ChristianSource! Free Software!
I think I'm starting to notice a pattern here.
You mean some people actually buy software??
according to the chapter on piracy in "China, Inc" by ted fishman, 90% of the systems in china contain pirated software. You can buy a complete system off the street with Office, XP, and the adobe creative suite already installed. Often more stable than the OEM in box software, at least with windows, as most of those street vendors will also get all the windows patches and such before selling it.
That's why I dumped all MS OSs and proprietary software. I can do _everything_ I need to do with entirely free software running under Linux.
I'd like someone to clarify something. It is my understanding that these statistics on "losses" are generated by guesstimating how many pirated versions are on computer systems, multiplying the wholesale value of said pirated software with these guesstimated numbers which generates a number that is supposed to generate a "Holy $%!+" response from people. After all, four billion is an enormous number. Are we supposed to believe that the Chinese, Ukrainians, Vietnamese et. al would actually lay down cash money for software? Are they generating a "loss" from money that doesn't even exist? I hate these "woe is us" articles from the likes of the BSA. "Neotheft" (I just coined that phrase... nifty!), or theft of consumer replicable items (such as CDs, DVDs, computer software) can't be pegged down like one could peg the actual loss of revenue from physical, non-replicable items like cars, televisions and museum art. What I am saying is that these stats are absolutely BOGUS because they are using the traditional theft/loss equation on an item that cannot be accurately plugged in to that model. APf
A lie. That assumes that every copied piece of software replaced what otherwise would have been a paid-for, licensed version, which is just crap. Ninety percent of these people would have just switched to Linux software or something if the Software Cops suddenly came after them.
Meanwhile RIAA reported 2 billion dollars in lost pirated music based on songs being recorded off the radio.
Same thing basically.
Having said that, BSA is to software piracy what CAIR is to islam.
Here in Thailand it is difficult to find the real licensed product even if you are inclined to buy it. It is not because it is not available but because no one is going to spend that much money to buy it. The average wage here is very low and purchasing a $100 piece of software, or even $50, is simply out of the question. It is a matter of economics. Food comes before video games. If someone can buy a pirate CD for about $4 with all the software they want, that is what they are going to buy. The only way a licensed version is going to be bought is if the price is low enough and there are enough bonuses to make it worth it. Arguing what is right and wrong has no meaning.