PATTERMANN@SUMEX-AIM.ARPA (06/13/83)
From: Ed Pattermann <PATTERMANN@SUMEX-AIM.ARPA> Regarding software pirating, Since pirating is so present is the micro world today, and steals so much revenue from software writers and vendors, why don't software manufacturers provide a means to allow users to obtain a right to copy? This would apply to everything from games to editors to spreadsheets. How many people have confronted the situation where you want to buy a certain program, and visit a friend who has the program and offers you a copy. "Why not?", you say. Well, I personally find value in buying software, to get support if I need it, to get finished complete docmentation, a guarantee of some kind, provide compensation to the program author, have updates available, pretty pictures on the boxes, etc. But then again, the temptation to just accept a copy is strong. Buying a right to copy would be attractive to me. The license will include support and documentation, but no floppies, packaging, or dealer interaction. This is where a major percentage of the software cost comes from. Also, with computer networks popping up everywhere, what do you do when the 20 IBM PC's your company has all want to run Multiplan? Is it really right to buy 20 single copies? Why not buy one copy, and 19 right to copy licenses. Critics will say that this will then force software houses to admit pirating exists, and to foster it. Come on! Its no secret it exists. Why not take advantage of it in some way, and make money. Maybe it will reduce the number that go ahead and buy anyway. I think it will have greater effect on those that would rather just copy from a friend and pay for the license. JRT PASCAL has a right to copy policy for free, and I don't think it has hurt them very much..... -- Ed -------
john@hp-pcd.UUCP (06/15/83)
#R:sri-arpa:-209700:hp-pcd:6200023:000:932 hp-pcd!john Jun 14 18:42:00 1983 Why not take your right to copy idea one step further and do what the friendly folks at AMWAY have been doing for years, that right Pyramid Software. Instead of trying to sell someone a piece of software you make him a "distributer" and sell him a sample kit of your software. You set it up so that if he sells any copies then both you and he will each get a percent of the sell. In addition if he recruits any distributers then everything that they sell will pass through both of you. This could be the opportunity of a lifetime for someone. You only have to sell it to two of your friends and if they go out and sell to two more of their friends then it can quickly pyramid you to higher Tax brackets. Its simply a matter of making it in your customers best interest to want to see your software in everyones computer. I don't see why someone hasn't thought of this before. John Eaton ...hplabs!hp-pcd!john -----------------