33% of Software Pirated

[shbaz]

This reminds me of the time that someone here offered to sell me 3ds Max for $50.

http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20040707-111203-6292r

I don't see how they can call that a loss.. note that the percentage of money "lost" (50%) is a lot higher than the percentage of software pirated, which tells me that the software that is pirated is largely overpriced. It especially isn't going to sell in some of the regions where piracy is the highest, coincidentally also where economies wouldn't allow much of it to be purchased.

So, my conclusion is that while this is a shocking amount of software piracy, it's really embellished as to how much these companies are losing.

[[Cameron]]

I swear its not my fault! Who told you i have pirated software, well THEY LIED!!! Sorry.
*Preperation D moves his eyes shiftilly

[edmundito]

One thirds? That low? Man, I thought it was a lot more. Why are they so afraid of the whole anti piracy thing anyway.

But knowing American sources, Worldwide could mean the United States of America and sometimes part of canada (the non Quebec section)

[Babar]

Asia/Pacific only 53%??? That is impossible! I have yet to see a store here that sells original software. But seriously, if they sold the software at actual price here (even if you don't count the money it would cost to transport), it would be too expensive for anyone to buy here. There I am, ninth on the list. I guess I should be proud

[Vel]

The pirated software in Bulgaria and on the Balkans is about 95%

[Timosity]

Pirating software or anything is wrong, but I also think that the potential buyers of particular software doesn't always have to be related to how much pirating is going on.

The whole reason things are pirated is because they are over priced, or some people are addicted to it.

If people can get it cheaper or download it free, they will probably do it for the sake of it, rather than actually needing it, so more pirating goes on for no real reason, but these people are not really potential customers to the creators of the original product anyway.

which throws the stats out, making the whinging companies thinking they are actually losing more money than they really would.

if anything, they'll sell more copies, because their product is reaching more people that normally wouldn't get a chance to experience it.

But hey I'm probably off topic anyway, as I didn't even read the article, cause I'm selectively  illiterate.

[shbaz]

But knowing American sources, Worldwide could mean the United States of America and sometimes part of canada (the non Quebec section)

You think American's are such ignorant fools and yet you make that statement without reading the article. I just assume because the article gives statistics for each continent.

You are from America or Canada aren't you? I mean, I don't want to look like I associate with people from outside of this part of the continent or I might defy expectations. There are places outside of this continent right? I mean, just trying to be sure. I don't really know because I'm such a stupid American.

[Rave]

Is every American stupid then?...okay, what about people who are visiting America, are they stupid? What about..er...if you were born in America, but you live somewhere else now. Like...say your Father is American but your Mother is Irish. Are you only half stupid, or does the USA blood override a less stupid nationality? What if.... *gets whacked over the head with a 2 by 4 and dragged out the door*

[shbaz]

Is every American stupid then?...okay, what about people who are visiting America, are they stupid? What about..er...if you were born in America, but you live somewhere else now. Like...say your Father is American but your Mother is Irish. Are you only half stupid, or does the USA blood override a less stupid nationality? What if.... *gets whacked over the head with a 2 by 4 and dragged out the door*

You're stupid. 

[edmundito]

d'oh! Actually I didn't even remember when I posted that... talk about shooting myself in the foot. wow, it was almost 1 AM when I posted, no wonder...  no, shbaz, I just live in North America

Reading further, tho, I see the numbers. I always thought it was interesting how when I lived in Venezuela, there were absolutely no piracy controls. In fact, the first legal piece of sofware I ever saw being sold there was like in 1996 (I specifically remember Quake, and Full Throttle). However, the same store sold you the cheaply burned version for a cheaper price. At that time you could go to the computer store and get Windows and Office installed, and any other software you needed like $4,000 AutoCad. I don't know if it's gotten better or worse, but if it's still the same they probably give you a CD with the software, since now days they're cheap to burn. And it must be the same because they have burned psx and xbox games in stacks for you to buy.

why is Microsoft not bothering venezuela? I don't think they're fighting piracy very well...  I think it's because they know the market (80% of venezuela is poor) is not going to buy very well so they don't give a damn, and they concentrate on suckering places where people have money to spend.

I think the only people making money in venezuela is nintendo because I don't think they haven't figured out how to copy the specially made discs for the gamecube.

But this is mostly consumer market. If you're a professional, and you're pirating professional software (like a web design studio pirating photohop) that is really shameful, In my opinion, at least.

[LGM]

Which is why I don't pirate.. I plan on using the skills I learn from computers now in a professional field some day.. That is, of course, if I don't become a film director...

I'd just feel terrible if the skills I use to pay the rent were learned from stolen software. But that's just me.. Other people probably don't care.. heartless bastards, mostly..

But it's apparent, companies ARE losing money because of pirating.. So that defense isn't nearly as plausible now. So I don't want to hear it.. YOU HEAR ME, FLIPPY?!?!

[shbaz]

I always thought it was interesting how when I lived in Venezuela, there were absolutely no piracy controls. In fact, the first legal piece of sofware I ever saw being sold there was like in 1996 (I specifically remember Quake, and Full Throttle).

