🚀 go-pugleaf

TimeKillr <time...@hotmail.com> wrote in article
<60moqe$ivd$1...@walton.videotron.net>...
> >Actually, it is pretty funny, but piracy is extremely expensive--in many
> >way more expensive than buying the actual software. If you consider that
> >the really hardcore WaReZ traders usually have dual-channel ISDN, a
CD-ROM
> >burner and 8 gigs of hard drive space, these costs add up. Even a
> >small-timer that just grabs stuff off hotline sites will spend more
money
> >on online time and disk space than they would have on games. Putting
> >WarCraft II on my hard drive takes up $60 worth of space in cost per
> >megabyte, VS. $40 for the game itself--and this gets even worse with
> >video-intensive games like Wing IV and C & C. I finally talked a friend
of
> >mine out of prating when he realized that he had bought 3 Jaz cartidges
> >(+$300) just to hold a half-dozen games that would have cost him $220 to
> >pay cash for.
> 
> Piracy isn't costy if you don't get all of that stuff... and especially
these 
> days, the amount of good games is pretty small... And quite frankly,
while I 
> DO grab some games from several piracy sources(a lot less than I used to
tho, 
> since I haven't upgraded my comp and not many games run on a dx2
nowadays), I 
> still buy what I consider good. I bought C&C after playing the warez
version. 
> And I bought RA after playing the warez version. Piracy distributes the
games, 
> gives you games without manuals that are most of the time really buggy,
but 
> lets you play the WHOLE versions... I think that you'll agree with me
that 
> usually demo versions only give you a small portion of the game(most of
the 
> time the only good part to fool you into buying it), while pirated
versions 
> give you the whole story. And the cost thing you say about Warcraft 2...
I 
> don't quite get it. The WC2 rip ONLY is what is installed from the CD
when you 
> buy the game(with a small patch to make you play past the first levels).
So 
> when you buy it, it costs you 40$ + the 60$ is costs you in HD space..
Unless 
> you are dumb enough to download movies... In that case it can be more
costy, 
> but usually warez groups these days are smart enough to only release what
is 
> playable and forget the rest. And let's not forget that piracy is
publicity 
> from companies.. I would not be surprised if companies would willingly
release 
> their games to warez groups for free publicity.. If they know the whole 
> product is better and lets people who play them want more, it's good for
them. 
> Don't you think?
> 

I think you're deluding yourself with a bunch of justifications.

The situation is pretty simple, it seems -- a piece of software is 
either worth what the author charges, or it's not.  If it isn't 
worth the price, then don't buy it.  If it is worth the price, 
then buy it if you wish to use it.

All the rest is excuses.  There are sound economic reasons why
using the process outlined above is good for the software industry
as a whole.  There are sound moral reasons why it is good for 
*you*.  

-- 
G. Thomas Rush, for himself                   SelfGovern at Juno.Com
"If the government had an anti-abortion program, men would be having 
abortions within four years." -- Harry Browne