4 ms·
I've seen a similar argument when used with music: people download music, share it, and the pirated band sells more CDs as they gain fans (questionable) and dr
by ssharp 18y ago
I've seen a similar argument when used with music: people download music, share it, and the pirated band sells more CDs as they gain fans (questionable) and draw bigger crowds (much more likely and doesn't help the record company in anyway).
However, unlike that, I think Side-1 has pretty strong merit - especially with the widespread availability of pirated software and the amount of people in college who want to use the software but can't afford it. If the software companies REALLY wanted to buck the trend, they'd license education software A LOT cheaper than it is right now. When I was in undergrad, I could buy Windows XP, Office, and Visual Studio anywhere from $10-20. I bought all three and never had to pirate a single piece of MS software.
- eru 18y agoI could download a lot of MS software for free because they have a partnership with my university. I even used it to get WinXP to play some games. It's kind of strange to have a burned CD-R lying around - that is actually a legitimate copy.
- silencio 18y agoI don't think it's strange. The odd thing is I have literally a dozen legitimate serials (at the least) of Windows XP through MSDNAA and other sources, but I will still install a pirated copy with an activation crack. It's just waaaaayyyy less hassle in every way (plus the downloads tend to be slipstreamed with the latest updates, which is something I'm too lazy to do on a regular basis).
- silencio 18y agoIt's not just with music. it happens with books and movies and...name anything. Also, depending on your school and how you got it, those three apps can be free. They were free for me from the school, and dreamspark is also free.