Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!isis!scicom!rcw From: rcw@scicom.AlphaCDC.COM (Robert White) Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc Subject: Re: Is it wrong? Message-ID: <10798@scicom.AlphaCDC.COM> Date: 24 Feb 91 23:17:28 GMT References: Organization: The WhiteStar Corporation Lines: 30 In article hp0p+@andrew.cmu.edu (Hokkun Pang) writes: >why do people pirate softwares? In my travels, there are two types of people who pirate software. The first category genuinely are interested in the software and want to see whether or not they should get it. Usually, both the vendor and the individual benefit if the user decides it meets their needs. If it doesn't meet his or her needs, then they usually quit using it. (Note: from my point of view as a software developer, I disaprove of the practice, but it is reality. In all honesty, it is the most effective form of marketing that we have). The second category of people are 'collectors' who wouldn't buy an honest copy of the software from you if their lives depended on it. Still, if they like it, they tell their friends who may belong to group one described above. This underclass of users, unfortunately, is pretty invisible, so it is hard to gauge how big it is. All of the marketing in the world though would not sell a copy to these people, so I have to ask, who cares? would the condition improves if the software >houses make them available at low low prices for non-commercial home users? -- Robert C. White, Jr. Right lane of .signature closed, merge left The WhiteStar Corporation /\/\ rcw@scicom.alphacdc.com The Owls are not what they seem. / \