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1994-09-03
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Path: oz.cdrom.com!barrnet.net!parc!biosci!news.Stanford.EDU!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!newsxfer.itd.umich.edu!nntp.cs.ubc.ca!unixg.ubc.ca!news.mic.ucla.edu!MVS.OAC.UCLA.EDU!IZZY1MK
From: IZZY1MK@MVS.OAC.UCLA.EDU (A.P.)
Newsgroups: alt.games.doom
Subject: Re: DOOM II Thoughts
Date: Fri, 02 Sep 1994 18:15
Organization: UCLA Microcomputer Support Office
Lines: 47
Sender: MVS NNTP News Reader <NNMVS@MVS.OAC.UCLA.EDU>
Message-ID: <19940902181554IZZY1MK@MVS.OAC.UCLA.EDU>
References: <348g10$35q@vixen.cso.uiuc.edu>
NNTP-Posting-Host: mvs.oac.ucla.edu
In article <348g10$35q@vixen.cso.uiuc.edu>,
jr7877@eehpx12 (Jason V Robertson) writes:
>But you are _wrong_ in saying it doesn't hurt Software companies when people
>pirate software. It doesn't hurt _BIG_ companies with _expensive_ programs.
>That is true. I mean if you are using a $3000+ program that you would NEVER
>have bought it doesn't hurt them. No big company or any person who really
>profits from an expensive piece of software would pirate it.
>But pirates _do_ hurt software companies who produce low cost software.
>Games, Utilities, Word Processors, Operating Systems (sometimes.. I doubt
>they could hurt IBM!). If ID sells 500,000 copies and there are 100,000
>pirate copies that _does_ hurt them.
>So pay the lousy $50-60 and let id make a bigger, better version.
>
>(My pitiful 2 cents worth)...
I've had numerous conversations with people about the costs associated
with pirating, but I believe that pirating does have some interesting
beneficial side-affects. For instance, in regards to the legitimate
or pirated copies of Doom 2 that everyone is talking about, many seem
to be missing the point that it *is* talked about. Some say, "It has
this shotgun!" and others say "New monsters!"; yet this is creating
free advertising for Doom 2, as well as hype.
Furthermore, software companies that use pirating as an excuse for
raising their prices are doing just that- making excuses. Pirating
in one form or another, whether computer data, visual (VHS tapes),
physical (counterfeit clothing) will always go on in some form or
another, it gives the parent company a "legitimate" reason for
charging an extra $20 per game. IMHO, baloney. It's just socking
those who do plunk down their cash for the game an extra amount for
those who don't. What will happen? Increased pirating. The problem
needs to be addressed, not the symptom.
Lastly, pirating seems to create some sort of instant rating system.
Word gets around quickly that this program "sucks" or another is well
worth the $. Who benefits? The consumer, and internet readers who
read these posts. It also encourages programmers to come up with
better, cleaner games, faster code, and a better plotline.
With companies like Egghead refusing returns any longer in cases of
dissatisfaction, what is someone to do who bought a really stupid
program for $60? They can't resell it; everyone on the internet
wouldn't want to buy it becuase they'd read the reviews/spoilers on
the game beforehand.
Ok, that was five cents worth.