Personally, I don't get it. People who pirate don't buy software,
bottom line. It doesn't matter how badass your new jet is or how laser tech, MAC address encrypted your installers are. To a pirate, software is either freely available, like all the other bajillion bits of stolen software, or somebody is probably going to crack it. It is straight up myopic and self aggrandizing to think you'll ever get a pirate to actually pony up and sponsor their entertainment. Statements like this are absurd and humorous; "one can clearly see how extensive the damage to all our favorite add-on providers is," hello, doof:
they were never going to buy in the first place. None of them. All I see are a bunch of names. Forgive me, but my thought is, "wow, if the pirates really like 'x' title, maybe I should go out and buy it to see what all the hype is." Is that bad?
People that buy software don't pirate either. I'm not referring to using your ex's Netflix account, I am referring to the act of providing basic biometrics in order to gain access to secure sites. Pirate sites are low life, keylogger riddled, rootkit injecting, watched by authorities, unhealthy places to frequent and they certainly don't help your favorite developers develop more stuff. That is another thing that made me laugh, how he couldn't get access. What, did he try with his actual name or something? In my experience, pirates are smart but insecure, computer nerds that really want affirmation more than anything. They upload other peoples' works in the hopes of filling that empty hole in their soul and they heartily welcome co conspirators. His inability to join the forums means he didn't try hard enough. The small upside (meaning, gosh if you ignore them, it might not be all bad) is that enough pirates get to saying good stuffs about your softwares on the forums, in might actually generate legitimate sales.
The takeaway for me is that instead of developing software products for his new customers, he squanders his resources on a witch hunt; stand aside Interpol. Then there is the whole thing about using my computer to wage his personal war and yes, I am concerned about a misdirected volley. Here is why I get so lit. The bottom, bottom line, is that it's really none of our business. Ya no, it's true. I got ripped off on ebay the other day, some dude had a compromised account and I guess it's my fault because I bid $150 on a $400 video card and they cancelled the whole thing and ebay's buyer protection can't help me because PayPal stepped in and they aren't saying chit. Jeez, should I maybe hack ebays database to find this guy? Ask the community to download my little data mining packet so we can filter IP addresses and zero in on the guy? No, none of that, sounds pretty absurd, agreed? The theft will be handled in due course by the proper authorities and I might even get my money back while it still has some of it's original value - as should happen with this guy's situation - but, no, he did something that made him issue an apology letter and THAT is what I will remember him for. One might ask oneself, "self, was it worth it?"
The work we do is like a rock concert. I know, you see a 737, or Dusseldorf airport and you think, no, that is a
thing. It may be virtual, but it is as real and solid as Watson and Amazon. But it's not. In a few weeks or months, someone will publish a new 737, one where the inlet strakes align with the tangential cross flow the way
they do in real life and for a time, this upstart will be the definitive 737. Perhaps so definitive that one day they will give it it's own display in the Louvre. Not likely, but one can hope.
Ultimately however, software, whatever it is, hits the billboard charts, remains popular for as long as it can to be eventually replaced. It is the way of the world.
How do musicians deal with piracy? They support the DMCA, the relevant authorities and belt out more hits. Then there are the members of the band Metallica, going around door-to-door, confiscating bootlegged CD's - not! I actually see very few examples of performers openly bemoaning or beseeching piracy. How can they, when they drive around in jalopies worth more than my entire town.
So what's the answer? Develop. And buy the products you love. Support the community, support fair exchange and please, let's get our collective noses out of the gutter.
