Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.programmer
Subject: Why the Piracy? Here's why...
From: seth@physc1.byu.edu
Date: 17 Dec 92 16:56:26 -0700
Distribution: world
Organization: Brigham Young University

>> > I personally think it was a major mistake for Apple
>> > to not have put some sort of machine-readable serial number in each machine.
>> 
>> The trouble with providing a feature like that is that people will start to
>> use it.
>> 
>> Can you say "copy protection"...?

I don't see how this would really dent the "pirating industry" that much. Seems
like most of the pirating I've seen by people (notice I said "seen", not
"done") has been to pitch in as a group and buy something and then copy the
master disks so they each have a copy. I actually sympathize with this way of
being an all-around illegal crook, as the people I have seen do it are almost
always extremely unable to pay for full-price (should I say outrageously
priced? Boy, I can feel the flames coming already ;) software. It is to me a 
pity that so many people can barely afford, even with taking out loans, to buy 
a half-decent machine, and then find that to be legal means they can't run any
software on it but perhaps shareware. I know that "educational pricing" is
sometimes a big help, but sometimes it isn't enough. Things like Pagemaker
still go for $200 educationally, and few but the students with RICH parents
could afford more than one or two such apps. I find it amusing at times to read
Apple ads touting such things as "it can run IBM PC software, control your
finances, let you do page layout, process words till you drop, etc.." They
always show these fancy apps on the screens of the happy-faced Mac users, and
I have to smile with amusement as I add up in my head the prices of all these
apps Apple is selling you the machine for. It gets ridiculous. Of course, Apple
would sell perhaps fewer macs if their ads told the whole truth, like this
maybe: "it lets you run PC software for just $200 more, keep up with your
finances for just $130 more (for the high-tech spreadsheet they always show),
design nice newsletters and such for only $200 more, process words till you
drop for only $90 more, etc etc" It adds up so quick that to really do much at
all with your mac would cost you hundreds if not thousands more. I also have a
beef with companies that rip you off in a big way if you buy the "eductaional"
package. Case in point: Wolfram Research. They will sell you a "student
version" of Mathematica for ONLY $175, BUT that version SUCKS THE BIG ONE. It
won't even use a math-coprocessor! WHY? ISN"T THE NAME MATHEMATICA? The notion
that a software's ability to utilize a math-coprocessor should be an option
that costs you HUNDREDS of dollars more is BULL- S__T! I think the "student"
version also doesn't do color graphics either. Now the REALLY outrageous thing:
The version of Mathematica that DOES use a math-coprocessor costs a STUDENT
over $700! ANy student I know of would have to take out a LOAN just to get a
fully-functional version of the program! I have used Mathematica on a NeXT
before, and even on a 25 MHz 040 w/on-chip fpu and all I still did things on
occasion that took a LONG TIME. On a 20 or 25 MHz 030 WITHOUT using the FPU
it would take FOREVER!!! I bet Wolfram Research doesn't sell many full-fledged
versions of Mathematica to students...
When you get right down to it, the reason I don't pirate software is that for
the few apps I really NEED to have, I can afford them, albeit barely. (I only
run THINK Pascal/C, THINK Reference, and MS Word, anything else is shareware
or freeware) One more beef about software prices... Why in the heck do so many
shareware writers ask for SO MUCH for their stuff? I am talking about the init
that does some stupid thing to the finder or something like that and then you
get this message saying "please support the shareware concept by sending me a
check for $35, I also take MC/Visa" I mean, BE REAL! Most cdevs and such are
worth at MOST $5 or maybe $10. You have these people who yell and scream about
Apple charging $100 or whatever for a FULL-FLEDGED OPERATING SYSTEM and then
they expect you to pay $25 for a HACK! That doesn't make sense to me... Well,
I have my asbestos suit on, so bring on those inevitable flames...

Seth Leigh
BYU Physics Dept.

Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.programmer