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From: band@ccivax.UUCP (Bill Anderson)
Newsgroups: net.games,net.micro.apple
Subject: Re: Software Piracy (loooong)
Message-ID: <237@ccivax.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 19-Mar-85 17:08:39 EST
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Posted: Tue Mar 19 17:08:39 1985
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	***  Two Comments on Software Piracy and a Response  ***
	     ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Date: 1 Feb 85 08:11:21 GMT

   Somebody tell me:  Is it that much more expensive to develop a program 
as it is to develop (write songs for) an album, hire musicians, cut the thing,
design album jackets, distribute it an what-not? Of course, you don't need
to offer software support for an album, but still.  Record albums and 
illegal cassette copies, books and copyright-violating xerox copies, even
movies and VCR copies coexist reasonably happily.  Whatinthehell is the
matter with software?

Russell Reid
=====================================================
Date: 17 Mar 85 08:33:25 GMT
 
> Of course, the muggers' use of high prices as a rationale for illegal
> copying is, at best, a red herring.
 
As a rationale, perhaps I can agree.  The only rationale I have ever found
necessary for piracy is the fact that you get free software.  That's a pretty
good rationale.  But the threat of piracy still doesn't justify the outrageous
pricing policies going on today on ALL kinds of software, be it entertainment
or applications.  If Borland International can sell "Turbo Pascal", which is
generally recognized as one of the best Pascal compilers on the market, for
$70, what does that make the company that charges almost as much for a simple
adventure game? 
 
Ernie Longmire / 311 Don St. SE / Los Lunas, NM  87031-9405
UUCP : {{purdue,cmcl2,ihnp4}!lanl,ucbvax}!unmvax!unm-cvax!cs2532aa
=====================================================
1985.3.19

	To answer Russell Reid, nothing is the matter with software.
The fact that "record albums and illegal cassette copies ... coexist
reasonably happily" does not change the fact that the copies are
illegal.  Copyright violation is stealing.  And stealing is not
acceptable!  Period.  The question is Why is software any different?

	To answer Ernie Longmire, the company that charges a high
price for an adventure game is called an entrepreneur.  No one is
forcing you to buy it, and if the company cannot make money,
it will go out of business.  "Stolen software is free" is not
a rationale for stealing, it is a rationalization for making
stealing a legitimate practice.  The question here is What makes
stealing all right?  The answer, as above, is nothing.

	The increase in stealing of microprocessor software
will probably lead to two unhappy results: more expensive software,
and more difficult procedures for backup and general personal use.
The end result is a more rigid environment all round.

	Bill Anderson

        ...!{ucbvax!allegra | decvax}!rochester!ccivax!band

 
-- 

	Bill Anderson

        ...!{ {ucbvax | decvax}!allegra!rlgvax }!ccivax!band