🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <objEa9K00VpfA2K7NH@andrew.cmu.edu> hp0p+@andrew.cmu.edu (Hokkun Pang) writes:
>why do people pirate softwares? would the condition improves if the software
>houses make them available at low low prices for non-commercial home users?

I think this would help a lot... there are basically two types of pirates.

Type 1 is the "packrat" who will collect any copy of any program he can get his
hands on, but who never uses any of them except to boot it once and see what it
does.  Then the disk goes in the huge disk box and never sees the light of day
again.  I suspect the vast majority of pirating is of this type, and it's a
mistake to include these in the pirated/bought ratio for the simple fact that
this is not a sale that was lost.  The pirate would not have bought the program
regardless.  In this case, lowering the price won't matter.  The packrat isn't
going to buy any software even if it's only $10, because it's not worth that
much to him.  He's just collecting to collect.  He only costs the software
companies money when he starts to act as a clearinghouse for the Type 2...

Type 2 is the bane of software houses.  He doesn't pirate often, but when he
does it results in a lost sale.  "Gee, I really need Quattro Pro 2.0.  Got a
copy?"  This is bad for the company because this person really needs the
package and will use it, and if he can't get a copy from someone will probably
actually buy it (or more likely post on USENET "Does anyone have a PD program
that acts just like QP 2.0?").  In this case I think lower prices would help,
as after one experience with trying to use a complicated program with no user
manual the pirate will probably think twice about doing it again if the program
is available at a reasonable price.