@Paw said:
It seems now that you can get hold of anything even amazingly enough vsl!! i have seen files available on a certain file sharing platform which will remain unnamed.The files are in 3gig segments with performance tools and crack serial codes.This must be a real thorn in in your side guys,Being software developers.
Is there really a point to this post? "Man, I'm sorry you guys are losing money. Tough."
Especially since they can't really do anything about it. The most they can do, I suppose, is to nab anyone who is actually stupid enough to use the software to openly publish and/or record music. Which brings me to an interesting point.
I actually believe (and I know I am probably going to get flamed for this) that in some instances, software piracy is good for software developers. At least, they reap a sort of benefit from it, in a pragmatica sense. That is not to say that stealing, no matter what the effect, (and piracy is theft) is good.
But let me explain. If someone wants to look at a piece of software but can't afford it (this is all too common), he may be tempted to resort to piracy. He is technically capable of downloading this software (let's call it Program A). It may take him several months to become proficient in it. What he cannot do usually (at least with many professional software) is use that software for commercial means without seriously putting himself at legal risk. So what will he do?
As soon as he is proficient enough to make money with Program A, he will buy a legal copy.This is the result: The developer sells a complete version of Program A and obtains a new loyal,
proficient, customer. The new customer (former pirate) receives the benefit of learning the software free of charge and can therefore receive immediate financial benefit from his legal copy. If he never becomes proficient in it, he will not buy it, in which case he has avoided spending thousands of dollars on a software that he will never use. It is true that the developer loses that sale, but I think that loss is offset by the sales made to customers who would
never have bought the software but
did after learning what a joy it is to use it.
Of course, this does not justify piracy, and it does not work this way in many cases. Most notably for games, professional applications where it is impossible to tell what software was used, and professional applications that people install on more machines than the license allows.
I believe the best way to combat this sort of piracy is for the developer to release non-commercially usable versions at a reduced or (as Softimage 3D has done) zero cost. Then it will not be worth it for a consumer to go through the inconvenience and risk of viruses to download illegal copies. That is what I would do if I were a developer. As far as the multiple machine thing, I say a USB dongle is the way to go. I hate activation codes because I don't always get to use the same machine. It would be nice to be able to take my dongle and move over to another computer, all the while staying within the liscence agreement.
Anyway, any comments would be welcome, but please don't flame me.
~Chris