pdinh@pro-nucleus.cts.com (Paul Dinh) (05/27/89)
I'm not supporting pirating but come on. A buyer decides to spend 45 bucks for a GS game (the average price). He/she expects it to be good, but lately, the software for the GS have not been up to par. I can see why people resort to pirating as an alternative..
SEWALL@UCONNVM.BITNET (Murph Sewall) (05/29/89)
>I'm not supporting pirating but come on. A buyer decides to spend 45 bucks for >a GS game (the average price). He/she expects it to be good, but lately, the >software for the GS have not been up to par. I can see why people resort to >pirating as an alternative.. I can see why people might resort to Nintendo (or even an Amiga), but the logic behind what you're saying is that the IIgs owner WANTS the game (just doesn't WANT to pay $45). Why is the IIgs owner a better judge of the games value than the producer? If it isn't worth $45, it'll cost less soon (buy those "on sale" games quickly as they'll disapper soon after). Prices (for lots of things) are too high because other people PAY that much. If you all would just stop buying all those worthless games, programmers would have to make them better or charge less :-) Murph Sewall Vaporware? ---> [Gary Larson returns 1/1/90] Prof. of Marketing Sewall@UConnVM.BITNET Business School sewall%uconnvm.bitnet@mitvma.mit.edu [INTERNET] U of Connecticut {psuvax1 or mcvax }!UCONNVM.BITNET!SEWALL [UUCP] (203) 486-5246 [FAX] (203) 486-2489 [PHONE] 41 49N 72 15W [ICBM] -+- I don't speak for my employer, though I frequently wish that I could (subject to change without notice; void where prohibited)
jasona@pro-europa.cts.com (Jason Asbahr) (05/30/89)
(Gee, aren't we lucky that we lack an "N"-for-immediate-next option?)
Hmm...Someone mentioned pirates selling software. *I've* never seen that
done. Most of the unauthorized copying activity that I am privy to involves
no money at all. None. - but - This has been entirely among non-business
types...
Most of the users with "pirated" copies are hobbyists. As someone else
mentioned, a business can't AFFORD to use pirated software. However, the
hobbyist generally writes his own programs and participates in free exchange
of them. It is almost second nature to treat commercial programs
likewise.
-=-
UUCP: {nosc, uunet!cacilj, sdcsvax, hplabs!hp-sdd, sun.com}
...!crash!pnet01!pro-nsfmat!pro-europa!jasona
ARPA: crash!pnet01!pro-nsfmat!pro-europa!jasona@nosc.mil
INET: jasona@pro-europa.cts.com - BITNET: pro-europa.uucp!jasona@psuvax1MSER001@ECNCDC.BITNET (05/30/89)
Somewhere, someone writes: >Hmm...Someone mentioned pirates selling software. *I've* never seen that >done. Most of the unauthorized copying activity that I am privy to involves >no money at all. None. - but - This has been entirely among non-business >types... Hmmmm. I use to be involved with a couple other people in an Apple Dealership, and saw some really "strange" things going on. I saw some Hardware sellers of various machines that actually gave a xeroxed manual, software with "written" labels, NO serial number, and figured no one would notice. Well, the Accountant was having problems with the software, called the software company, and of course would not get any help because they did not have the serial numbers. And he actually paid for the software. A call to the company that sold the system gave NO help. I told them to call the software company, and relay the information if they really wanted something done. I then left, and let them make the decision. (What would you do in this case?) I have also seen one computerland owner give pirated copies of software out to people, and actually SOLD the pirated copies. He figured they would never notice the difference. But having been a partner in an Apple dealership gave me some unique insights to what was sometimes going on out in the world of "Move them boxes" type attitude. But to my knowledge, we never did the same... Scott hutinger mser001@ecncdc.bitnet
rich@pro-exchange.cts.com (Rich Sims) (05/30/89)
Comment to message from: pnet01!crash!pro-europa.cts.com!jasona (Jason Asbahr) > Most of the users with "pirated" copies are hobbyists. As someone else > mentioned, a business can't AFFORD to use pirated software. A local bank has been purchasing copies of Word Perfect for $25.00 from a local vendor. (I think that was the price!) If necessary, the vendor would permit someone to make a copy of the original manual, also. Tell me again about what "businesses can't afford". The same bank freely copies Lotus 123 for internal distribution. Of course, when the individual gets the program, and complains about not knowing how it works, they'll also copy the manuals for them. I suppose the theory here is that this is a "lesser" offense than purchasing an illegal copy. :-) > ... participates in free exchange of them. It is almost second nature > to treat commercial programs likewise. If "theft" is "their" (yours, too??) _second_ nature, what's the _first_?? Murder? Rape? Child Molesting? Seems like the primary ought to at least be something more "interesting" than the secondary!! UUCP: crash!pro-exchange!rich ARPA: crash!pro-exchange!rich@nosc.mil INET: rich@pro-exchange.cts.com
