This is the mentality of many on the Internet. Or so it seems. People want everything for free, almost to the point where they’re willing to steal what isn’t already free. This attitude leads to people searching out pirated software and otherwise trying to find ways to get something for nothing. Is it wrong or is it justified?
This is completely an opinion piece, of course. But, dealing with the amount of people we do here at PCMECH, this is an attitude I run across all the time.
Admittedly, it is a mindset I used to have and I still understand - to a degree.
The Mindset
It is a given that you have to pay for the computer you use. We understand that that is a real, physical product. So, you pay for it. But, the understanding (many times) stops right there.
For the software that your computer runs, people want it all for free. They simply don’t want to buy software. Perhaps because it is non physical in nature, they have a hard time seeing it as a valuable product. I’m really not sure. So, it leads to people searching long and hard for open source software (which is great) or going out of their way to download a pirated version of paid software (definitely bad).
Those who are using the pirated software justify it in several ways:
- I’m just one guy and the company will never know or miss the money.
- Company X is already loaded and I don’t want to add to their bottom line.
- Oh, I’m just testing the software and I’ll buy it if I want to use it (which doesn’t usually happen)
- I think paid software is just an affront to humanity. I refuse to pay for it.
- I can’t afford it so I think it is OK for me to hack it (this one just kills me)
I will admit that, back in the day, I did use and run pirated software on my PC. I practically collected it for fun. So, I DO understand the mindset that goes into it. I long since stopped doing that and I’ll tell you why…
Look In the Mirror
Let’s say YOU created a piece of software for the computer. You think its pretty good and you seek to sell copies online for some fee. With the amount of work and effort you put into your program, you think your fee is perfectly reasonable. In fact, you almost think it is cheap considering that somebody is able to spend a few bucks to buy some software which you invested countless hours into creating.
Then you find out that people are trying to STEAL your creation because of one of the various justifications listed above.
How would you feel about that?
Even if you don’t even understand software, look at what your job is right now. Whatever it is you do, tech or not, how would you feel if your potential customer base actively tried to steal the products you create without paying for it? Probably not too peachy.
The Culture of Gimme Gimme
For one reason or another, people are moving into a mindset where everything is expected for free. And, yes, more and more IS being given away for free. It is awesome! As an end user, I LOVE free stuff. But, the attitude goes overboard when you try to actively get something without any exchange because you want everything else for free, too.
There is a lot of great, free stuff out there. Free-to-use websites. Free software. Free web-based services. However, there are also paid services and software out there. And here is the thing to keep in mind…
Many times, paid software is paid because it is BETTER than the free options. It is worthy of being paid for. For example:
- Doing screen capture movies can be done for free with something like CamStudio. However, CamStudio certainly doesn’t even compare against Camtasia. Camtasia isn’t free, but it is certainly worth paying for if you want to create professional screencasts.
- If you want to do good webcam streaming shows on the Internet, you can use ManyCam to put effects into your live feed. ManyCam is free. But, for Windows, it does not compare to WebCamMax, which is not free.
- You can do your advanced image editing with GIMP for free, but anybody who has used Photoshop knows full well that it beats the crap out of GIMP.
There are exceptions. For example, Microsoft Office is not free, but OpenOffice is. And OpenOffice does pretty much everything you’d need Microsoft Office to do. Plus, you have a myriad of web-based options like Google Docs. If you don’t want to pay for an office suite (and I don’t blame you), use OpenOffice. Don’t steal Microsoft Office.
My Closing
It is quite possible that my little rant here might rub some people the wrong way - especially if they make a habit of using pirated software. But, here’s the deal…
There are TONS of options available to you for pretty much anything you want to accomplish these days. If you don’t want to pay any money, then use one of the free options available to you. Or use Linux where you never have to pay for anything.
The anonymity of the Internet leads some to cater to their dark side, where stealing is done wantonly and actively justified. People who would never steal in real life somehow find it acceptable when done online. But, as the old saying goes, you character can best be judged by what you do when nobody is looking.
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About the Author
David Risley is the founder of PCMech.com. He is the brains, the thinker, the writer, the nerd.
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Steve Stone said:
7/8/2008 10:09 am
How many times have you purchased an expensive software package just to find out that the product behind the glitzy wrapper was useless over priced over hyped trash, destined for the $2.99 bin at the local odd lot? I’ll pay a reasonable price for quality programming and support. I refuse to pay for techno junk.
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David Risley reply on July 8, 2008 12:48 pm:
No argument. But, if that would be a justification to run that same software pirated, then no.
