On software piracy I.e. Fritz/Rybka etc.

[Rendruk]

I don't think that piracy runs as rampant as people would like you to believe.

The average person I meet doesn't even know how to change their screensaver, let alone figure out how and where to obtain programs illegally and then install it.

Of the people that DO know how to perform these acts, and yes I know that there are a plenty, even if the average person I meet is computer illeterate there are still plenty left who aren't...

But of the people who can perform these actions, still yet another large portion of them refuse to for either moral reasons or fear of legal repurcussions.

Still others refuse to pirate software because they want to support the program designers and industry.



I've just seen as of late a general consensus that *everyone* is getting Rybka and Fritz and other commercial programs for free and that there is a huge cut in their profits because of it.

Although I'm sure there are a large amount of people who download these products illegally, I'm not convinced it's a high percentage of the overall amount.

Maybe I'm just being naive! But have the rest of you really lost that much faith in humanity?

[govert]

I know of a few people who treat pirated software much like a demo:

* Download illegal copy
* Use it
* If you end up liking the software and using it a lot, buy a legitimate copy.

(This goes for software, music and to some extent films)

[govert]

And to answer your actual question, personally I do not think that piracy/illegal use from direct consumers has a big detrimental effect on the business.

What may be damaging though, is be the organized selling of cracked copies of very popular software such as games and certain operating systems...

[djbl]

hm, lemme think, should i spend £30 on a chess engine, being the right thing to do n'all, or should i download a pirate for free, save the £30 and maybe get take my daughter out for the day??? tricky one.

[govert]

hm, lemme think, should i spend £30 on a chess engine, being the right thing to do n'all, or should i download a pirate for free, save the £30 and maybe get take my daughter out for the day??? tricky one.

Question is, do they lose a sell? Would you have bought it if it wasn't available illegally?