Cost of Piracy

**CivilWars** · 03-18-10, 09:42 AM

The counter-argument is that let's say 100 people use said software, but only 50 people actually paid for said software. If all 100 paid for it then they could half the price to all 100. They could, but they wouldn't.

**triggerhappy2005** · 03-18-10, 09:49 AM

Originally Posted by CivilWars

The counter-argument is that let's say 100 people use said software, but only 50 people actually paid for said software. If all 100 paid for it then they could half the price to all 100. They could, but they wouldn't.

That's not a theoretical argument. That's something you made up to sound witty.

**CivilWars** · 03-18-10, 09:51 AM

I didn't make it up, it was quoted on these very forums as a theory by some music or software company. I am not that witty. :P

**Veovis** · 03-18-10, 10:07 AM

Originally Posted by jmw_man

Yea, 30k-80k for different CAM softwares is retarded.

Yeh, I use Pro/ENGINEER at work and I've heard the licenses can cost up to $100k per year depending on how many features the company licenses. Ridiculous.

**maximusboomus** · 03-18-10, 10:34 AM

Lol I love how they look at these #'s and say "OMG we much take action!!!" Why aren't they sitting there going "OMG, we need to take action.... This much piracy means we are doing something wrong.."

**digital** · 03-18-10, 10:39 AM

The problem I have with things like computer software is how can you put a value on something that only exist because of various scientific theory, and technology.

Plus really has no physical existance.

I mean either to say well a dozen eggs will cost this because of supply and demand.

But to say well Office 2000 will cost 800 dollars vs. Office 12.0 will cost 300 dollars now.

Samething will the movie industry.

The only reason Avatar cost 1/2 billion dollars to make is because of all the over inflated cost of the actors, and movie staff. The movie itself could have probably been produce for under 100 million.

**jmw_man** · 03-18-10, 12:59 PM

Originally Posted by digital

Plus really has no physical existance.

You could say the same thing about service. Many manhours will go into the creation of software.

I think piracy wouldn't be as big of an issue if the prices of some of this software were to come down. Some software is highly sought after, others not so much, but those of which people want would definitely sell more if the price came down and the profit would be the same for the developers.

**Bunni** · 03-18-10, 04:29 PM

Originally Posted by jmw_man

Originally Posted by digital

Plus really has no physical existance.

You could say the same thing about service. Many manhours will go into the creation of software.

I think piracy wouldn't be as big of an issue if the prices of some of this software were to come down. Some software is highly sought after, others not so much, but those of which people want would definitely sell more if the price came down and the profit would be the same for the developers.

Ya i am a software designer, its about compensation for the work programing, support, updates, pretty much the time of the programmer and or company. However, i do not charge outragious pricing for my programs. They are, infact, quite scalable on a time basis.

**Kanati** · 03-18-10, 07:34 PM

These industry studies are made specifically to cause fear. The cost is specifically from estimated pirated downloads and that each and every one of those downloads would be a sale at full retail price. I don't even want to pretend to know how they think a quarter million jobs will be lost. I can't imagine there's that many retail programmers in europe. Maybe they think that the software industry will implode on itself and everyone will be out of a job.

Ridiculous. Probably less than .01% (hey if they can play number games with imaginary numbers so can I) of pirated software would actually probably turn into a retail sale if all avenues of piracy suddenly disappeared.

Piracy is bad... mmmmkay. But it's nowhere near as bad as "the industry" wants people to believe.

Someone mentioned visual studio at 11k... that's incorrect. Well... somewhat. Yeah if you need visual studio for an entire team of developers and want the team studio tools then yes. But a single developer can get professional (along with every OS MS puts out, server software, apps, etc) for under 1000 dollars by getting an MSDN subscription. MS software is very reasonably priced if you know where to look.

**GReYVee** · 03-18-10, 10:44 PM

It comes down to the same thing with all forms for media.

There are certainly sales lost due to piracy, but a bulk of the people getting the illegal copy would not have the media otherwise (ie they wouldnt pay for it anyways). I've gotten into discussions with people about this before. I don't feel it's right to pirate yet I have a hard time seeing it as exclusively immoral when a certain amount of time and sales have passed.

A writer would still write even if they only got 100k a year from it. Many well known authors are multi-million dollar success artists. Same as musicians. Music doesn't stop being made because people stop paying for it. They became popular by being the sound of the time and getting well exposed, and thats where the money is made.. not the music. the exposure.

Software is one in the same. A niche is found, talented developers make it just right for the consumers needs, and if exposed to the world right, lots of money is made. Piracy or not.

I'd rather see some 12 year old kid find his life's career talent with a pirated copy of VS/CS4/(input software here) -- than see a big company not make another 300$ they wouldnt get if this wasnt available for free. (erg negative logic confusing)