I would''nt even try to use warez couse even if they have games and movies and apps they never have any good ISO''s or good quality stuff so.. but cracks i can see is a pain..

if your salary means you cant afford a car do you steal that too?
you are the one who needs to get a life methinks.
Can we PLEASE ban anon posters....

http://www.positech.co.uk

I don''t think local distribution of software (like copying a CD for your mother) is a major problem. I think online distribution, in which you post cracks online for thousands to download, is the real problem. And patrolling the search engines for such software is probably the best solution.

~CGameProgrammer( );

quote: Original post by Anonymous Poster
Give them salary like that of the developed countries and they will not steal.

Yes! You are absolutely correct! Because I mean, common, in the USA (a developed country) only those people living below the poverty line actually pirate software. We most defintely do not have people living on $100,000 a year salaries pirating software. We most definitely do not have corporations with millions of dollars pirating software. They ALL realize that they have enough money to afford the software, and they ALL realize that it is their responsibility as an american citizen to do the right thing and pay for the software they use.

Thanks for mentioning this site:

http://www.idsa.com/piracy.html

Its a great easy way to report warez sites, I suggest anyone with games for sale reports any sites they find to them.
It cant do any harm and it might do some good...

http://www.positech.co.uk

quote: Original post by Anonymous Poster
People from the third world countries steal coz their monthly salary is around 200USD and they have to pay their rent, spend on food, clothes, education etc. Software costs are prohibitive on a person from the third world. Give them salary like that of the developed countries and they will not steal.

Talking from personal experience.

Go get a life guys!

So how do these people find the money to buy the high-end PCs and flashy consoles needed to run this pirated software?

If you can afford the hardware, you can afford the software.

*

Incidentally, the reason piracy is rife is because many still call it "theft". It isn''t. It''s *counterfeiting*. And all the reasons why counterfeiting money is wrong apply to games and similar products: you _devalue_ the product by copying it.

If you print your own money, who are you ''stealing'' from? If everyone were to print their own banknotes, how much would each banknote be worth? All capitalist economies are founded on the concept of ''scarcity'': money is worthless if you can find giant stacks of cash in the street without even trying.

Money is intellectual property. Games are likewise. If a company''s entire revenue comes from games, as is the case with developers, then counterfeiting makes the company itself worth less and less because few people will consider paying for the games. The less a company is worth. This explains why it''s so bloody hard for small developers and publishers to last long in this industry.

My point is that using terms like "stealing" and "theft" is counterproductive as those terms are invariably tied to tangible items. Counterfeiting is the proper term for piracy.



--
Sean Timarco Baggaley

quote: Original post by LordKronos

Give them salary like that of the developed countries and they will not steal.

quote: Original post by Anonymous Poster
Yes! You are absolutely correct! Because I mean, common, in the USA (a developed country) only those people living below the poverty line actually pirate software. We most defintely do not have people living on $100,000 a year salaries pirating software. We most definitely do not have corporations with millions of dollars pirating software. They ALL realize that they have enough money to afford the software, and they ALL realize that it is their responsibility as an american citizen to do the right thing and pay for the software they use.

Yes, both of you are absolutely right. Also in countries like mine most students don't work while studying until they at least finish graduation - by which I mean atleast Bachelor of engineering. Let me give you an example.

Software is around Rs 60,000 - for companies.
Software - student version is Rs 5,000. Rs 5,000 is a huge amount of money. No student will even bother to buy it if its that costly. What does the student do ? How does he learn ? Hence it gets pirated.

Games - Cost Rs 500 - Rs 1000
Student version ?? lol
Money ?? Where to get it from ?? Beg, borrow or steal ?? No

What companies or people who have been talking here not realize is that you have look at economy and put the price tag. I know development costs, its hard - the best thing then is not release those softwares in those countries then.

It is also possible to look at warez in a sort of low level publicity method. A little bit of thinking and innovative idea probably could work warez to your advantage. How ? Well for one I have an idea - So somebody has a warez copy of your game. Allow him to register at a slightly lesser price - but allow him to register. Why at a lower price ? That is because you save on printing documentation, making boxes etc etc, even transportation and cd writing costs, and not to mention even testing need not be done. Also give those who have registered new products at a lower price at the same time. This may definitely not stop piracy but at least may give some of the lost sales.

These are just my ideas. It may be good and may not be.


[edited by - flame_warrior on March 20, 2002 9:46:29 AM]

[edited by - flame_warrior on March 20, 2002 9:48:25 AM]