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From: hrs@homxb.UUCP (H.SILBIGER)
Newsgroups: net.micro.pc
Subject: Re: software protection - dongles & economics
Message-ID: <679@homxb.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 19-Jul-85 11:04:02 EDT
Article-I.D.: homxb.679
Posted: Fri Jul 19 11:04:02 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 20-Jul-85 11:06:36 EDT
References: <1677@ecsvax.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Holmdel NJ
Lines: 17


The notion that stopping software piracy would lead to lower
prices is absurd. The existence of piracy puts pressure on prices.
Low software prices reduce the incentive for piracy.

If copying were impossible, it would probbably lead to higher prices,
since buying would be the only way to obtain a specific program.

In software there is no economy of scale, since the actual production
costs are low. However, if the unit price is low, the development
costs can be spread over more units.

I do not condone piracy, it is after all stealing. I would probably
buy more different sowftware programs if prices were lower, since
my software budget is fixed.

Herman Silbiger ihnp4!homxb!hrs