Justifiable Software Piracy?

[Lonyo]

Originally posted by: EyeMWing

Originally posted by: Dead Parrot Sketch
The question is, is it justifiable ? There all kinds of ways to rationalize piracy, but look up the definition of justice sometime and see if piracy has anything to do with what is right.

It's justifiable if you NEED it (OS, office suite, etc.) and cant afford it (Windows, MS Office, etc.)

or

If you want/need it (OS, games, etc.) and they make it impossible to get anymore (DOS 6.22, Raptor: Call of the Shadows, etc.)

At least IMHO. I'm sure a number of software company lawyers would disagree with a McDonalds employee needing Windows XP and Office XP to write his resume so he can get a better job so he can pay for stuff in the future, and disagree rather strongly with someone on a classic gaming binge, despite the company not selling it anymore.

Linux (free) and OpenOffice (free).

You don't have to pay to get either of them. Linux will give you the funcionality you might NEED on a PC, even if you can't play as many games etc (you don't NEED to play games on a PC).

Also, they would probably have the $$$ for a broadband connection (or spend days downloading), so they have their priorities wrong anyway.

 

[Richdog]

Originally posted by: SammySon

SammySon, does your conjecture that everyone in this thread is a "tool" extend to yourself? You are, afterall, in this thread.

Absolutly.

Well, Dimmy, some people may have not participated in a thread like this, no matter if it has been discussed before. And since a load of people HAVE participated in it, it must therefore be a topic worth discussing. If you don't like it, don't post in it, simple.

I'm fairly sure that most of the people in this thread have "discussed" this many times. It's as if people are cutting and pasting standard responses.
It always breaks down to morality vs legality.

Well I haven't posted in one of these threads before, and if we discussed everything only once on Anandtech then there'd be nothing left to post. Just think of the countless number of stupid topics that are re-posted here every day, while this is a worthwhile, intelligent debate on a large issue. As for the morality vs legality, this re-appears most likely because this is what it all boils down to, so that's no surprise is it?

No need to troll the thread really was there? :beer:

 

[Nebor]

Even if you steal a Hyundai, it's still grand theft auto.

 

[BennyD]

Originally posted by: dmw16

How does a game sucking justify you not paying for it? If it sucks, don't get it, legally or otherwise.

My point is, often you don't know it sux till you have wasted you $50 and can't return it.

what do you think game reviews are for let alone demos.

Not all companies put out demos. And a lot of companies hype up games to the point where I will get them on release day only to discover I have been misled.

All I am saying is that i understand how people can become frustrated w/ the industry.
-doug

*cough*red*cough*faction*cough*

 

[EyeMWing]

Originally posted by: Lonyo

Originally posted by: EyeMWing

Originally posted by: Dead Parrot Sketch
The question is, is it justifiable ? There all kinds of ways to rationalize piracy, but look up the definition of justice sometime and see if piracy has anything to do with what is right.

It's justifiable if you NEED it (OS, office suite, etc.) and cant afford it (Windows, MS Office, etc.)

or

If you want/need it (OS, games, etc.) and they make it impossible to get anymore (DOS 6.22, Raptor: Call of the Shadows, etc.)

At least IMHO. I'm sure a number of software company lawyers would disagree with a McDonalds employee needing Windows XP and Office XP to write his resume so he can get a better job so he can pay for stuff in the future, and disagree rather strongly with someone on a classic gaming binge, despite the company not selling it anymore.

Linux (free) and OpenOffice (free).

You don't have to pay to get either of them. Linux will give you the funcionality you might NEED on a PC, even if you can't play as many games etc (you don't NEED to play games on a PC).

Also, they would probably have the $$$ for a broadband connection (or spend days downloading), so they have their priorities wrong anyway.

It takes a broadband connection to get Linux, too. It's much easier to get Windows locally and illegally than it is to find someone to download Linux for you.

Not to mention it being so far beyond most people's skill level...

 

[0roo0roo]

not to mention staroffice from sun. not free, but cheap.

 

[Ness]

I justify software piracy when you need the software for a class to learn the software.

I can use it free in the computer lab... but my collegewas really smart and instead of putting different graphics programs in different labs, so people needing different types of software can work at the same time in seperate labs... my school thought it was a smart idea to put on the programs on a total of 25 computers in the same lab, so that the 250 students are literally have to fight over computers to get time to work on projects that require about 40-100 hours of work.

AWESOME!

So yeah, rather than arguing over who was at a computer first, I feel it's justified to pirate the software to do my projects on. Believe it or not, I usually do delete the program when I'm done, because of the 20 graphics programs I know, I use only 2 of them on a regular basis, and I have purchased them. Thank god for academic prices.