I've been told that there are pirated music, movies and software sold on-base (American Military bases) in Iraq and elsewhere. That is supposed to be legally American soil (even if temporary), but it seems like many foreign places have uninhibited pirating (even if the foreign place is American). Probably because of the reason you mentioned and I hinted at, poverty. Just look how much lower the number is in North America.. I mean wow. Even though most people here have the internet with File Sharing freely available.

[[Cameron]]

Which is why I don't pirate.. I plan on using the skills I learn from computers now in a professional field some day.. That is, of course, if I don't become a film director...

YOU BASTARD! YOU STOLE MY FUTURE!!

[Gfunkera]

Truley why would anyone wanna buy software when you can get it for free? I sometimes will break down and buy software or a game from a company/artist I support but other than that I would never pay for any of it, I enjoy   http://www.suprnova.org  Doom3 is realy interesting 

I think bit torrents may be a good idea for people to release there AGS games, that can't afford expensive bandwidth.

[switcharoo]

Hmm, tough argument this one... Piracy is wrong, but I agree with what Timosity said, that companies are over estimating how much money thay are losing because people who have pirated software probably woouldn't buy it anyway.
My brother gave me a CD that he got from a friend at university, on it are full versions of Flash, Dreamweaver, Photoshop, Acrobat etc etc etc.
I have used many of the programs on the CD, programs that I would never have payed the £3500+ it would cost to buy them at (greatly inflated) retail price because I simply couldn't afford it.

Recently I downloaded the trial version of Adobe Photoshop CS. It's all too easy to find the required serial number to remove the time limits of the trial. Same goes for just about every program available.
People are always going to take advantage of the fact they can get free software and I really don't think there will ever be a way to combat that.

I don't have any problem with people pirating the Adobe/Macromedia kind of software for personal use, because the main users are companies that have no problem paying £400 here, there and everywhere.
Games, IMO, are different though, the main buyer of games is Joe Public, and although they are insanely over-priced (£44.99 RRP for a PS2 game? Fuck off...  :) piracy of games has the potential to hit game makers hard and in the long run put them out of business.

Maybe my logic is flawed, maybe not, but personally I will never pay over £30 for any piece of software, be it Macromedia Flash MX or Pandora Tomorrow... Both of which I have.

[ras_maxim]

piracy is good for us poor users  because we can get all expensive and rare soft practically for free. the same with music and movies. I live in Russia. ALL  CDs cost about $2-4
both musical/ video and software.  the same thing with mp3... for example.. 15 albums in 192 kbps just for $3. Generally, you can bye a VHS or video CD with movie before it appears in cinemas. See: Matrix 3 appeared in stores about a week before the world relise. We love freebies.... 

[Pumaman]

One thirds? That low? Man, I thought it was a lot more.

Remember that this includes both businesses and home users, and the vast majority of companies have legally owned software. If it was a home users only survey, the percentage would be rather different, I agree.

Truley why would anyone wanna buy software when you can get it for free?

That's really a non-argument though - you could say the same about anything. Why would anyone want to buy a CD from a shop when you can hide it under your jumper and steal it for free? Why would anyone want to buy a cinema ticket when you can sneak past the teenage geek checking tickets and get in for free? And so on.

[Alynn]

I've been told that there are pirated music, movies and software sold on-base (American Military bases) in Iraq and elsewhere. That is supposed to be legally American soil (even if temporary), but it seems like many foreign places have uninhibited pirating (even if the foreign place is American). Probably because of the reason you mentioned and I hinted at, poverty. Just look how much lower the number is in North America.. I mean wow. Even though most people here have the internet with File Sharing freely available.

Actually thats not true... it's not American soil, it's Sovern Iraqi soil that we are borrowing for the time being. And yes... you can get DVD's out here cheap... usually 5 bucks for 2 movies on 1 dvd (they even have 4 movies on 1 dvd but the tend to be uber crap) but you do get what you pay for... once in awhile you get one directly burned from a DVD, but for the most part its in a movie theater that someone taped with a vid camera... so you see people walking around, laughing, people talking, and some of these guys forget they are taping or something and place their drinks directly in the line of the movie... Not to mention some of them are in the worst seats in the house, and you don't get to see the whole screen...

Yes there is piracy out here... and when we go back, customs will yank all that crap from the people that get caught with it (yes even the military on deployment has to go through customs on their way back), for the most part, I don't give a damn about the movies... it gives me something to do during my off time...

[shbaz]

Actually thats not true... it's not American soil, it's Sovern Iraqi soil that we are borrowing for the time being.

Maybe my info is outdated, my Vietnam-vet history teacher told me that American military bases were considered American soil, whether temporary or not. It could have been changed by now, or he could have been wrong. He was a crazy guy.

[jaz]

Czech Republic amongst countries with lowest piracy level in the world? Hard to believe but it seems that things are changing for better over here. Heh, I bought a Piece of Legal Software yesterday too .