Software Theft, has lambasted the complacency prevalent in both business and the UK in general toward the issue of software piracy.

"For too long people, whether in business or not, have taken the view that software piracy is a victimless crime. It is not. In fact the opposite is true, it affects each and every one of us in the UK and in the most dramatic way possible - through our back pockets," he stated.

FAST (http://www.fast.org.uk/)

[notageek]

I think software piracy is wrong. If you can't buy the program than it wasn't meant to be. But a good rule of thumb is if you can't buy but want to buy a program save all the money you find. I find change im my couches and chairs all the time.

[Pigman]

Software piracy is, IMNSHO, a very dishonorable thing to do. Good software costs good money for a reason; getting cracked versions for free is quite disrespectful to the people who busted their asses making it.

[notageek]

I agree with you pigman. :) say no to cracked software.

[dog]

-{ Quote: "Software piracy is, IMNSHO, a very dishonorable thing to do. Good software costs good money for a reason; getting cracked versions for free is quite disrespectful to the people who busted their asses making it." }-

Pirating also results in lower quality products ... as the lost margins/sales result in less funding for R&D IMHO. ;)

Piracy is theft ... there is no way to rationalize it ... although many try ;)

dog - *puppy*

[eternaldemo]

I just reimage every 30 days. It's legal.

[nadirah]

Oh yeah, nowadays in my country, there are people who secretly set up stalls to sell illegal VCDs.

[Pigman]

>I just reimage every 30 days. It's legal.

Is it? Maybe it is, but it sure sounds like a PITA...

[Close_Hauled]

-{ Quote: "I just reimage every 30 days. It's legal." }-

Someone we should not help the next time he posts. >:(

[MikeBCda]

I'd be curious for opinions on one area -- "warez" and its close cousins are pretty clear-cut cases of theft, no question about that, but this is a rather fuzzy "gray area" that we've all run into.

What about shareware that remains fully functional (other than, typically, the addition of "nagware" if it wasn't there to start with) after a trial period which may or may not be spelled out, and which you continue to use without registering? Obviously you're not contributing to its revenue -- but do people feel generally that this should also be thought of as theft?

Best to all,
Mike

[bigc73542]

-{ Quote: "I just reimage every 30 days. It's legal." }-
I have a hunch that it goes against the end user rules required by the software maker. And I wouldn't be so sure that it is legal, it is just another way to steal anothers product and hard work with out paying. >:(

[Pigman]

-{ Quote: "
What about shareware that remains fully functional (other than, typically, the addition of "nagware" if it wasn't there to start with) after a trial period which may or may not be spelled out, and which you continue to use without registering? Obviously you're not con" }-

Still theft in my book, even if it's legal. And as I said, it is pretty disrespectful to the people who busted their rears making the software...

[Khaine]

-{ Quote: "Software Piracy Harms No-one? Think Again - It Hits Each And Every One Of Us In The Pocket
Federation attacks complacency as piracy costs £2.5 billion in lost government income


In a presentation to business leaders John Lovelock, Manager, Federation Legal and Affairs at the Federation Against Software Theft, has lambasted the complacency prevalent in both business and the UK in general toward the issue of software piracy.

"For too long people, whether in business or not, have taken the view that software piracy is a victimless crime. It is not. In fact the opposite is true, it affects each and every one of us in the UK and in the most dramatic way possible - through our back pockets," he stated.

FAST (http://www.fast.org.uk/)" }-


Oh please, that was siad by the BSA, the anti-piracy group. I wouldn't believe a word they said.

Yes software piracy is bad but sometimes it is beneficial to the software industry, for example most students can't afford to purchase photoshop, so they pirate it. When they get a job the company that employs them must by photoshop to maximise that persons usefulness.

[Pigman]

-{ Quote: "Oh please, that was siad by the BSA, the anti-piracy group. I wouldn't believe a word they said.

Yes software piracy is bad but sometimes it is beneficial to the software industry, for example most students can't afford to purchase photoshop, so they pirate it. When they get a job the company that employs them must by photoshop to maximise that persons usefulness." }-

Excuse me?

[Khaine]

Well it is a loop, because everyone uses photoshop, students pirate photoshop to learn it. They have skills using photoshop and not the gimp or corel draw, so companies purchase photoshop. Because companies use photoshop, students pirate it. If students in their masses started using the gimp, then companies would stop purchasing it.