Where did the idea that people shouldn't pay for software come from?

[stickybytes]

Piracy is so prevalent because its free and the relative ease it is to achieve it. Anyone armed with a internet connection and *some* proper know-how can pirate anything and everything. Who wants to pay $$ for something when you can get that something for free? All it costs ya is some time and a isp. And now that time is almost reduced by like 500 percent with a broadband connection, the urge becomes even greater. Then when someone asks them why they did it, everyone uses the excuse "if i had the money, i would buy it but i aint rich so too bad" or the "im fighting the big evil _____ (insert maker of the software here) excuse to justify their pirating.

 

[shortylickens]

I think Acanthus (and probably others too) got it right.
IF the sales department charged a reasonable price for software they might actually see an increase in sales. They also have a bad habit of coming out with new versions that seem to be money grabbbers, not useful. Like Windows ME.

The car makers are the same. They can't charge 10 times as much so they build cars to die sooner. Most are built based on studies saying the average family can get a new car every 5 years, and thats how they build them.
Ever notice that a well maintained car from the 50's or 60's can still run today?

Have also noticed that even though the cars get more expensive each year, more of the manufacturing seems to be done in cheaper places.

Software, movies and tv shows(the intangibles) are similar. Some of the work is done in Asia. The boring process of coloring Homer Simpson takes place in Korea. Why? Do they color better? Probably not. But it's a lot of man-hours that can be done cheaper overseas.

While I think its nice a sharp software developer can make 1.5 billion every year then give a few hundred million to charity to raise his image, I would be happier if he/she just cut his MSRP in half. Might actually sell more.

BUT just like banning guns and legalizing drugs and prostitution, we as a society will NEVER see the effects of cheap software.