Miscellaneous > The Lounge

Piracy

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Calum:
i was astonished that anybody would pirate, let alone buy windows xp, and sorry, but it seemed to be americans that all rushed out and bought/copied it immediately it came out. I have only encountered one windows xp machine so far in real life.

also, if Microsoft don't want people copying their software, why is there even a version of windows that doesn't need registering? it's pointless.

They and other companies have their prices high to pay for all the lost revenue from pirating and at the same time the high prices make people copy a program that they will likely never use, justto get it for free. This is better than any kind of advertising for those software 'developers'.

pkd_lives:
After reading through here it seems to me some people have mistaken the law with ethics. My ethics tell me (because they are MY ethics - a personal choice) that I can copy music and software by big, rich people and companies. These people have money and will not fall short of dinner on the table by my actions. On the other hand there are people struggling to do something (usually something different and superior) and hungry, I have no problem buying their music/software/books/art/whatever. That is my ethics, the law is to not infringe copyright whatsoever.

The laws on piracy are just one of many wrong laws that exist. I have no problem with copyright protection. I have no right to copy an authors' work and sell it under my name, or publish without his consent. However I do not believe that his desendents have ANY right to the copyright of that work. The same with patents. Patent law is wrong in so many ways, not least of which NO company should have the right of ownership over trademarks, catchphrases, patents, copyright or any intellectual right whatsoever, only individuals have that right, and it should expire after a time (essentially when that person is dead).

Piracy is wrong and pointless. I'm sorry if this upsets you but NO game is so good you HAVE to have a copy. No application is so perfect so wonderful that you cannot find another to do the job, or get it written yourself. Hell even the OS you choose is not essential (Linus Torvalds decided to write his own). Piracy is by and large the action of over indulgent self interest and laziness.

As for whether one should copy M$ stuff. The answer is a no. I do not advocate the use of that OS, I do not accept that you have to use it, and I do not accept the arguments about having to learn something new. Tough shit. You should not be using a computer if you don't have basic skills in computing. And yes I mean that I expect everyone who uses a computer to have training to a certain level. I have never trained in Windows (or any other software product) and yet I can proficiently use wordprocessor, spreadsheets, databases, CAD/CAE, etc.,etc. And it takes me a short amount of time to learn new stuff, why? Because I make the effort. It's incredilbly lazy to use M$ when there are superior and cheaper (actually free, believe it or not) alternatives. In short there is no need to pirate M$ software, and so the question is not whether piracy is right, but whether it's even necessary. I don't need to pirate M$ software, and so I don't need to break disagreeable laws.

[ September 23, 2002: Message edited by: pkd ]

voidmain:
Good post pkd. I totally agree but I have also added the fact that piracy actually helps Microsoft rather than hurts them, which is against what myself and many others on this site stand for. So the reasons for not pirating M$ software are more than just legal and ethical reasons.

Calum:
void main and pkd, those are my feelings exactly.

lazygamer:

quote:
I still don't understand the thousands of people who HAVE pirated XP itself, i certainly wouldn't, not when i've been complaining about the rest of their products, whats the point in getting another one, yes its pirated but you still have to waste time installing the bastard peice of shit!
--- End quote ---


Of course you don't, only a late convert(we're working on that) of Tux(me) could ever understand. When you have no knowledge of Linux, particularly MS evil, your willing to upgrade to a better wind0ze to get a better OS. After all, W98 is generally better then W95, and XP is definitly better then W98, and with pirated versions, no need to worry about the activation BS.  XP really is nicer then W98, just make sure your using the pirated version. Oh yes, as for why you pirate it, well it's simple logic that MS is wayyyy too rich as it is, and goddamn that software is expensive. So now you have the info from someone who was there(special thanx to my brother for the pirated Windoze XP).  

 
quote:That's 100% correct! By pirating M$ software you're really playing their game. M$ would prefer if people were pirating their software rather than turning to open source. Do you really think that they don't know how many pirated copies of Windows are out there? How do you explain the fact that a copy of Windows XP Corporate Edition not requirin activation hit the warez sites and newsgroups days before the official release? Someone from M$ made sure it got out, following orders from his majesty Bill Gates. How can anyone also explain the fact that there are cracked versions of XP SP1 out there working with pirated copies of XP? Need I remind you that M$ claimed to have identified the pirated CD keys thus blocking access to the SP1?
--- End quote ---


Ok that's a good theory, but how do we know that MS simply is too in-competent. Do you think that game companies want us pirating their software? Do they have much to gain(unlike musicians) when I go and get a pirated version of their game? Why not just exercise all this extra power they(game companies) suposedly have avoided using and kill piracy? Oh yes, I forgot, they can't. Everyone does it, Canadian police don't give a shit about boo-hoo American corporations losing money from people getting free games off the net, they would only remotely care about those who actually resell the pirate games. It all comes down to the bigger fish to fry concept(in addition to clogging up the legal system and getting off with a hand slap). Im sure many Amercian police think that exact same way.

Now if this holds true for the game companies, why woulden't it hold true for MS? Although I can understand that MS WOULD have something to gain from piracy of their software.

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