How much pirated Amiga software did you have?

[amiga4ever]

Not only were all my games and apps pirated, I also used to sell 'em.

I was about 11 when I first discovered the "demo scene", which lead me into direct contact with crackers and at about 13-14 years old, I got myself a modem and opened the door to the candy-store world of BBS's. THAT's about the time I began selling them to people at my school, neighbouring schools and loads of people in my residential area. I basically had my own little business, database of customers, customer snail-mailing lists (sending printouts with latest releases/prices, etc), deliveries, etc. I even "employed" a friend who I used to give every latest release to and who I used to call-up when I had an order. He would then copy the ordered item and deliver it.

It was actually unbelievable. The amount of money I was raking in at 13 years old.

Nowadays I purchase every single app/game I have. Mainly because secondhand console/PC games are dirt cheap and I like the support/updates for the professional applications I use. Plus, obviously, I have an income now. £30 for a 13 year-old in the 1990s was completely unreasonable - which is why I'm proud of the service I offered way back then...90% of my "customers" were kids my age and FAR from well-off financially speaking.

[amiga4ever]

Recidavist: how many years have you been on this planet? because your expectations are quite naive for a fully grown adult. I can tell you now, as a realist who's made an amature occupation of studying human behaviour, if it was possible to walk into a car showroom and "steal" a Mercedes Benz car with impunity, most people would. those who say they wouldn't are in one of three categories:

1. liars

2. the 1% of people with a misplaced sense of morals (ie: valuing the profits of huge corporations over their own interest) or

3. rich enough to buy it without a single financial consideration (and those people are few and far between, thanks to our system's unequal distribution of global wealth)

And, btw, the majority of those who do "pirate" software are young, students or the unemployed. in other words, people who couldn't afford to buy - or would greatly struggle to afford - the software in the first place. I think it's more immoral for people to not have access to overpriced (relative to said people's financial positions) software....just because they happen to be poor - personally.

the s/w theft that does occur is for the greater good and equality of mankind, imo. and there are plenty of people that can afford software to still make it very profitable for software companies to continue developing - that has always been the case and always will be - particularly as s/w firms continue to focus a lot more on valued added customer support.

please, grow up.

[amiga4ever]

The fact is people do it because they can, plain and simple. People will continue to do it as long as they are able. Some try to justify it, some don't. Some hide behind slogans like "information is free" others don't. At the end of the day its a morale decision.

Just not true. As I've said in a previous post, as a kid all of my software was pirated. This was because I came from a pretty poor background (to say the least), had no income and in the 90s couldn't afford £35+ per title. I agree, games are a luxury and my not being able to afford them is no moral argument - i should have just "done without".

But the point is, I certainly could not have afforded to buy those games anyway, and more importantly I would NEEEEEEEVER have been able to afford my copy of Real3D (which, iirc cost around £300) or 3D Studio Max which cost thousands. I honed my graphic skills on pirated applications as a kid and that enabled me become employed as an adult in an industry I love. Now that's a more moral based argument. Games you can do without, but productivity applications open doors to careers, careers that would be exclusive to only those children that came from families who could afford to buy them certain software titles. :/

Nowadays, EVERY item of software I own is legal. Not because I "can't" crack these software titles (I most certainly easily can) but because I can afford them thanks to my sort after skills (honed, largely, thanks to pirated softwrae)

Nobody lost ANYTHING through my piracy because, as has been pointed out by many in this thread, "our types" would not have been able to afford most of the software we pirated. But society HAS gain a skilled software user and a guy who can now afford to PAY for all the games and software that he and his family (children included) uses.

see, it's magic and just afterall.

[amiga4ever]

Like I mentioned before people can justify it in many convincing ways. It doesnt change the key facts does it? A software developer makes a piece of software a price is decided and that software is sold. It is illegal (for want of a better word) to pirate that software! That is the way it works. I agree with what you say but that doesnt change that fact does it? Thats why I don't justify it! I do what I do and that is that! I to could use the same arguements as you but I dont.
 
When I said "The fact is people do it because they can, plain and simple." I ment in general, obviously every individual has their own story, point of view.
 
As for allowing you a future career thats awsome but software developers dont owe the youth of today anything, and surely you could have gained the same skills in say college/university. Please dont see that as a attack im just saying its never going to be right to pirate because there are laws in place against it and trying to justify it is pointless becasue it will never be "ok".
 
If you dont agree with a law you campain to change it, you dont just break it surely?

Oh really, I could have gone to university and learnt to use software which, at the time, was only taught on MSc engineering degrees requiring not only a previous undergraduate degree but also a solid Mathematical background? Don't worry, I went to my university and local college open days on many occasions, looking and hoping (dreaming?) for "a way in". But that route would have been pretty difficult, considering the fact that I left home and school at the age of 16 and had to work full-time on a minimum wage, just to afford my rent and food. I spent every hour of my free time (after work) practising my trade, on a pirated copy of 3D Studio Max - THAT was my university and pretty much my only option for learning what I needed to learn to enable me to develop a portfolio which I was able to show to employers as a substitute for my lack of formal education. Again, maybe the middle class folk could afford to do things the "proper" way - but for many of us in life "the proper way" is not realistic and why should we just give-up without a fight (even if it does mean breaking a few copyright rules).

Btw, I remember a comment made in an interview with some guy from the marketing department of Alias Wavefront (developers of Maya 3D, which at the time cost around 14k) published in an old copy of 3D World magazine. He was basically asked his opinion on piracy and how it affected sales of Maya. He pretty much openly admitted that Alias purposely made it EASY for Maya to be cracked and hinted that it should even be a policy of Alias to secretly release unlocked versions for those who could not afford it. His basic reasoning was that companies largely do not pirate the software they use and employees and their familiarity with certain software is what dictates which software companies purchase. More pirate users = larger userbase = more company licences. (with respect to productivity s/w, at least)

I don't see your comments as an attack, I just see you as quite narrow minded and myopic in your steadfast adherence to "laws" which, in many cases, make no sense or reason to those of us living in the real world.

here's just a few of the world's most ridiculous laws which I expect you to abide by without question or independent reasoning:

- Topless saleswomen are legal in Liverpool, England, but only in tropical fish stores. (Of course!)

- The penalty for masturbation in Indonesia is capitation. (Wonder how they enforce that one?)

- In Hong Kong, a betrayed wife is legally allowed to kill her adulterous husband, but may only do so with her bare hands. (The husband’s lover, on the other hand, may be killed in any manner desired. COOL)

- In Cali, Colombia, a woman may only have sex with her husband, and the first time this happens her mother must be in the room to witness the act. (I shudder at the thought. How many of us would be virgins today?)

- not long, here in the UK, it was "illegal" to be homosexual and you could be hung for the crime.

[amiga4ever]

Well some laws will not change no matter how silly.  Like the ban on certain ccontrolled substances and the ones they keep adding in the uk like its going to solve issues, when in fact its just makes things a millions times worse.

Precisely.