What do you guys think about software piracy? Does it effect large companies?Do you have any remorse while using pirated software (if you use it)?
Software piracy is no different from stealing. Effects on large companies will be far less than those of the Small Medium Enterprises and SOHOs. Typically large companies have their budget to do the purchasing of legal licenses but it can be a struggle for the smaller companies depending on the software they need. Professional software licenses can be beyond the reach of such companies. Well, I did used pirated software at a time when frankly speaking, even if you want to purchase a legal license, it wouldn't be easy. Everywhere was pirated copies. But I do not use them now. Simply feel that it is not right. If there are some software which I consider too expensive, I would just try to find its open source equivalent and take the troubles to learn it rather than to use a pirated copy.
I've discussed this issue with a lot of people, the only excuse they come up with is the fact that many companies wouldn't be effected because of the money they have.
Not actually, a floating license of say some of those Microwave Design and Simulation software can set you back $100k. Companies in such industries will need them and it wouldn't be easy to pay for them unless you are really that big.
My feelings about Software piracy are mixed.. I support buying legal software but I can also understand why people who have the money choose not to. A perfect example are Adobe programs, they cost more than double in Europe due to European laws, I think most Europeans would prefer a pirated version than having to pay more than Americans for the same program. ordering from the US is also an option but a lot of people would rather search torrents than to search for stores that ship to the EU :/
That's right. The prime reason for software piracy is their prohibitive cost. If the legal version is made available to public at an affordable cost, then more people can use it. High cost of the original software keeps the piracy as a thriving business especially where the IT market is exploding like in some of the Asian countries. Supply the products at cheaper rates and make the people comply with the law voluntarily and nip the piracy in the bud
I think many people pirate software to get a feel of what they are buying, but this is no excuse. Most companies offer some sort of trial or demo before you buy it. Also, I think many people pirate software that is sold for ridiculous prices. Pirating is stealing none the less. ~Jeremy~
I have no problem whatsoever with it. I don't find it even close to stealing and I don't see why we have to spend our hard earned cash for some 1's and 0's. All the software on my PC (Windows, Photoshop, Dreamweaver etc) is a pirate copy. Who here can honestly say they paid for Photoshop? :|
Ofcourse it effects the company. if ther is no piracy then people will must pay for the required software.
This is basically a duplicate of my thread minus the polls. http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=840872
Affects A LOT! I heard that when windows Vista was released, on the first week in china it sold 100 (yes ONE HUNDRED) copies.... that´s a HUGE amount of Million $´s. Now imagine it on a company with less resources than microsoft.
Software piracy is wrong, that's settled. But sometimes.. people have no alternatives (besides opensource stuff) And yea, it does affect the large companies, of course because in a sense they are getting robbed.
Software piracy is a crime, plain and simple. Pirates hurt the companies that they still from and help to keep prices high. For every copy stolen, that's one less sale, which increases the per unit costs of the legitimate software, which is passed on to legitimate customers. The inverse is not true. Pirates claim that every lost sale encourages the company to lower prices in order to draw in more sales, but what really happens is that it forces the company to abandon that part of its business in search of something more profitable.
I'm against piracy. Honestly with the amount of people on this board who sell content that can be distributed digitally it would be hypocritical not to be against it. Unless you think it's some how ok for you to steal content but it's not ok for people to steal your own.
Does anyone know why software like photoshop costs so much? Even OEM operating systems cost far less than photoshop.
I can honestly say that, we paid for the retail version of Photoshop in our companies. For my personal computer, I don't feel the need to spend so much, I had GIMP instead and I make the effort to learn GIMP rather than conveniently use a pirated software. It is sad that you don't care about piracy, worse that you seemed to take pride in the usage of pirated software.
If you haven't got the cash then just use an unregistered version, but if you make your money off the web then I think that there is some sort of moral case for paying your own way. The web in 2008 would be a very, very pale version of what it currently is without the wide spread use of pirated software. Use GIMP? It's only been recently that GIMP has been worth using, before that it really wasn't particularly very good.
True, piracy plays a part in helping to spread the usage of the Internet. I heard of companies actually tolerating piracy so that their products can gain a foothold in the countries they are targeting before cracking down on them. But that was the past. GIMP still isn't that good, but usable and the best free alternative at present.
Don't use the word piracy to imply software copying. Piracy is too strong a word to use in this context.