How do you feel about Windows piracy?

[Jonathan Hutchins]

On Sunday 30 September 2007 04:25:44 pm feba thatl wrote:

> I'm curious as to what some of you think of Windows piracy. 

I haven't run windows for about four or five years now, and was just saying 
that I've completely lost track of what software is available for it, whether 
commercial, shareware, or free.

I used to run a BBS, and I didn't distribute warez, though I did distribute 
cracking tools.

I have never bought the whole SPA  (or MPAA or RIAA) "Piracy" theory that a 
shared program constitutes a lost sale.  99% of the people who I know who 
have pirated a program (movie, song) would NEVER have bought the program.  I 
never did like the roll-of-the-dice quality of commercial software either.

My rule regarding pirated commercial software has been that if you want to use 
it privately, it's up to you.  If it's something you rely on regularly, like 
your base operating system, you should probably pay for it.  (This is 
especially true since Linux is a reasonable alternative.) If it's something 
you use once in a while or are just trying out, you're smart to try before 
you buy.

On the other hand, if you're using it in a commercial setting or to make 
money, you should pay for software just as readily as you expect to be paid 
for whatever you do.  I have ZERO tolerance for companies that pirate 
commercial software - with the exception of the need for small support 
companies to do testing and evaluation without having to pay the full price 
for an MSDN subscription.  There I figure the gained sales justify a casual 
attitude about licenses - provided that all sales are legitimate.  Selling 
illegal copies is also a zero-tolerance matter, that's about the worst 
offense I can think of.  

(That's the only thing that ever should have been called or prosecuted as 
piracy.  Calling file sharing piracy has given piracy a good name.)