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From: PATTERMANN@SUMEX-AIM.ARPA
Newsgroups: net.micro
Subject: Pirate Software
Message-ID: <2097@sri-arpa.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 13-Jun-83 15:46:42 EDT
Article-I.D.: sri-arpa.2097
Posted: Mon Jun 13 15:46:42 1983
Date-Received: Thu, 16-Jun-83 06:16:44 EDT
Lines: 34

From:  Ed Pattermann 

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
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