Software piracy remains a problem

Price to pay for games that suck

One of my customers was so excited and could not wait for the new GTA, when it arrived, he pre ordered his ORIGINAL copy, he says he has played 10 % of the game and says that it is a total let down.

Now the problem is that he has spent money on something that he probably wont finish, it also seems that there are many other people who are having the same complaint, that the game just is not as good as the others.

I do not believe software piracy is cool or right in anyway, however, the people that develop these games are always saying how much money they are losing because of software piracy and yet they are developing games that are a total let down, so now, who is going to go after them because of ****ty games that people are paying :D
 
There is only one problem with piracy in this country. The price of bandwidth! Aargh aarrgh me matees. :D
 
Hi there, just a few explanations to add the conversation:


One of the main points raised asked how piracy affects the local South African economy. Information technology drives economic growth through helping organisations and employees to be more productive, creating jobs and higher standards of living. How? Reducing software piracy has a ‘multiplier effect’ – for every R1 spent on legitimate software, which does go to the manufacturer, an additional R1.25 is spent on related services such as installation, training, maintenance and distribution. All this goes directly into the local economy.

http://w3.bsa.org/southafrica/press/newsreleases/PR-1-28-2008.cfm


In terms of your comments regarding open source software, these were considered in the calculations and open source, freeware and shareware were not considered pirated. This software is accounted for with the price of R0 and any open source software that is paid for would automatically be accounted for inline with the methodology. So this software does not affect the piracy figures.


We also understand that not every piece of pirated software would be replaced immediately with licensed software if piracy rates went down, the evidence suggests that all pirated software will be replaced with legitimate software over time, because people need good software.


In South Africa, a number of local companies have paid fines for the possession of unlicensed software. Enforcement and educational drives by the BSA have had an effect with a 1% percentage point drop in the piracy figures in 2007.


Alastair de Wet, Business Software Alliance
 
Yes, the BSA helped us move our company completely to Open Source. It was through their efforts that we moved our Financial System to TurboCash, Our Office requirements to OpenOffice, and our CRM to Compiere. The only licenses we have to worry about now are the Windows XP licenses. We plan to migrate those in the next year to Linux as well! Well done! ;)

FOSS FTW!!! :D

oh and... RAS for the above post BTW! :p
 
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BSA said:
Reducing software piracy has a ‘multiplier effect’ – for every R1 spent on legitimate software, which does go to the manufacturer, an additional R1.25 is spent on related services such as installation, training, maintenance and distribution. All this goes directly into the local economy.
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I'm not sure how this would be different between pirated and unpirated software though? Someone has to be paid to install pirated software, you still need people to be trained on it, and computers with pirated software still need maintenance (fair point about distribution). This still pumps money into the local economy.

BSA said:
We also understand that not every piece of pirated software would be replaced immediately with licensed software if piracy rates went down, the evidence suggests that all pirated software will be replaced with legitimate software over time...
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By removing the pirated software (and not replacing it immediately) you would end up removing both the pirated software AND the locally based installation+training+maintenance. Even if one did eventually replace the software, wouldn't you be talking about a good few months (years?) during which you'd be hurting the local industry?
 
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BSA said:
In terms of your comments regarding open source software, these were considered in the calculations and open source, freeware and shareware were not considered pirated.
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Hi Alastair

Does the BSA endorse using Open Source software (Linux, for example) as an alternative to pirating the equivalent commercial software?

Yes/no answer, if possible? :)
 
BSA said:
Hi there, just a few explanations to add the conversation:


One of the main points raised asked how piracy affects the local South African economy. Information technology drives economic growth through helping organisations and employees to be more productive, creating jobs and higher standards of living. How? Reducing software piracy has a ‘multiplier effect’ – for every R1 spent on legitimate software, which does go to the manufacturer, an additional R1.25 is spent on related services such as installation, training, maintenance and distribution. All this goes directly into the local economy.

http://w3.bsa.org/southafrica/press/newsreleases/PR-1-28-2008.cfm


In terms of your comments regarding open source software, these were considered in the calculations and open source, freeware and shareware were not considered pirated. This software is accounted for with the price of R0 and any open source software that is paid for would automatically be accounted for inline with the methodology. So this software does not affect the piracy figures.


We also understand that not every piece of pirated software would be replaced immediately with licensed software if piracy rates went down, the evidence suggests that all pirated software will be replaced with legitimate software over time, because people need good software.


In South Africa, a number of local companies have paid fines for the possession of unlicensed software. Enforcement and educational drives by the BSA have had an effect with a 1% percentage point drop in the piracy figures in 2007.


Alastair de Wet, Business Software Alliance
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Your bullsh*t FUD is not welcome here. Go peddle your crap where there are more ignorant, less informed people, you will have more success.
 
icyrus said:
Your bullsh*t FUD is not welcome here. Go peddle your crap where there are more ignorant, less informed people, you will have more success.
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I prefer it when it's coming straight from "Alastair de Wet, BSA" rather than the same spin being published as front page news on MyBroadband via SA Computing who take it as gospel truth. At least we are totally clear on whose perspective it is.
 
BSA = Microsoft's Goons

Piracy in software is similar to music piracy.

Pirated software doesn't give users any problems. No dongles, no copy protection, no activation etc.

I got so annoyed at problems posed by proprietary software:

i.e. forced 'upgrades', vendor lock-in, inattention to fixing bugs etc.. I eventually ditched proprietary software for open source and have never looked back.

