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From: michael@stb.UUCP (Michael)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: all copy protection
Message-ID: <1637@stb.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 10-Jul-87 14:55:55 EDT
Article-I.D.: stb.1637
Posted: Fri Jul 10 14:55:55 1987
Date-Received: Wed, 15-Jul-87 01:48:12 EDT
References: <1303@crash.CTS.COM> <593@madvax.UUCP> <1813@vax135.UUCP>
Reply-To: michael@stb.UUCP (Michael)
Organization: STB BBS, La, Ca, USA, 90402
Lines: 84
Summary: Its a matter of respect.

In article <1813@vax135.UUCP> cjp@vax135.UUCP (Charles Poirier) writes:
>From time to time I hear a rather strange argument.  It goes thus:
>"If software worked better, if it cost less, if one could get better
>value for one's money, there would be less piracy."

How about, "If they respected me, I'd respect them. If there was a game
that was actually worth the inflated price, then I'd buy it. If there was
a game that was priced according to its worth, not according to what the company
thinks it should be at to recover their costs, then I'd buy it." That last
part is pure economics, nothing special.

>For example (and let me state, I am NOT accusing this author of piracy):
>
>In article <593@madvax.UUCP> richc@madvax.UUCP (Rich Commins) writes:
...
>
>Fine idea, but I don't think the suggested solution will be effective:
>
>>If the software that is being sold was of better quality I think their
>>would be less stealing of software.  I've seen better public domain
>>software, than some of the stuff being sold.  
>
>This kind of argument assumes pirates are ethical Darwinists.  Their
>noble motivation is to weed out the baddies who overcharge for rotten
>code by refusing to pay them for it.

And whats wrong with that? Personally, thats exactly my opinion (I boycott
software that doesn't play by the rules.)

Consider this: Last wednesday, at a user meeting, someone demo'd an adventure
thats the sequel to "The Pawn" (I don't remember the name). It was very well
done, had all the things I wanted, could run from a hard disk, etc. Then I
asked if you could exit the game. I tried it. Amiga-nm did nothing (a cli
was active). Quitting did not put you back where you came from, it required
you to reboot. It didn't even bother to reboot for you. Sorry, I don't buy
non-multitasking stuff.

There is no reason that it could not have saved the stuff intuition needs
before tromping over it, and then restore it before quitting. Remember,
this is their second game (at least). They've done this before. They should
have learned by now how to restore intuition, or else how to get their
stuff to work with intuition.

The point is, I was willing to pay cash for that game, right then and there.
At least, until I discovered that this reboot problem. I was also willing to
buy Alien Fires, until I discovered that it was copy protected.

As far as "I've seen better PD than the commercial stuff", why should I pay
when I can get better for free?

>I just don't understand the logic of this.  Pirates are thieves.
>Typical, smirking, self-centered thieves.  Thieves are not motivated by
>social ideology.  They are motivated by getting something valuable at
>the expense of others, preferably without getting caught.  Oh sure, all
>thieves have some thin excuse with which to salve their self-image.

Hmm, well, consider this:

Way back when, I had a model one. (My parents have it now; still makes a
good word processor). Some time ago, I calculated how much I had spent on
software, and the value of the software I had. I had been a fairly active
pirate. I found that the totals roughly balanced.

In other words, my pirating had enabled my to stay even, nothing more.

I personally find pirating to be a matter of respect. I have no respect any
more for EA. I'd pirate anything they make in a minute if I thought they
made anything worth the disk it would take up. Marble Madness was the
biggest disapointment I can think of. Dpaint one is beaten hands down by
Images (Which I bought). The only other reason to pirate is to try a program
out before you buy it. I've done this; it led to my buying (yes, buying) the
Manx Commercial system and Gizmoz. I almost bought Facc on wednesday; but
the person was sold out (he was a dealer, opening a new store in the area,
and trying to get customers). I haven't pirated a copy, because I have too
much respect for Perry and ASDG. But I can't find a place that has it in
stock, either. On the other hand, I've formatted my ACS, returned a skyfox
that I got for a birthday present (0 to mach 4 in 4 seconds, in a "realistic"
game? What are you, a pile of jello?), formatted lattice. 

Ok, maybe I'm in the minority. But my .signature still stands.

-- 
: Michael Gersten		seismo!scgvaxd!stb!michael
: Copy protection? Just say Pirate! (if its worth pirating)