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From: clarson@ux.acs.umn.edu (Chaz Larson)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.misc
Subject: Re: Why do people pirate software?
Message-ID: <1962@ux.acs.umn.edu>
Date: 6 Aug 90 18:53:55 GMT
References: <7120@helios.TAMU.EDU> <1990Aug3.212613.5026@phri.nyu.edu> <1990Aug6.152153.3013@math.lsa.umich.edu>
Reply-To: clarson@ux.acs.umn.edu (Chaz Larson)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Iron City, USA
Lines: 29

(Steve Hideg (Mr. Fabulous)) writes:
>Because they can.

I'd like to relate a recent episode, which illustrated to me just how much of
a problem piracy is in the Real World [tm]. Personally, I must admit to going
along with Brent's program...if I'm interested in a program, I'll find a copy
and try it out.  If I find it useful, I'll buy a copy. There are at least ten
software packages on my shelf that I would never have purchased had I not had
the opportunity to try them out first, so I don't feel too bad about this.

Anyway, the anecdote.  I recently visited the office of an acquaintance; he's
quite successful in his field. In his office, he has a brand new Mac IIci w/8
megs of RAM and 160 & 40 meg hard disks, a SuperMac 19" color display, an H/P
ScanJet, and a LaserWriter IINTX, along with some sundry other stuff. I could
see somewhere in the neighborhood of $18,000 worth of hardware sitting on the
guy's desk.  However, when I looked over at his bookshelf, there was only one
original manual; that for SUM II.  All the other manuals, including the prog-
rams on which he'd built his business [Quark Xpress, Adobe Illustrator], were
photocopies.  He didn't own legitimate copies of any of it.

I don't think price has much to do with it at all.

<chaz>

-- 
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clarson@ux.acs.umn.edu                                 AOL:Crowbone