Path: utzoo!censor!comspec!lethe!torsqnt!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!hellgate.utah.edu!csn!ncar!midway!gargoyle!chinet!chaz
From: chaz@chinet.chi.il.us (Charlie Kestner)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc
Subject: Re: Is it wrong?
Message-ID: <1991Feb15.022950.18662@chinet.chi.il.us>
Date: 15 Feb 91 02:29:50 GMT
References: <1991Feb13.205158.29145@ncsuvx.ncsu.edu>
Organization: Chinet - Chicago Public Access UNIX
Lines: 20

In article <1991Feb13.205158.29145@ncsuvx.ncsu.edu> eagle@hobbes.catt.ncsu.edu (Daniel L'Hommedieu) writes:
>Is it wrong to test out software before you buy it?  I'm not talking
>about pirating or illegally copying and continually using copyrighted
>software.  I'm referring to "borrowing" someone's copy of disks and docs
>to see if you like something.  Just another issue for me to get into...

  "Is it wrong...?"
  Morally?  Or legally?
  It's probably "wrong" on both counts, but that doesn't stop it
from not only being wide-spread, but also beneficial for the softwar
vendors.  
  Of course, it's ONLY beneficial if you try it, and then go BUY it.
  Not only is doing so (buying it) being fair to the vendor, but you
DO get the support and REAL manuals.  (Yeah, I know, sometimes the
"real" manuals suck, and you're better off with the aftermarket ones.)
  I imagine that the "tryware" concept is the modus operandi for many
computists.
  Just as I'm sure the software companies hate piracy, I'm also pretty
sure they appreciate the added sales from "tryware".  Too bad the ratio
of piracy/tryware is so out of kilter...