shawn@pnet51.cts.com (Shawn Stanley) (06/01/89)
jasona@pro-europa.cts.com (Jason Asbahr) writes: >Hmm...Someone mentioned pirates selling software. *I've* never seen that >done. Most of the unauthorized copying activity that I am privy to involves >no money at all. None. - but - This has been entirely among non-business >types... You just have to know how it happens. Many users pay BBS "subscription fees" to have the ability to download software pirated by the sysop. The sysop is making money off the deal. > Most of the users with "pirated" copies are hobbyists. As someone else >mentioned, a business can't AFFORD to use pirated software. However, the >hobbyist generally writes his own programs and participates in free exchange >of them. It is almost second nature to treat commercial programs >likewise. Habit does not make right. Actually, it occurs to me that most of the users with pirated copies are actually game players. I know of several people that trade pirated games back and forth in what amounts to a sort of barter system. UUCP: {uunet!rosevax, amdahl!bungia, chinet, killer}!orbit!pnet51!shawn INET: shawn@pnet51.cts.com
Kreme@cup.portal.com (Lewis Kreme Butler) (06/04/89)
Someone said that there are subscription rates for pirate BBS's.... Oh really? Where? I have never, in my four years of BBSing, seen a board with a fee. The only things I have seen that cost are Portal, Genie, and other services like that, vertainly never a private Pirate BBS. You need to find a new number list or something. -Kreme
tmurphy@wpi.wpi.edu (Tom [Chris] Murphy) (06/06/89)
In article <19116@cup.portal.com> Kreme@cup.portal.com (Lewis Kreme Butler) writes: >Someone said that there are subscription rates for pirate BBS's.... > > >Oh really? Where? I have never, in my four years of BBSing, seen a board ^^^^^ Connecticut. I don't know if they were pirate boards, but they did charge a fee for use. This was some time ago, but the practice still seems to be there. Tom
shawn@pnet51.cts.com (Shawn Stanley) (06/06/89)
Kreme@cup.portal.com (Lewis Kreme Butler) writes: >Someone said that there are subscription rates for pirate BBS's.... > >Oh really? Where? I have never, in my four years of BBSing, seen a board >with a fee. The only things I have seen that cost are Portal, Genie, and >other services like that, vertainly never a private Pirate BBS. You need >to find a new number list or something. You don't have to subscribe to a pay-BBS to know it costs you money to use. Just read the notice and move on if you're not willing to pay. I've seen several, including pirate and non-pirate. They weren't hard to stumble across. UUCP: {uunet!rosevax, amdahl!bungia, chinet, killer}!orbit!pnet51!shawn INET: shawn@pnet51.cts.com
SEWALL@UCONNVM.BITNET (Murph Sewall) (06/07/89)
>Oh really? Where? I have never, in my four years of BBSing, seen a board >with a fee. The Hartford Apple club's board (the H.U.G.E. 'Bit Bucket') has a fee (modest but enough to keep out the hooligans) because it's a club member board (annual dues include the fee). We may still have one or two users who pay the BBS fee without paying the club dues (the difference is $10 - heck the subscription to the Apple Pulp alone is worth that -- read Vaporware in the original hard copy :-) Murph Sewall Vaporware? ---> [Gary Larson returns 1/1/90] Prof. of Marketing Sewall@UConnVM.BITNET Business School sewall%uconnvm.bitnet@mitvma.mit.edu [INTERNET] U of Connecticut {psuvax1 or mcvax }!UCONNVM.BITNET!SEWALL [UUCP] (203) 486-5246 [FAX] (203) 486-2489 [PHONE] 41 49N 72 15W [ICBM] -+- I don't speak for my employer, though I frequently wish that I could (subject to change without notice; void where prohibited)
hzink@pro-nucleus.cts.com (Harry Zink) (06/09/89)
Network Comment: to #1356 by pnet01!crash!ucbvax.berkeley.edu!imagen!atari!portal!cup.portal.com!Kreme In response to Lewis Kreme Butler, there have been Pirate BBS' (way back when) that DID in fact charge for access to their system. The fee was usually a one-time lifetime membership fee of around $10 or so. There were a few BBS' that did ask (and I'm sure receive) for fees around $20-$30, which was pretty outrageous.. These days, though, I am indeed hard pressed to find any BBS that still charges for access. |UUCP: crash!pro-nucleus!hzink |Pro-Line: hzink@pro-nucleus | |ARPA: crash!pro-nucleus!hzink@nosc.mil |Internet: hzink@pro-nucleus.cts.com| +---------------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ |"They're just questions Leon... | | In answer to your query, they're written down for me." -Blade Runner |