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From: mpd@anomaly.sbs.com (Michael P. Deignan)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc
Subject: Re: Why do people pirate software?
Message-ID: <2643@anomaly.sbs.com>
Date: 20 Aug 90 12:43:49 GMT
References: <19089016:24:58KRW1@lehigh.bitnet>
Organization: Small Business Systems, Inc., Esmond, RI 02917
Lines: 48

KRW1@Lehigh writes:

>Why do people pirate software?  Ignorance or thievery.  Don't delude
>yourself by thinking it's anything else.

Sorry, its not as black and white as you claim.

Why do companies advertise software having fantastic features that either
1) don't work, or 2) don't really exist? Why do companies release bug-ridden
which costs the user hundreds of dollars, only to find out after the user
installed it that it doesn't work?

I digress to one of my own experiences from the past....

I purchased a product called dBx, which was a dBase clone. Advertised as a
$99 special, the outer packaging included a leaflet which claimed "full
dBase III compatibility". Welp, I bought it, installed it, and started
programming away. Guess what? File/Record locking didn't work. So, I called
the company, and asked "Why do you claim full dBase compatibility if in
fact you're not?" The reply: "If you read the last, three line paragraph
in Appendix B4 of the manual, you would see it clearly states that 
the network commands are not supported. We have a network version of dBx 
which I'll be happy to let you upgrade to for a reduced price of $395..."

The manual was over 400 pages long. I'm supposed to notice four lines in
AN APPENDIX? Besides - Why did the outer leafet profuse "Full Dbase
Compatibility" when it wasn't?"

Companies like that deserve to get screwed, since they're only out to
screw the consumer. This company was sleazier than a used-car salesman.

This is why I make it a point from now on to "test drive" any software I'm
going to purchase. If it means I have to borrow a friend's copy for a few
weeks, fine. Companies who release legitimate programs that do as they
claim should feel secure enough to offer a money-back guarentee, or at least
have no problems with someone "test driving" the software prior to purchase.

If this brands other people and myself who copy software for test drive
purposes "criminals", then fine. I'd rather be a criminal than a consumer
screwed out of several hundred dollars - or even more - by a sleazy
software company which lies to the consumer.

MD
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