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Do you use cracked software? If so do you do so because of the cost of the s/w or simply becasue it is free?
Do your ethics not preclude you from doing so, or is this the only way you feel you can get back at the
greed of Corporate America? One would think that if s/w costs were reasonable then all the warez/cracks
sites would not exist. Anyone have thoughts on this.
Great question, don
This issue has plagued me for a long time. At one time, I would use lots of cracked software. Software like 3D Studio Max and Adobe Photoshop were easy to get and usually incredibly expensive to buy. Originally I used the software and justified it by the argument about "getting back at Corporate America." I soon learned that I really wasn't getting back at Corporate America, I was just taking advantage of a good situation and using it for all it was worth. Unfortunately, there's no way to justify stealing. I still use pirated software on occasion, though. With all the software titles out there, it's very difficult to get a good idea what a program really does without trying it out first. That's how I use pirated software. If I really like the program, I'll throw down the money for it. If the program is out of my reach financially, I try to find some open-source equivalent. I'm a big fan of The Gimp, now. To be honest, I have very little use for pirated software beyond that. While I still have some disks with pirated software, I haven't actively sought pirated software for several years. I mean, really. What the hell am I going to do with Maya that I couldn't do with MilkShape?
(I'm glad you didn't ask about mp3's, though. :bigsmile: No comment.)
I'm on the same page as roswell1329:
Before I discovered linux, yes, I did use some* software that I didn't purchase.
But since I've found linux, I have no need to use pirated software.
At home, I use linux for everything that I can.
I use m$ at work, and I can get the company to pay for whatever software that I want. (within reason)
Most of the software that I do buy is games. I won't use cracked/priated games, cause then it is a lot harder to play online and you don't get all the stuff that you would if you got it boxed.
But, when I did use pirated software, I just thought of it as trial. I couldn't see going out and spending 100s of dollars on software that I was only going to use for a semester and then just let it sit and collect dust. It was either, download the evaluation editions and uninstall it, clean the registry and then reinstall it every thirty days, or install the cracked version and use it for a couple of months, then uninstall it forever.
Like I said, linux has solved all that for me. So, nah, the only thing I upload now to p2p networks are a couple of my firends bands who have given me permission to put them on there. I've been surpirsed at how many people actually DL thier music without knowing who they are anyway!
Yes..that is a good question, Don.
I buy all my programming software because I want the best and I want it to work and I want everything that comes with it.
Things that are not as important, like photoshop -- I'm guilty!
Like roswell said....mp3's???? **mathgirl puts hands in pockets...looks up...whistling**
Hmmm...just a thought, though -- how is buying a book, reading it, then giving it to a friend to read any different? Is it?
I don't think that it is any different. I mean, you go to the library and take out books there, don't you? Same thing.Quote:
Hmmm...just a thought, though -- how is buying a book, reading it, then giving it to a friend to read any different? Is it?
If I'm not using something and someone else could have more use out of it than me... so be it. I don't care what it is. Software, hardware, books, music, dvds... whatever.
Mathgirl: BTW: I like your new avatar. Pretty cool.
Oh...yes, the library -- didn't even think of that!!
About the avatar...thanks! Fractals are pretty cool!!
I have a lot of s/w that is errrr free. I do beleive as well that if Corporate America/Canada
charged a "reasonable" price it would not suffer from warez/cracks sites. As well once you
have bought a piece of s/w it should be yours to do what you want with ie: copy and distribute. The same with the cable in your house and so on and so on.
Technology has finally empowered the masses at large and corporations are not amused! Ahh
how the worm has turned. :-)
I agree, don, I don't see a lot of software companies going broke.....not that that makes it "right" -- I just don't think "sharing" is hurting them. I also think the logic behind their reasoning on copying, etc., is faulty. It's hard to agree with something that just does not make sense.**
**Disclaimer: I know nothing about corporate law, copyrights, etc...so it's possible I'm missing something. :)
I admit it, ok. I used to use pirated software. Yes, I do still have the CD-R disks with the adobe and macromedia programs! It's all true! I surrender!
