British Pirates

[TayRivers 4]

I always buy a legit copy of all the software I need. I then istall it on all 5 of the computers I run at home and on my laptop and the wifes laptop...

[DeadPoolX 9]

I like NO-CD cracks. I legally purchase the game, but with a NO-CD crack, I don't need to keep the disc in one of my DVD drives to play.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

As for GIMP, I don't know if I'd agree that it can do "pretty much everything you'd want with Photoshop." If that was the case, professionals wouldn't bother purchasing Photoshop -- everyone likes a deal and who'd want to pay tons of money when they could use a legally free product?

That's why I said the only reason to buy it is if you are a professional photographer or graphic artist. I'll bet that most regular consumers don't use even 1 / 10th of the features of the Elements version of Photoshop, let alone the full deal.

Basically for years software developers have been putting together these massive programs full of every conceivable feature that any conceivable user could possibly need, regardless of the usage habits of different types of consumers. If you went to try to buy a car - you probably wouldn't buy a Ferrari (even if you did want one), but with commercial software the Ferrari is the only thing you can buy. Bloatware is what it is.

For that matter - you don't even need to install software on your machine these as a lot of things are available through Cloud computing (Google Office, for example).

Edited May 12, 2009 by Private Pike

[The_Dude 1,142]

What pisses me off is when some people believe it's their right to pirate something if that product is too expensive for them. No one has the "right" to any piece of software. Time, effort and money went into creating that product and if it's closed-source, that means you either pay up or don't own it. There are plenty of open-source products available today (some of which are quite good) and therefore, there's no excuse for piracy.

Take Photoshop for instance. That program is damn expensive. I have versions 5.5, 6.0, 7.0 and CS2. I believe CS4 is out now, but it's a little too pricey for my tastes right now. Do I pirate it? No. I do one of three things: wait for the price to go down, get enough money together to purchase right now or I go without it. No one is going to die if they don't own Photoshop. If your profession demands it, then it's a worthwhile expense; if you're looking for a hobby, I'd strongly suggest GIMP, GIMPshop or even PaintShop Pro (the latter of which is around $100 USD).

I know some people with self-entitlement issues will disagree with me. But owning a movie or a piece of software is not a right. It's not something that will prove detrimental to your existence if you lack it.

The one area in which I almost agree with software pirates is when it comes to the issue of DRM (digital rights management). If I legally download an MP3 or purchase software, I shouldn't be restricted in how and where I use it. Mass Effect, a highly popular computer game from BioWare and EA, only allows for THREE activations. So if your computer crashes or you need to wipe the hard drive or even if you replace an important piece of hardware, the game will require re-activation. Once all of you're activations are used up, you'll need to call EA and convince them to give you another activation or use your game as a handy doorstop or paperweight.

In those cases, I can see why piracy occurs. It's one thing to illegally obtain the game, but it's another to seek a way around limited use of the game you legally bought.

I don't see it as a sense of entitlement. Regardless of what the industry does to curtail it, the hackers are two steps ahead of them.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I expect the problem wouldn't be so prolific if the software weren't so damned expensive.

$150 - $300 for an MS Office Suite?

That's just ridiculous!

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Media terrorists!

[The_Dude 1,142]

I expect the problem wouldn't be so prolific if the software weren't so damned expensive.

$150 - $300 for an MS Office Suite?

That's just ridiculous!

I used to just go to a university (UCLA in my case) and go purchase a copy there. It is usually 50% less, and they generally dont' even ask if you're a student. Now I don't even bother

[DeadPoolX 9]

I expect the problem wouldn't be so prolific if the software weren't so damned expensive.

$150 - $300 for an MS Office Suite?

That's just ridiculous!

While I agree that software shouldn't be prohibitively expensive, those who develop it do need to make a profit. The overall demand allows them to charge those amounts as well.

That said, I still use MS Office 2000. I know it and I like it, plus there's no DRM. You can install it as many times as you wish and on any computer.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I expect the problem wouldn't be so prolific if the software weren't so damned expensive.

$150 - $300 for an MS Office Suite?

That's just ridiculous!

While I agree that software shouldn't be prohibitively expensive, those who develop it do need to make a profit. The overall demand allows them to charge those amounts as well.

That said, I still use MS Office 2000. I know it and I like it, plus there's no DRM. You can install it as many times as you wish and on any computer.

You can - but from Microsoft's POV you aren't supposed to. Technically.

They want you to buy a multi-user license or 3 product CDs.

[DeadPoolX 9]

I expect the problem wouldn't be so prolific if the software weren't so damned expensive.

$150 - $300 for an MS Office Suite?

That's just ridiculous!

While I agree that software shouldn't be prohibitively expensive, those who develop it do need to make a profit. The overall demand allows them to charge those amounts as well.

That said, I still use MS Office 2000. I know it and I like it, plus there's no DRM. You can install it as many times as you wish and on any computer.

You can - but from Microsoft's POV you aren't supposed to. Technically.

They want you to buy a multi-user license or 3 product CDs.

Yeah, I know. But I feel less guilty about it since Microsoft no longer sells Office 2000. Sure, that's not a good excuse (legally speaking), but it makes me feel better.

A great system was with a game called Starsiege. It was made by Dynamix (a sub-company of Sierra On-Line) it had two CDs. CD 1 was the main disc and housed both the single-player and multiplayer components. CD 2 was strictly multiplayer only and called a "buddy disc." It allowed a friend to play online, but lacked the single-player storyline. That way if someone really wanted to play the storyline, they'd have to purchase the game itself, but if you just wanted to play online with a friend, it was doable and completely legal.

[The_Dude 1,142]

Most games have essentially given up on fighting piracy. Every single online game has an equivalent private server. Some games fight it with better features and better gameplay. Most end up failing though and the private servers are the ones who win. Why? Because they are the only ones who actually listen to what the gamers want. Microsoft would do well to listen.

[Ban Hammer 15,095]

yarrr, old chap!

[spookyturtle 9,466]

I always wanted a Ferrari or Lamborghini; do you think I should pirate one or will I end up in prison? Thanks.

[The_Dude 1,142]

I always wanted a Ferrari or Lamborghini; do you think I should pirate one or will I end up in prison? Thanks.

LoL, just go get some fiberglass and a corvette engine and get to work

[spookyturtle 9,466]

I always wanted a Ferrari or Lamborghini; do you think I should pirate one or will I end up in prison? Thanks.

LoL, just go get some fiberglass and a corvette engine and get to work

I mean it should be ok for me to steal one since they are too expensive and I don't want to pay for a car. Hell, I can use the same logic for a house too. I have to go find my mask and gloves, I'll report back later.