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From: bob@sdcsvax.UUCP (Robert Hofkin)
Newsgroups: net.micro.apple
Subject: Re: An open letter to software pirates
Message-ID: <751@sdcsvax.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 21-Mar-85 17:08:56 EST
Article-I.D.: sdcsvax.751
Posted: Thu Mar 21 17:08:56 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 23-Mar-85 04:10:46 EST
References: <1180@decwrl.UUCP>
Organization: EECS Dept. U.C. San Diego
Lines: 15

Two tangential issues, explaining SOME piracy, but NOT justifying it:

(1) Many pirates are just packrats. They don't use the stuff half the
stuff they have , but keep it around "just in case."  Sure, they'd have
to buy programs they *DO* use, but as the cost goes up, the perceived
benefit must increase as well.

(2) A significant amount of software does not do the job as
advertised.  Maybe it's buggy, has size limitations, undecipherable, or
the ads lie.  I am much less inclined to buy *ANY* package over $50
unless I have strong reasons to believe it will work in my situation.
Few vendors will accept a return on the grounds that "it didn't do what
I wanted."  Perhaps some piracy starts as a test-drive.  It certainly
takes great moral strength to then pay for something you've gotten for
free.