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From: bpendlet@esunix.UUCP (Bob Pendleton)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Software Theft Deterrents
Message-ID: <406@esunix.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 21-Jul-87 11:18:23 EDT
Article-I.D.: esunix.406
Posted: Tue Jul 21 11:18:23 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 25-Jul-87 08:46:37 EDT
References: <3576@well.UUCP>
Distribution: na
Organization: Evans & Sutherland, Salt Lake City, Utah
Lines: 32

in article <3576@well.UUCP>, ewhac@well.UUCP (Leo 'Bols Ewhac' Schwab) says:

> 	I would also contend that software piracy has largely been a matter
> of attitude on the part of the public.  As an innocent party to the birth of
> the micro industry (I was only 12 then), everyone seemed to have the
> attitude that software was free.  This seemed largely supported by the fact
> that most people who owned computers were highly computer-literate.  They
> generated their own software to suit their specific needs.  If a friend
> liked it, they would make a copy for them (on cassette tape).
> 
I think the reason that people felt that software was free was because
software WAS free. The highly computer literate people Leo speaks of probably
worked with computers, probably for many years. I doubt a twelve year old
would have been aware of the GREAT UNBUNDLING. During the fifties, sixties,
and into the middle to late seventies, mainframe computer manufactures gave
you an operating system, file system, compilers, utilities, editors, everything
they had in the way of software. All bundled in the price of the system.
You usually got source code that you were free to read and hack to your hearts
content. Many of the utilities were user written and distributed for free
through user groups.

Somewhere along the way IBM noticed that software cost more than the hardware
and started charging for each piece of software. All other manufacturers 
followed suite. Who knows, the way prices are going maybe someday you'll buy
the software, and they'll toss in the hardware for free.

		Bob Pendleton
-- 
Bob Pendleton @ Evans & Sutherland
UUCP Address:  {decvax,ucbvax,ihnp4,allegra}!decwrl!esunix!bpendlet
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        I am solely responsible for what I say.