Grrr arg. The Business Software Alliance whines that worldwide revenue loss due to software “piracy” is around $33 billion. I call bullshit.
Before you write me off as just another pirate trying to justify my actions, let me say this: I avoid pirated software. I much prefer Free Software. The only times I install non-free software without paying for it is a) if it’s abandonware, i.e. software which is so old it can’t be found on the market anymore; or b) software which I have a license for, but which for some reason I’m unable to install (e.g. lost or corrupted install media).
I call bullshit, because that $33 billion is calculated with the assumption that every single user of pirated software could and would pay full price for the software if that was the only way to acquire it. Which is patently absurd. Most of the people with unauthorized copies of software would either find a cheaper alternative or do without if they couldn’t get a pirated copy. It’s only lost revenue if the software companies actually stood to earn it in the first place.
Sure makes it sound bad though, doesn’t it?
Hmmm, that gives me an idea…
The price per pageview for the priviledge of reading this journal is $1,000,000.00. I calculate that my lost revenues so far are approximately 67.4 hojillion dollars. You should all be ashamed.
It also totally ignores the jaded users who invested thousands of dollars in “software” on to find themselves unable to run all of the versions legally without spending thousands more for updates upon updates. This version needs Windows version X. So you upgrade, then a, b and c software packages no longer work. So you have to upgrade further.
I tried it when I was going to college. I spent probably $4,000 on “legal” software. I had a system that was entirely legal (minus my never sending the writer of EditPad his postcard). I found myself two years later with tons of software and hardware and unable to use even half of what I purchased. So WHY should I want to be legal?
Give me value and i’ll give you my $$$
It also totally ignores the jaded users who invested thousands of dollars in “software” on to find themselves unable to run all of the versions legally without spending thousands more for updates upon updates. This version needs Windows version X. So you upgrade, then a, b and c software packages no longer work. So you have to upgrade further.
I tried it when I was going to college. I spent probably $4,000 on “legal” software. I had a system that was entirely legal (minus my never sending the writer of EditPad his postcard). I found myself two years later with tons of software and hardware and unable to use even half of what I purchased. So WHY should I want to be legal?
Give me value and i’ll give you my $$$
I agree…
I try to avoid pirated software too.. I do admit to downloading a few things.. trying them out.. if they are good.. then I go buy them.. if not.. I delete them…
and fer christsakes… maybe profits are down because most of the new software is so bloated and crappy that most people aren’t willing to pay so much money for it…
as for the bahjillions that I owe you.. how ’bout we do a bit of reckonin… I also charge $1,000,000 for viewing my page.. so I’m sure we’ve both racked up some mighty tabs… 😉
I agree…
I try to avoid pirated software too.. I do admit to downloading a few things.. trying them out.. if they are good.. then I go buy them.. if not.. I delete them…
and fer christsakes… maybe profits are down because most of the new software is so bloated and crappy that most people aren’t willing to pay so much money for it…
as for the bahjillions that I owe you.. how ’bout we do a bit of reckonin… I also charge $1,000,000 for viewing my page.. so I’m sure we’ve both racked up some mighty tabs… 😉