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Is Pirating okay?

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Recneps, that's a terrible way to look at it. "They are breaking the law why should they be allowed to use the copyright law to protect themselves?" So, if you break the law you're no longer eligible to be protected by law? Wow, so who here hasn't received a speeding ticket? Or done something stupid to get themselves in jail? Just because you break the law doesn't mean the laws should no longer protect you anymore.
 
I haven't dealt with a manufactured PC's tech support in nearly three years since I left Compaq behind for the DIY world. (Where I'M tech support.)

I agree that many peeps migrate their software and OSes as they upgrade and make doorstops of their old machines, but even if Gateway just did hardware support, how can they help someone with a video issue if they don't know what OS and what drivers for that OS are installed. Some cards aren't very well supported in Linux and how's the 3dfx support in Be?

Tech support is a major cash drain for PC companies, esp. those with free, lifetime support. That's why some want to charge $35 a call after the warranty runs out. Compaq tech support ranged from brilliant and helpful to wreaking more damage than I was already experiencing.:| It varies, just like mechanics, doctors and barbers.

On another tip, I once came across a copy of Poser 2 for about $60 (MSRP $150) at a Beast Buy. It was right after Poser 3 came out and I should've been able to get the free version upgrade. Well, I sent the paperwork in and waited. And waited. After a few weeks, I called them up and axed wassup. They found my papers in the "Reject" file because...get this...I hadn't paid enough!!:Q Huh? They said that because I hadn't paid at least $100-$120 for it, I didn't qualify for the up, even though there was no mention of this precondition. So, I was denied an upgrade thru no fault of my own. THEY got paid for the copy of Poser 2 by the wholesaler, and I get jacked because BB didn't care to make it's full profit. If I'd "fixed" the price (with my legit, paid for copy of Photoshop) on the copy of the receipt I mailed in, they would coughed up.

What to do? I made it my crusade to "get" my copy of Poser 3 and I did. Then I decided to get a copy of every program they made, which I also did. Most haven't been even installed, or have lived on the drive long enough to be played with for 20 minutes before being deleted, but to me that was the retribution I felt necessary. (Funny thing, I actually BOUGHT a copy of Painter Classic afterwards, BUT it was through an eJay auction of a new, sealed box, so they did really get the money direct from me, did they?)
 
Regarding the tech support issue with Gateway. I know tech support is a drain on companies but in my situation they made absolutely no attempt at all to help me. In fact, the reason why I upgraded my MB was because I couldn't get my 8/20 SCSI CD-R to work properly on it. Gateway told me there is a known issue with SCSI and their MBs but since I bought the CD-R outside of GTW they wouldn't help despite the fact they knew something was wrong with their product. To me it seems I get no support on software issues (not to mention hardware) from OEMs and it gets pushed off to Microsoft which provides even less person to person support. If I get no support on a product I paid for I might as well not have to buy another copy of something I already have.

Anyway, what the heck are they doing with all the money they made off of me and other people? I guess it costs money to run competitors into the ground and try and take over the world.
 
Gee....I guess I am a reallllllly bad person....I develop software...BUT....I don't buy. I have bought maybe...3 packages of software in the last 5 years....If I can't find it on the net or from a friend....I don't really need it. Not that I think it is ok, but a majority of the public does buy software and music cd's for that matter....Most of the time the software does not live up to my expectations, so it gets unistalled.As for my MS Windows and Office...well Billy boy is living high enough already...if this man can give away 250 million dollars to charity, my 500.00 isn't going to hurt him or any of his employees. I sure hope I don't get flamed for this.....
 
Zwingle - If you were told that without pirating your income would be X% higher, what would your response be?
 
Well my personal opinion is this, it is wrong if you were going to buy the software anyway. Its ok, if you would have never bought the software in the first place.

In other words, its ok to pirate crap software (most games and other software that is WAY overpriced) because I wouldn't waste my money anyways. Its not ok, if it was for a gift or something this is a necessity!
 
Juger - But aren't you denying the author or publisher something to which he/she is entitled? Even if you used the program for 5 minutes, you did get something out of it - even just knowing you don't want it. A demo could tell you that in 5 minutes.
 
Jugernot,

Just because you call something "crap software" doesn't give you right the to steal it. For example, lets say you think all Ford Rangers are pieces of crap. You think, "Ford has billions of dollars. One Ford Ranger won't hurt them. Its crap anyway."
Also, where do you draw the line at crap? Look at this argument - "Windows is crap. Therefore I don't have to pay for it. In fact, it is so much crap, I need to pirate it so I can use it everyday to run my programs."

Answer this: If a program is crap, why bother to even have it on your computer? The truth is, if it is valuable enough for you to pirate, it should be valuable enough for you to buy.

Zwingle,

Just because a company is rich doesn't make it right for you to rip them off. Oil companies are rich. Does that give you the right to fill up and not pay at a gas station?

All of you need to stop making excuses about why you pirate software. There is only one reason - You don't want to spend money on it.
 
One more example, this time with a site close to home.

Anandtech is obviously a popular website. It pulls in money through ads because people visit the site to read its content. Now, what would happen if you copied everything on his site? Mirrored all the reviews, previews, created your own forums on a warez version of Fusetalk. The only difference is that your site has no ads, no annoying things to flash at you.

You could argue that you didn't take anything material from Anand, so why should he be upset? Truth is, you stole Intellectual Property, even though nothing changed on Anand's servers. This is the same thing that you do by pirating software.
 
By pirating, you're stealing information. Who said anything about stealing having to do with material goods only? Plus, it violates copyright laws and it clearly states that, when installing the software, unauthorized copying of the software is illegal. So my answer is, pirating is NOT okay but there is no way to stop it.
 
Unix Freak: isn't linuxfree?

I have a friend who pirates like mad and his logic is that they aren't gonna get his money whether he has the program or not so why not download it. I don't cause its stealing.

Moose

 
Recneps, that's a terrible way to look at it. "They are breaking the law why should they be allowed to use the copyright law to protect themselves?" So, if you break the law you're no longer eligible to be protected by law? Wow, so who here hasn't received a speeding ticket? Or done something stupid to get themselves in jail? Just because you break the law doesn't mean the laws should no longer protect you anymore.

No it would be like me getting pulled over for a speeding ticket and having the cop give me a ride to were I'm going at 150 because My 35 applease on the speeding ticket has yet to be stealed so I need to make up for the lost time from being stoped. The point of copyright laws is to make more inavtion not to prevent it.


 
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