My path:

Started with Legit copy of Win '98. Bought another machine and installed a pirate copy of 98. It didn't work so I bought a copy of XP. This worked nicely. Bought another two machines and installed a legit and pirate copy of XP. Then eventually after succumbing to the BSA bullying, bought a legit copy of XP. What really p***ed me off was when I had hardware failures being treated like a criminal and having to explain myself to Microsoft. Also every time Windows crashes, I had to re-activate and explain again to Microsoft. Imagaine that, treating your paying customer like a criminal.

However, with the software I was running I had to continuously 'upgrade' both hardware (which became 'legacy' and unsupported, and software (essentially paying for a new version of the software which had a face-lift, but the same bugs). Not to mention the plug-ins, which only work on the software platform. One big mess. Cost me many thousands per year for zero increase in product quality.

Then I discovered open source software. Now none of my machines are on Windows (well done, BSA goons!) and they don't run *any* proprietary software. The open source equivalents are just as good, and I don't have hassles. No dongles, threats, vendor lock-in. Freedom, bliss. I'll never go back.

I also agree with the other posters: the 'cost' of piracy is much less than what is being estimated, because a lot of pirates can't afford and wouldn't buy legitimate copies of software, they would just go without. I mean, some hack who uses a pirate copy of photoshop, would not go and buy it if he was found out. He'd just find something else to use.....

What I really would like to see is the FSF or the FOSS movement putting out some press that spells out the free alternatives to the BSA goons scaremongering tactics.

Imagine, an ad that says: "Did you know that there are free, legal, alternatives to the pirated software you use? The BSA is trying to scare you into paying to use their software. Don't pay for software, rather use free alternatives! That's how Mark Shuttleworth made his fortune"
 
+1 for the good mofo post above. Let the BSA screw M$ and turn it into a won war for open source....
 
Open Source

Hi Kifoth,

The BSA’s role is to protect the rights of the software industry as a whole. BSA supports consumer choice as to the type of software that is right for users, regardless of the development model. However, all software should be legal, whether that is through commercial licensing or open source.

Alastair de Wet, Business Solftware Alliance
 
BSA said:
Hi Kifoth,

The BSA’s role is to protect the rights of the software industry as a whole. BSA supports consumer choice as to the type of software that is right for users, regardless of the development model. However, all software should be legal, whether that is through commercial licensing or open source.

Alastair de Wet, Business Solftware Alliance
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Well let's give the BSA a hand for a job well done. :D
 
BSA said:
Hi Kifoth,

The BSA’s role is to protect the rights of the software industry as a whole. BSA supports consumer choice as to the type of software that is right for users, regardless of the development model. However, all software should be legal, whether that is through commercial licensing or open source.

Alastair de Wet, Business Solftware Alliance
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Thats great... however while you may be in the market of protecting the software companies from us... whos out there protecting us from you and the software companies?

Why should EULA`s be allowed? If I buy a car... it doesnt come with a EULA... if a car manufacturer releases his product with a flaw in it, that manufacturer is held accountable for it. This doesnt happen in the software world. The scales are very uneven.

If MS wanted to lock down Microsoft Windows... they WOULD. They dont because they would prefer you to use their pirated product OVER an open source alternative.

So basically BSA just looks after big money software companies at the cost of the consumer.
 
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Also, one the subjects, one of the BSA propaganda lines was that piracy is costing SA 30k jobs. Well legitimate software like Microsoft is costing SA even more jobs. Every time we _have_ to install windows... we are importing more and adding to the national deficit. Now if we refused all imports and home grew our own products... we would create more jobs! :)

I wish I could find that post about the time you completely defecated on Open Source in a public radio interview. I was so angry with your half-truths (a half truth is a whole lie!) Wish I could get a transcription of that interview :(
 
killadoob said:
actually piracy creates jobs

look at all the pirate websites, they generate millions and millions

look at this way, if the world was a safe place and everyone got along you would not need armies or police or security guards, imaging the impact of those jobs loses

its the same with piracy, it creates jobs, the ppl who create software, movies, games etc are still stinking rich they are not just not as stinking rich as they should be :)

piracy has its place in life just like crime (im not talking about violent crime)
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I like you. I think we should move to Canada and get married, kapish? :p
 
Ok - a serious post from me. I bought a copy of a certain site-planning program (local company). It cost R500 and was UTTER ****E. Message to local software companies: You fuc|<ing suck - don't bother.

My entire music collection is pirated. If I had not ben able to get it free would I have just accepted that and paid for it? No way; I'd rather go without seeing as the cost of purchasing those meagre 215 or so songs on iTunes, for example, would cost over R1500. LOL, whatever... :rolleyes:

That said, my entire DVD collection is legit. Particularly expensive software titles such as Adobe Premiere and Photoshop are also pirated.

'Stealing' from massive multinational companies is not at all the same as stealing from small local ones and if my downloading means Tom Cruise/50 Cent/Bill Gates etc have to go with one less diamond-encrusted toilet in their mansions, I realy couldn't give.
 
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The BSA/RIAA and MPAA are ANTI consumer companies. Theyre pretty evil all round. Honesty is something they have no concept of it effect their bottom dollar. They dont care bit about you.. just the profit they can get off you.
 
BSA says

We also understand that not every piece of pirated software would be replaced immediately with licensed software if piracy rates went down, the evidence suggests that all pirated software will be replaced with legitimate software over time, because people need good software.
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Could you please show us this "evidence". I know you chaps.. you make up stuff as you go along so we do need to check every word you say, and double check your "facts".


Im willing to say:

Piracy helps the South African national deficit.
Piracy stops consumers from being ripped off by software and/or music labels
Piracy creates more jobs in South Africa than not pirating
Piracy even helps the software vendors. It keeps lusers addicted to their crack software instead of using the more reasonable alternative.
 
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For gdiza and the other guys who are anti-BSA and pro-opensource. Tea can do that.
 
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