Main Area and Open Discussion > General Software Discussion
RANT: High Software Prices!
f0dder:
Yup, agree with pro3carp3 and Curt but I *think* that we're straying into the philosophical realm here in that I don't think that people who use cracks, hacks and serialz are necessarily career criminals but rather people who... ah fuck it. They're thieves and there is no justification for it.
-Darwin
--- End quote ---
There's plenty of people that actually do have legitimately purchased software but still use the cracked version since it's goddamn more convenient - dongles, phone-home, cd protections, you name it. I certainly know I do, when a game doesn't need data from the frigging DVD, I'm not going to bother inserting it. And in my younger days when I went to LAN parties, why should I bring along my original game CDs/DVDs and risk them getting stolen/broken/whatever?
Nowadays it makes even more sense, when protections like StarForce can mean major slowdowns, and installs crappy drivers on your system, and when you have to be really careful if you reinstall windows - not only is there the risk of getting in windows activation trouble, but what about all the other activation-requiring applications? Or the "hardware locked" licenses? Ooop, burnt motherboard, too bad, can't use the app, YOU EVIL PIRATE. Copy protections have taken overhand.
And windows licensing is sucky as well. You can't imagine the hoops you have to jump through to get a volume license key for a small company - I ended giving up. So instead of being able to use one slipstreamed CD with unattended setup, I have to carry a list of 10+ cdkeys when I need to do reinstalls.
I don't mind paying for stuff, but I do mind paying overprice and getting crippled software that treats me like I was a thief.
Carol Haynes: anything under £1/litre is cheap in .dk at the moment.
Carol Haynes:
Yup, agree with pro3carp3 and Curt but I *think* that we're straying into the philosophical realm here in that I don't think that people who use cracks, hacks and serialz are necessarily career criminals but rather people who... ah fuck it. They're thieves and there is no justification for it.
-Darwin
--- End quote ---
There's plenty of people that actually do have legitimately purchased software but still use the cracked version since it's goddamn more convenient - dongles, phone-home, cd protections, you name it. I certainly know I do, when a game doesn't need data from the frigging DVD, I'm not going to bother inserting it. And in my younger days when I went to LAN parties, why should I bring along my original game CDs/DVDs and risk them getting stolen/broken/whatever?
-f0dder (April 17, 2007, 05:40 PM)
--- End quote ---
A criterion I use when purchasing software that is copy protected is 'can I use it if the company goes bust / activation screws up in some way?'. Seems reasonable to me (even if it does contravene EULAs) if I have paid for the software.
I don't use the software in a cracked state UNLESS I have insurmountable problems with the vendor - then I have no qualms about using MY expensive product.
Carol Haynes: anything under £1/litre is cheap in .dk at the moment.
--- End quote ---
I realise that other EU states also have a bad time of petrol prices but I didn't realise Denmark had got that bad!
Always makes me laugh when I hear Americans whinge on about expensive gas - simple solution get rid of the 6 litre V8 4x4 SUV and buy a 50cc motorbike ;) - or even better a pushbike ... that'll get you fit too!
Darwin:
I remember Americans whinging when gas hit 50 cents a litre... Of course, Canadians were whinging about gas being 80 cents Cdn. a litre at the time. It was at $1.16 where I am the last time I gassed up. Thank goodness I don't need to run high octane anymore!
JeffK:
A very intersting discussion.
When I first started using personal computers > 20 years ago, it was accepted practice among my peers to use pirated software, we shared several shoeboxes full.
Say 8-10 years ago I probably had half a dozen cracked pieces of software on my machine.
Now I can't bring to mind any.
I ask myself what changed. One thing is I can afford it. In the last year I have paid for several pieces of software, some of which I now admit I didn't really need.
The next thing is - I feel guilty about not paying. I recently saw that I had a copy of Real Draw Pro on my computer. Knowing that I had not put it there I asked my daughter, who has recently left home, whether she had. She said she got it from a friend "a fair while ago". It must have been cracked. Rather than simply delete it, my guilty conscience took over and I bought a licence.
Having said that I can't remember buying anything over $US100 and for that I have some really neat software including Novamind and ConceptDraw mindmapping, Ultrarecall, Directory Opus and Xara Xtreme. (Sorry I forgot MS Office Professional 2007 which I got as a $27 upgrade after buying MS Office Professional 2003 for $AU228 which is the lowest legitimate price I have ever seen it.)
As for Photoshop I guess I don't need it. And I admit that I wouldn't pay the asking price for it. I also as a matter of principle don't buy magazines with trial versions of it and tutorials for it because I know I won't be buying the full product.
So I think software is an expensive personal interest and am very appreciative of all the sources of cheap/free software.
Jeff
zridling:
[Carol]: Always makes me laugh when I hear Americans whinge on about expensive gas - simple solution get rid of the 6 litre V8 4x4 SUV and buy a 50cc motorbike - or even better a pushbike ... that'll get you fit too!
________________________________________________
— Most Americans don't live in big cities, and most of us commute long distances/times to work.
— After WWII, we built all our cities, nay suburbs, for driving "to," not for living "in." (Yes, yes, it's true idiocracy. You should live here!)
— Driving small vehicles and bikes on interstates is illegal.
— Lots of people ditched those 4-wheel drive SUVs (seems I see only the handicapped hopping in and out of them anymore).
— Most self-employed people here buy trucks in order to run their small business.
— Riding a bike 25 miles to work in the mornings on inner-belt freeways is not an option.
— Unlike civilized countries, we never invested in public transportation beyond New York City. And trains, what are those?
— Median US income is around $40k, but the USD is weak, we're taxed to death, and working people receive no benefit whatsoever for their taxes.
— Our jobs suck and pay minimum wage. Meanwhile, we compete daily with illegal aliens from Mexico, whom companies like Wal-Mart hire in droves.
— Finally, our cars suck. While the rest of the world drives Minis and BMWs, those vehicles are prohibitively priced (as is their insurance) here.
Due to the wife's career, I work in Missouri, but actually live in Chicago, a 7.5-hour drive. No train service. I'll go back and forth four times in the next 11 days. Otherwise, I'm the greeter at Wal-Mart. Every dollar counts, because once it's in my pocket, money finds a hole. So I wish it were as simple as you say! ;-)
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