But, I don't anymore. I suck at both adobe graphic programs and macromedia design programs so I might as well not use them ;). Mp3s are different! They're peer to peer on kazaa, so blame it on your peer ;) just/kidding, like said, nothing justifies stealing.
Regards,
Silentstalker
PS
Roswell, I know The Gimp. That's a good graphics program, and it's easier than adobe in my opinion. :cool:
Guys,
What when your friends full their houses with pirated software?
Bye.
When you let your friend borrow the book you bought, You can not re-read it at the same time. When you give your friend a copy of a computer game, you can both play it at the same time, also your friend can also give the game to other friends. Just a small difference I noticed
My answer to your question: http://www.antionline.com/showthread...hreadid=237349
As for the specific question regarding cracks/keygens/patches, I have to say they are ideal carriers of virii and trojans and do not like risking it. However, I do have to say that a large majority of groups do not include virii or trojans in releases, but as they are distributed around tend to get "tainted" so to speak especially around P2P networks.
Also, companies put copy protection on apps for a reason. They want you to pay for it :)
albn
Okay, class9, I think I see where you're headed -- but how is "the same time" significant?
What crystallizes things in my mind is the recent wave of corporate flameouts ie: Enron,.....
This crap has been going on for years in a nudge, nudge, wink, wink enviroment. As mentioned
before technology finally empowers the little guy so what happens? Well we now have RIAA,
and the likes. Gotta love the almighty dollar shaping policy!
Not only that but they corporate giants are terrible corporate citizens as well. With great wealth comes great responsibility. Very little has been shown. So lets stick it to the guy who
is d/l'ng movies in the binaries groups! Hell I don't even go to the movies anymore! The cost
of a ticket here is $12Cdn for one ticket! Anyways enough ranting.
hi'
I may be new online here but, I would like to say that I don't feel it's wrong if it's from 1 of those money driven corprate giants like the music companies
but if it's from a well intended not so profit based company I think you shoulden't.
when i first started out in computing i bought nothing. every thing on my computer including the OS was pirated. If i didn't do that i could not learn it, i didn't have that kind of money. If only people with the money have the opportunity to learn to use these programs poor kids wouldn't stand a chance and they don't give anybody a break except for students and that also takes money. So i learned everything i could then asked aunt sallie mae to send me to school
Now that i've worked in computers for a few years i convince my boss that we really need this or that and the company buys it. so today i own nothing on my computer including the OS.
Wow!! What a coincidence! I, too, had an Aunt Sallie Mae. Would you believe she sent me to school as well?? :)
What about paying $5 to a friend so that they will get you a pirated program? Is that any worse than getting the pirated version yourself? Personally, I don't think so. You're not paying the friend for the software, you're paying them for the *small* amount of work involved in getting it for you. However, that doesn't mean that getting a pirated version is right in the first place...
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
Wow!! What a coincidence! I, too, had an Aunt Sallie Mae. Would you believe she sent me to school as well??
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
shes a fine woman heart of gold
Probably the first few years or so everything that was on my computer was pirated straight up to the OS. Now for the past few years I have gotten all my software courtesy of my company I work for...straight up to the OS.
Everyone has their own reason to use pirated software, from taking a shot a corporate America to plan old can't afford it...even though I personally beleive that companies could afford to drop the prices quite a bit. Unfortunatly we are getting to a point where people that can't shell out 6 bills for software like office are getting left behind in the job market.
TO keep a long story short I think that if you can pay you can play and if you can't pay you too can also play!! Just be honest about it and don't be greedy...*ill *ates
well guys i don't know how you're gonna get that.i don't spend money on buying software.i know that this illegal but why spending money on something you can easily find for free?i mean,i would have felt an idiot if i would do that.i'm not calling anyone an idiot!but what's the point being the only one?everyone uses cracked software!i don't want to be in one man's army.do you?everyone has the freedom of choise.and that's my choise.when i come up something interesting while surfing,i simply get it cracked.