From: terry@cs.weber.edu (A Wizard of Earth C)
Subject: Re: Help : Copy protection
Organization: Weber State University  (Ogden, UT)
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 92 21:49:33 GMT

In article <1992Oct16.041453.8437@bilver.uucp> bill@bilver.uucp (Bill Vermillion) writes:
[ ... On Software Piracy ...]
>Well, it would cost this customer $2600 to become legit.  The 'pirate'
>sold them a 'free demo' for $900 on software that lists (for the
>modules they had) at $3500.
>
>Who loses.  Everyone involved except the pirate.  The businesses lose
>because the day they crash they are hosed, until they buy new software.
>(One of these 'pirates' is no longer around).
>
>The software companies lose a sale.  The local dealers &/or consultants
>lose sales and credibility.  And the users view those who sell/support
>systems and something about 5 steps lower than the guy who sells used
>cars on the corner lot with the hand-painted sign.

I hate to appear to even consider coming down on this side of things, but...

Your client "didn't want to pay another $900"... did the software company
really lose a sale that they would have made otherwise?  It seems to me
that the software was $2600 out of their "price range", or what sales-speak
would call "$2600 above the customers buy point".  The only reason they had
the software at all was their unwillingness to question the origin of the
software or their picking on the basis of price, regardless of origin.

I don't see where the software company was in fact damaged.  The company
which bought was damaged in that they believed they were getting a supported
package -- however, as you stated, they were unwilling to pay full freight
for the supported product.  It would not suprise me if the company picked
the pirates bid based on price.  The company is equally responsible for
the act of piracy, in this case, since they were receiving stolen property.
If someone tries to sell you a Ferrari for $100, you have to suspect
something about the below fair market value price.  You can't con an honest
man, as it has been said.

Given the primary "victims" culpability here, I don't see where a local
dealer loses credibility, unless you are trying to claim complete naivete'
for the business who bought the software at about 1/4 of the fair market
value.  I don't think it is possible for someone to go so blindly into a
$900 transaction and remain in business long enough to require support.

If your client goes to the guy with the "hand-painted sign", caveat emptor;
he certainly wouldn't be this naive about a car radio; I maintain that
the opinion of dealers held by such a person doesn't matter; he's going
to end up on another pirates doorstep when he goes "lowest bidder" next time.
No reputable dealer is ever going to have to do business with him... who
cares what he thinks?

Meanwhile, your "poor victim" continues to use the software illegally,
rather than going legit; not only does this mean you pirate doesn't get
himself turned over to the bunko squad (since they'ed have to stop using
the software), but it means they have compounded their felony (receiving
stolen property acquired in grand theft).

PS: Congradulations, you are now an accessory for not reporting it.


					Terry Lambert
					terry@icarus.weber.edu
					terry_lambert@novell.com
---
Any opinions in this posting are my own and not those of my present
or previous employers.
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