I was reading a copy of "Info World". They have a great quote in regards to people using MS Money 2004. Apparently the MS authentication server for MS Money went down so people couldn't log in.
"Still, trusting Microsoft to handle your money seems a little like hiring Oprah to guard the Oreos. One day you'll wake up to find nothing but crumbs."
OH... hahhah that reminds me of a story I read 2 years ago. The IRS released a figure saying like 120,000 people filed their return with TurboTax software. THen TurboTax replied, "We only sold 80,000 copies."
No wonder they put Macrovision on the last version. Then of the 80K that bought it, only 60k actually worked. I made that number up, but a lot of people were unable to use it after they added "security" features to protect the software.
Hey, I thought software companies charged so much for their software because they knew there would be illegal copies. The higher price was supposed to make up the margins lost on the illegal copies. Hmmmmm......
Support those companies whose products you value. If you do not, then they probably will not develop another product or update the one you have. Do you think we would have a Doom III if people didn't buy Doom's I and II?
Atomms got a point, alot of work goes into making a good product. And we should support those that worked their asses off to make life fun 🙂 However some companies do like to rape the honest people ....
When an OS costs almost as much as much as your system, someone forgot the lube....
I have no problem with buying software or music that deserves my money. But I'm gonna pirate the shit out of it so I can be sure that it's worth it... Or if its just too damn much than no way will I pay for it when a "copy" is readily available like windows. I'm not paying 200 bucks for an os.
I read a story that on the Sunday before Doom3 came out there were 50,000 copies downloaded from the internet ammounting to about $2.7 million lost by id. I will whole heartedly support a product I like. I have gotten copies of games in the past and if I like the game and want to support the company I do go and buy it.
Probably less than 15% would buy it after getting it for free and probably more than half of the people stealing it would go buy it if they couldn't find a pirated copy.
The real shame is that is seems like ID is in a way punished for taking the time to release a quality product. It seems like ID waited untilt he game was ready, by making their fans wait it makes more people pirate the game. I don't know maybe not.