🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1992Aug6.211756.7369@digifix!uunet.ca> sanguish@digifix!uunet.ca writes:
>:
>: Records are priced like books, and suffer only a modest amount of
>: pirating.  Videos are priced a little less fairly, so it's more of
>: a problem in that market, but still not a big one.
>:
>	I think it is you that has a blind spot.  Records and CDs are
>	widely pirated.  Video even more so.  Video is available in
>	a pre-recorded form that is priced fairly from the day of
>	original release.  Its called VideoDisc.  The reason that it
>	is priced fairly from day one, is because there is almost
>	no rental market for it.  That means there is less loss to
>	pirates.

    Actually, bringing up CD's is a good example.  They cost about a dollar
    to make and yet are sold for $15 or more, that's 15x margin!

>: Software typically costs $50 to $2,500 (or more).  This 10 to
>: 50-fold excess over other publications' pricing is much more
>: responsible for piracy than ease of copying is.  The typical
>
>	How much support does the average book require?
>	How often is the average book updated?
>	How often is there some sort of incompatibility when you are reading
>	two or more books?

    How often has a major software update NOT cost you extra money? We pay
    HUNDREDS of dollars for updates and tech support for various products
    we use (i.e. CAD stuff for PC's mainly).

    You don't have to offer phone support for software and, frankly, if
    that's the majority of the 'cost' in buying the software I wouldn't
    mind the option.  P.S. phone support != bug reports.  email support is
    EASY and costs almost NOTHING.

    Compatibility is not an end-user issue but falls into the category of
    the programmer's time.  In fact, you didn't bring up the MAJOR cost
    item, that being the recouping of the development and marketing costs
    over a reasonable period of time (after which you make your profit).

    I'll be happy to shoot down any other nonsensensical reasons you can
    come up with...

>: >Users are responsible for piracy
>:
>: Software producers, with their obviously excessive pricing, are the
>: culprits.  The users are just leveling the playing field to get a
>: fair break.
>
>	What you are talking about is theft.  Plain and simple.  If you
>	want to "even the playing field" don't buy their software.

    No, it isn't plain and simple.  Remember, the argument is over WHY
    *MANY* people pirate software.  It's obvious that it is theft and just
    as obvious that labeling it doesn't change the fact that people are
    doing it.  The argument is over WHY people are doing it, not that they
    are doing it (if you follow me...)

>: Unfortunately, the price cuts in RightBrain's August sale may not
>: be quite big enough to cause the 10-fold or more increase in unit
>: sales that can reasonably be expected from fair pricing.  I
>: congratulate Glenn on taking the first step, but I wish it were big
>: enough to make him and others see the huge contribution they could
>
>	This all leads towards that screwed up FSF/Stallman thinking that
>	all software should belong to all mankind.
>
>	If that was the case, I guess Happy-Man.com would not be
>	in business today as a Next Developer.
>
>	How about we all offer "Happy-Man" $10 for his software and
>	his source code?  After all, if he feels so strongly about
>	this point, maybe he will put his money where his mouth is.
>
>	And at the same time, why doesn't someone give the Software
>	Publishers Association a quick ring, I'm sure they would
>	be interested in learning more about this method of "leveling
>	the playing field".

    Well, you are certainly getting a bit emotional over this.	I would
    like to point out, BLUNTLY, that *THREATENING* people over the net as
    you appear to be doing hits the bottom of the well morally speaking.

    This whole argument reminds me of a story I once read in which the two
    main characters were (A) fanatics and (B) on totally opposite sides.
    The entire story consisted of an argument between the two.	In the end,
    reality overtook both of them (the island they were on sank into the
    ocean). Too bad I can't remember it's name...

					-Matt

>--
>- Scott Anguish -
>sanguish@digifix.com (NextMail)
>

--

    Matthew Dillon	    dillon@Overload.Berkeley.CA.US
    891 Regal Rd.	    uunet.uu.net!overload!dillon
    Berkeley, Ca. 94708     ham: KC6LVW (no mail drop)
    USA