Sad...really sad...

[Guest Matthew Murray]

Hey, A friend sent this to me....Dear Users, I would appreciate it if you would stop asking for a Serial that A) May not work and :( Will allow you to use a product that you have not bought. I find it utterly disgusting that users expect to be able to use a pay ware product that a team of people have spent many hours researching, developing, and updating. It is quite right from them to expect a little money from you; they do not expect their software to be stolen. I suggest that you go to: www.precisionmanuals.com and purchase the PMDG737NG. It is $40 (subject to change). If you can't afford the software, then you cannot get it. It is a simple fact of life. Please wake up, and see what kind of affect you are having on the FS Community. It is people like you who are forcing people to protect their software, which has a detrimental affect on legitimate users. It is people like yourself who are the cause of many an unhappy customer since he/she cannot use his newly bought software after he/she paid; he/she has to wait for a personal activation code. Take note of what I am saying. You are depriving the community with your free-for-all attitude, and you are driving excellent developers out! Wake Up, Buy It, if you can't, don't! However, don't EVER expect to get it for FREE. These people are trying to make a living!Good Day People!The reply from some people is hilarious to say the least. They obviously don't see the problem. The reply with foul language and are very narrow-sighted. Very disapointing that *fellow simmers cheat the system....I say good-on the person who wrote the orginal text. I agree! And the sad**** who replied, grow up! Make some money and buy it!NB. Post edited for language content.

-----------------------[bR]Matthew Murray | Project Airbus[bR]

http://vatsim.pilotmedia.fi/statusindicato...tor=OD1&a=a.jpg

[Guest Brent Hebert]

Matthew,What is even sadder is those who post such request in public forums where theire IP can be traced.Brent HebertMEMBERhttp://www.cox-internet.com/bhebert/aopa.jpg

[Guest Brent Hebert]

Thanks for editing Matthew. :)Brent HebertMEMBERhttp://www.cox-internet.com/bhebert/aopa.jpg

[1mikel151 71]

"I say good-on the person who wrote the orginal text. I agree!And the sad ***** who replied, grow up! Make some money andbuy it!"Correct me if I am wrong in the way I am reading this, but I take it the text you published is the reply from the ***** to the #### moron that is trying to get the free software. If so, while I don't agree with his tone and his verbal skills, I agree with him and I think his frustration is shared my many (definately me!) with the FS public that is set on this "freeware attitude by stealing" trend. I am getting to a point to where I don't want to buy payware because of the lengths I have to go to get it installed because of all the measures companies are using to try and prevent the "sad' individuals from stealing their hard work! We are even seeing an increase in people starting to upload others freeware offerings in their own name with no regard the original author that put in the work, what is up with that??!!Attitudes like this are really hurting this hobby, very sad indeed!Regards, Michaelhttp://mysite.verizon.net/res052cd/mybannercva1.jpgCalVirAir International VAwww.calvirair.comCougar Mountain Helicopters & Aviationwww.cgrmtnhelos.com

[Guest JonP01]

Well, whatever the story behind the comment, I certainly consider myself one of those people who have "suffered" at the expense of software pirates. The fact that so much software nowadays requires user-to-vendor "activations", codes, keys, etc, has put me off buying much of it. I'm one of the the most legitimate users out there. I look after three computers. I have three licenced copies of Windows, two licenced copies of Office (one machine does not run Office), two licenced copies of FS2002 (again only runs on two machines). But I won't buy much of this software that has these high technology "locks", because in the end it is a hassle I can do without. Take the example of a payware third party developer for MSFS. Their software requires unique keys that become invalid if you had to reformat for some reason. So what happens if I had to reformat and they decided not to give me another key, or there was a delay in givng me a key, or in the worst case, they were no longer in business?So as much as I'll probably get flamed for being overly paranoid, I can attest that developers ARE losing income from legitimate users - not just the pirates. But beofre people do class me as paranoid, think of the example of TurboTax. This software was very tightly controlled with activation procedures that were a nightmare to many users. The excutives of the company who sold Turbotax were totally unapologetic to the honest users who suffered because of the activation technology. I only read recently that the company has now suffered sufficiently in sales to legitimate users that they have now dropped this protection technology except on demo copies.I often wonder whether the perceived loss of income on account of software thieves is just that - perceived. The first question is whether the person who got the software for nothing would ever had paid for it to start with. Would the burglar who robbed you house of it's TV and Stereo and Personal Computers have been happy to front up to the electrical store to buy them for him or her self? So, could the company who suffered software priacy actually have been able to demonstrate lost revenue? Only if the thief would have bought the software if they hadn't been able to steal it in the first instance. And the second question is how many sales are lost to legitimate users? I venture to suggest that more income is lost on account of the honest users than it is because of the dishonest users.