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Scott said:
7/8/2008 10:19 am
I believe we have an expanding problem here, due to people having a cynical outlook when it comes to business. Much of the responsibility for fixing this however rests with businesses themselves.
Not because corporations are evil, but because this is simply how commerce and human nature work. One fundamental aspect of human nature that is playing out here is one rarely discussed.
The morality of this isn’t even on most peoples radar, because people do not view such issues through the relatively black and white lens of law. People want what they want, and merely there being a free (if often not legal) alternative is enough.
The net has created a paradigm shift as broad in scope as the invention of the printing press, and if you examine your history more carefully there were HUGE shakeups and many powerful groups disaffected to near destruction as a result of its wide-ranging impact. Just because your high school history class painted a rosy picture of a great invention does not mean all was well in the world as a result of it’s use.
To change behaviors in people that are perceived collectively as “bad”, one must offer an alternative that people can accept, or no one will care. At this stage it is safe to say that the industries affected are running scared in the opposite direction. To their mutual doom.
Business models in affected IP industries will have to evolve drastically, and IP law will have to be totally revamped worldwide. And, many middle men in these industries will be…..out of a job, because they become irrelevant in a digital economy. No amount of lawsuits or oppressive legislation will change these inevitabilities.
There is no rewind button.
[Reply]
Sharron said:
7/8/2008 11:08 am
LOL I’ve seen computers “ruined” by pirated software: Someone I know ran 100% pirated crap supplied by a dodgy tech, even the o/s (Win XP Pro), and harboured/transmitted without knowing it every virus and malware known to man/woman: It was a miracle the thing worked at all. In my opinion it’s always better to pay initially as it saves time later; and time is money: Most software won’t update properly or install all of the critical patches. It’s pure selfishness and unthinking greed to expect everything free regardless of anything else IMO; and the consequences commonly range from the detrimental to the calamatous eventually.
You made the point that Linux is free and will never cost anything; but it can and invariably does cost a lot of time with the learning curve if nothing else, usually in addition to the extra complexity of operation and the various hardware and/or software incompatibilities of whichever distro one chooses; and time is money - So once again there really is no such thing as a free lunch whichever way one goes about it.
[Reply]
Andrew said:
7/8/2008 12:58 pm
One rationale might be tied to the whole version number thing. For example, I hate the idea of shelling out $20, $30, $100, or more for a product that might be improved in the next few months to a newer version that I have to pay to upgrade to.
Sure, many offer free upgrades at least for a time, but not forever.
If new features in TVs come out, at least I’m buying a new physical object. But when a new version of software appears, it doesn’t *feel* like I’m paying for something new. It feels like I’m paying a second time for the same thing.
[Reply]
hitchface said:
7/8/2008 2:39 pm
Some software gets to be a real pain in the neck though. A lot of newer games get to be a real problem because of DRM, so people just hack them to actually PLAY the darn thing.
Other than that, I agree. Don’t be cheap!
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Tyler said:
7/8/2008 10:34 pm
Man oh man when I think of all the times I used those very excuses but no matter how you slice it there is simply no excuse for pirating software. I’m not going to get on the high and mighty soap box about it though because at one point I was no different than any other pirate.
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draceena said:
7/9/2008 12:38 am
I have no complaint on plunking down $20-$60 for a computer game but it just drives me nuts that at one time you could just do the full game install and put all the discs away where they would be safe and now you are required to have the disk every time you want to play…I’ve almost ruined a drive and scratched more than a few discs when I forgot I had the disc in the drive and wanted to put another disc in. Now, I grab a “no-cd” patch and play with a clear concience since I paid for the product and am ensuring it reamins playable in the future.
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hitchface said:
7/9/2008 1:00 am
Yeah, simply put, DRM sucks…it really doesn’t help out the honest people, and doesn’t stop the dishonest ones.
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Jen said:
7/9/2008 3:52 am
no kidding draceena!
+ there are many great free programs that don’t have a premo upgrade for a few dollars more, they just give everything away free.
i don’t even mind paying again in say 10-30 years on, if i buy the software it should last me forever if i am careful with it. i don’t have to buy a brand new tv every year or so, some jeans i still wear are from the win95 launch. so there is a limit i will go along with when it comes to paying for geek (soft) gear.
Furthermore I see no incredible enhancements when the product is upgraded for 20-60 dollars, most fixes aught be free like security holes and poor programming. Build me a new model not just model number and I will pay for it.
I suppose they could put all you geeks under government rule and quality control an end product our the government way, but then they would also take all the money.
Seems reasonable to me.
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