🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1992Aug7.033947.4677@unmvax.cs.unm.edu> ctm@ardi.com (Clifford  
T. Matthews) writes:

> The first is that it can be done surreptitiously; the original purchaser  
of
> the software probably won't even know that it's gone.  The second is  
that
> some people are going to consider it more ethical to copy software  
without
> authorization than it is to steal physical property.

I would suggest a few other reasons (if not excuses).  (This
is very wordy.  Pay attention - there will be a pop-quiz at
the end.)

One is that you "need" a "base level" of software to have a
usable machine.  Some kind of word processor/editor with
some formatting capabilities. Some kind of drawing
program.  If you want to develop, a compiler.  Some other
things, like disk utilities, etc.  These, of couse, are
inapplicable on NeXT - you get this stuff free. For other
platforms, if you have net or even bbs access, you can get
stuff for free for these needs, but many people don't have
access.  Also, people may need (want) a package very
infrequently and simply can't justify buying the
package for those occurences.  Or people may want a
package for no other reason than to show it off to other
people.  (Probably a fairly popular reason in the NeXT
community while the believers struggle to convert the
unwashed masses.)  Demo programs alleviate this to a
great deal, but demos are very often unavailable or
simply very hard to locate.

Another reason is that software really is very
expensive.  If you only needed a word processor, or only a
graphics program, you can probably justify the cost.  But
if you need a word processor at $200, a graphics program at
$400, three fonts at $150 each, a compiler at $200...it
adds up very quickly.  People start feeling justified. 
This is something which may well be aided by modular
software...application frames with minimum
functionality can be sold for very low price, and
individual modules can be sold for reasonable prices. 
Can't afford that fancy module?  Ok, get this less
functional equivalent for less money.

The last reason I have to suggest is a lack of respect for
available applications.  This is one I felt keenly when I
lived in the DOS world.  I seriously feel that the
significant majority of DOS software ranges in quality
from total trash to very poor.  Much of this is due to
environment limitations, much also due to management
pressures on programmers to provide products within
unrealistic time frames.  Compromises are made, product
quality suffers, maintenance goes way up due to the
compromises, added functionality has to be shoehorned
into a structure that may (or may not) have been designed
for expansion but no longer is easily capable of
expansion due to the compromises, taking significantly
more time and effort than should be required.  (This is why
freeware and shareware are often of much better quality
than traditional commercial software...it's a labor of
love as opposed to a labor (purely) for money.  Please note
that I'm not opposed to people making money on software,
but I do want developers to provide a reasonably
implemented product.  I may not know how well it's
implemented at first, but over time it'll show.)  Another
reason for poor software which cannot be ignored is poor
programmers.  (I'm a programmer, and I see some of these
things.  Whether or not I'm a decent programmer depends on
who you ask...me or other people.  :)

I personally normally don't steal NeXT software.  (Yes, I
know I said "normally"... read on for what I did steal.)  I
do have two (infrequently used) shareware packages that
I haven't registered, one because it's ludicrously
priced and the other because it's an extremely poor
implementation.  I also have several shareware fonts I
haven't registed.  I am registering them over a period of
time...one of my checks was returned due to the font
creator having moved and there being no forwarding
address.  I don't know that I'll ever be ABLE to register
it.  (It's Flintstone, if anyone knows how to get in touch
with the creator, Peter S. Bryant.)  And I did get a friend
in school to buy me a package at educational prices
because I didn't need the package but the educational
price was irresistable.  Beyond that, the machine is very
usable as is, and the third-party software tends to be
very good...I've got too much respect for it to steal it. 
Of course, that means that there's much software that I'd
love to have that I don't... I'll have to do without or with
less until I CAN afford the stuff I want.

I apologize for rambling on so long, but I don't hear some
of these reasons mentioned normally, and I really feel
that until there are applications for all levels of needs
and pocketbooks but which can still exchange documents
as appropriate, that software piracy will continue to
rage unabated.  (Special thanks to ARDI for an extremely
well-priced package that I will be purchasing shortly
after NeXTSTEP 3.0 comes out; also to RightBrain for the
August special... I'd had my eye on the rulers for a while
now, but couldn't justify the cost, so I snapped it up as
soon as I saw the special.) 

---
andrew_abernathy@wire.gwinnett.com (NeXTmail gleefully accepted)
I'll deny I ever said it
-- 
andrew_abernathy@wire.gwinnett.com (NeXTmail gleefully accepted)