[Guest B52Drivr]

Hello All,I'm going to stick my nose into this for just an instant . . . you know me, I just say what I think.Activation codes that protect makers software are now a part of doing business. Because of the attitude: Isn't this cute, I've stolen this software and now, being the great person I am, I'll offer it free to everyone. The software makers can afford it, they charge too much anyway, and I'll be a hero to my friends." Well, it's not cute, and all you 'would-be' hackers, who steal software need a good lesson in 'justice'. A few months, in a cell with 'Bubba' as your roommate might convince you that it is STEALING.Stealing is wrong . . . that hasn't stopped it for centuries, but it is still wrong. We are faced with a generation of people who think that if they cannot afford it, why not rip it off. You ask why things are so expensive, from toilet paper to new cars . . .when manufactures have to protect their rights, it cost money, and that price is passed right on to the consumer. It is a fact of life.I wonder what these hackers would do if someone just walked into their home, picked up their new 'hi-tech' computer which they spent hours putting together or buying, and said: "Sorry, tough luck, you can afford it . . .I'm going to give it to my friend for free and you're just out of luck. They wouldn't care for that at all.Now, nothing I have said will make the first bit of difference to most of them out there, but a few, (very few, unfortunately), will get caught, and prosecuted . . . and I hope 'Bubba' is one real, nasty guy who tell's you how 'cute' he thinks you are.Lastly, the real shame of it all is that most of these pirates CAN AFFORD TO BUY IT, and desire to steal it anyway . . .for kicks, or just to beat the system, and, if the software maker they steal from happens to go out of business, because his new product has been stolen, and his diluted profits can't pay the bills, they are the first ones to cry and moan: "Gee, they made such good stuff, what will we do now?".Stealing is stealing, and it is wrong and not funny or cute . . .hence, activation codes, which are a pain in the butt are here to stay. I say track down all the web sites who offer stolen software and put the operators in jail . . .with 'Bubba', and don't stop until they all are gone.Just my .04 cents worthClayton T. DopkeMajor, USAF (retired)"Drac"B52Drivr@aol.com

[Guest Matthew Murray]

Hello, I never really offered my thoughts. I am one for believing that if I haven't got the money for something, I can't have it. The way I see it, is as a motivation. To mkae that money I'll go a do things for it e.g. wash the car, cut the grass, etc and eventually I'll have the money to buy it. I can handle not having something like an add-on because I can play with some freeware models until I have money to buy the payware. With regards to the "Protection" system, I agree with the developers. What I have seen posted by PMDG it will be almost "uncrackable" which at the end of the day is a bonus for PMDG. It may just provoke "hackers" to try harder to crack it. I say Well-Done to PMDG. Activation is nothing but a very small amount of time. Sending an activation code off to the developer isn't that great a deal. I did it with the CS727 and my code was returned in a timely manner. I'll support the developer in his/her descision and if it means waiting an extra day so be it. I am happy in knowing that I have paid my money, that has gone to a deserving developer for his/her hard work and a bit of patience is all it takes. The majority of complaints about the system are for people with little or no patience what so ever. It's a shame really.

-----------------------[bR]Matthew Murray | Project Airbus[bR]

http://vatsim.pilotmedia.fi/statusindicato...tor=OD1&a=a.jpg

[Guest wathomas777]

I am going to be a devils advocate here for a sec.I do not condone piracy, I am not a pirate, and I do not run any software that is pirated.Having said that, the "actions" of said "anti-piracy" software, and the developers that use it is completely, and unjustifiably wrong.Many times, this "spy ware" is used as an excuse for the software company to cully personal information from your computer, so that your information can be sold to telemarketers, or e-mail lists or the like.Software piracy has been around since the late 60's. Software companies have dealt with it, and maintained profitability throughout the Apple, Vic-20, Atari, Commodore, and such eras.We do not see such outrageous tactics being used on users of Gamecube, Xbox, or other CD based products, even though the technology exists to copy those formats as well.Piracy, is being used as a cover all excuse, to raise prices, and further gouge the consumer. The latest example is with FSD and a user who is now locked out of his software because in the opinion of FSD, the man simply reinstalls his OS too much.Now, is software piracy a problem. You bet. But it is no more or less a problem then it has been for the last 30 years. The truth is, if software companies continue to ASSUME all their customers are criminals, they will lose business.I have already had to switch back to Windows 98 from Windows XP, because the Anti-Piracy protection on my Diablo II disks play havoc with my XP CD-Rom Drivers. As this stuff continues, I will no longer buy the software. And then, the software companies will either have to take measures to treat me like a customer and not a criminal.Would you shop at Wal-Mart, if they did a pat-down search of you as you exit the store? Why should we as consumers allow the same type of gestapo Facist tactics to be employed by the software companies.Last time I remember, My Jimmy Buffett CD didn't happen to "lock" because I used it on more than 4 CD players.This crap has got to stop. A consumer who demands to be treated as a human being, and not a criminal.William Thomas.

[Guest Id Rather Be Flying]

Amazing that apparantly this is causing havok throughout the communities!!! GOOD, I think we ALL need to get aggressive and spread the word and turn the tables!!!!DEVELOPERS: STOP hurting your LEGITIMATE customers and focus on producing a QUALITY product that is WORTH what you seek and business will abound period!!MOST and I REPEAT MOST software that people pirate is USED RARELY and then discarded. BIG DEAL, whoopdeedo that is really a horrible situation. You think you'll sleep better at night KNOWING that sales are going to increase because companies like MACROVISION are the saviors of the software world. HOW MANY versions of safedisc have their been? TONS and did it stop. NO NO NO & NO so what does that mean? DEVELOP QUALITY, SELL AT A FAIR PRICE, SUPPORT, & ENJOY profits and LESS HEADACHES for EVERYONE!