Why is so much software cracked?

[JavaJones]

100% agreed with mouser. In the end all of this is subjective. Laws differ from country to country, even state to state or county to county, city to city (any gay couple who has gotten married can attest to that ). So we we agree that morality is really what it comes down to. But that too is subjective. It's not even a matter of "a few bad seeds" or the "weirdos" - entire cultures have existed that had radically different concepts of ownership from our own. Clearly our concept is not inherently right or moral. Morality is usually derived from the majority but a majority need only be 51% - does that mean that 49% of people are wrong if they disagree? That seems kind of ridiculous too.

So I think we have gotten right back to my main point which is that these issues are not simple. Not nearly as simple as the RIAA, MPAA, BSA, etc. would like us to believe. On the face of it what they're arguing is essentially correct - it is against the law to copy software, music, movies, etc. But since it shows no signs of stopping, despite massive litigation and fines, it seems kind of clear that a lot of people *do* feel it's morally acceptable to do these things. Does that redefine the "majority"? If so, and the majority thinks it's ok to do these things, then are the laws still defined by the majority, or rather instead by the minority power holders?

Lots of interesting questions. I do not claim to have any answers, I just think all this stuff is very worthwhile to think about.

- Oshyan

[Carol Haynes]

Who decides what is right or wrong? You do - you have to live with your conscience ...

Who decides the law - in a democracy you do ...

Slightly ploitical rant ... don't read if you don't like politics

Given that very few of us actually live in a democracy laws are usually decided by the rich and powerful and the rest of us nod at them every few years when we are asked to make cross to decide between two parties with identical policies on most things.

There is a huge difference bewteen legality and what is right.

[mouser]

do unto others as you would have them do unto you

amen.
you don't have to be religious (i'm not) to realize that this is a good way to live and will really help guide you in answering morality questions.

[y0himba]

I vote this as one of the best threads ever.  If all of the software alliances, the RIAA, MPAA and so forth would sit down over a long time and discuss like this, so much could be accomplished.

[JavaJones]

Hear, hear! Considering how heated this discussion appears to have gotten at times and what a generally controversial subject this is, I think it's remained remarkably topical, civil, and informative.

Do unto others.

- Oshyan

[f0dder]

I vote this as one of the best threads ever.  If all of the software alliances, the RIAA, MPAA and so forth would sit down over a long time and discuss like this, so much could be accomplished.

-y0himba (July 04, 2006, 05:26 PM)

Problem is, they won't. All they care about is maximizing their profits...

[zridling]

It seems we've come full circle and you all have so far made this a must-read thread. It appears we have myriad answers to the question "Why is so much software cracked?"

• the challenge of cracking code
• the lack of money needed to register it
• the base thrill of theft, or of simple possession/collection
• the sake of necessity, out of poverty
• the purpose of evaluation
• to get back at "the man," which is today is the corporation (usually Microsoft or Adobe)

and so on. One thing is true is that this is not a black-and-white issue, but one that is gray throughout, and is justified individually. I'd love to hear your specific suggestions to developers. One I'd make is that trial software not be crippled. If you cripple your software, you're begging for it to be cracked with every update you compile.