I think that software companies use the "piracy" argument as a crutch. There are two kinds of people, those that will pay and those that won't pay. If a software company sells a thousand copies of a game to a thousand paying customers, then how can it say it's business was impacted by a phantom number of pirates who were never going to pay for the game in the first place? It's like all the poorly operated businesses that complained that they were going out of business due to the economy-- when in fact the business was a bad product, had bad service or never had the customer and sales support that it needed. Now theft is theft and there is no condoning it, but I also don't believe that pirates are the ill of the software and music industry.

If oil can be pirated, it would surefire cause great harm to the oil companies and some of the countries concerned. The logic is simple, they use it without paying, while the sustainability of oil supplies, operating expenses, transportation, depends on the income earned. No income, no supplies. Thus, no oil. Great loss, not only for those who don't pay, but those who pay, and those who run the business.

 

I don't see software business can be equated. When one releases a product, the dev fully depends on public's aesthetics preference. They love it, they buy it. vice versa. If the product doesn't meet their standards, less people invest in the product, as a result, it will trouble the developer.. no matter how many people have pirated it.

 

 

However, theft is theft, but that's not the main cause, it is not even the major cause.

 

IMO PMDG's products are the most pirated but they keep on going with good prospects. The reason why the developers have left fs9 due to piracy is not relevant. Quality Wings has made a good run with their 752/3 thus they keep supporting fs9 with their next release BAe-Avro sometime this year. On the other hand, PMDG was turned down by the MD11 selling. I wouldn't say if MD11 did well they'd continue supporting fs9, but you get the idea

 

Again theft is theft, I'm a quite religious person and I 1000% believe stealing is not allowed. I'm not supporting such illegal acts.

 

 

 

 

Cheers

I think that software companies use the "piracy" argument as a crutch. There are two kinds of people, those that will pay and those that won't pay. If a software company sells a thousand copies of a game to a thousand paying customers, then how can it say it's business was impacted by a phantom number of pirates who were never going to pay for the game in the first place? It's like all the poorly operated businesses that complained that they were going out of business due to the economy-- when in fact the business was a bad product, had bad service or never had the customer and sales support that it needed. Now theft is theft and there is no condoning it, but I also don't believe that pirates are the ill of the software and music industry.

I think your first sentence is a crutch, actually. There are not "two kinds of people", there's absolutely nothing to prove that statement whatsoever. It's something that's been "cooked up" to justify complaining about companies trying to protect their intellectual property rights. If a software company sells a thousand copies of a game to a thousand paying customers, and then finds it was downloaded over ten thousand times from TPB that's a significant monetary impact. Fifty thousand dollars of legitimate sales versus a half million dollars in theft. If you say there is no lost income... if the game has a value (it was sold for fifty dollars), then for every person with an un-purchased copy that's a loss of fifty dollars. It's really just that simple. They got something that belongs to the company, for nothing. It matters little whether or not the pirates would ever actually purchase (you'd be surprised how many actually would if they had no other way to get the game).

 

The next time someone steals your money, remind yourself they're probably not the 'ill' of your financial situation.

There are not "two kinds of people", there's absolutely nothing to prove that statement whatsoever.

 

My wife has an expensive shoe habit (curses). She buys shoes that cost anywhere from $200 to $500 a pair. I look at them and to me they look like any other pair of heels, except that they have a fancy name brand. Sure she could go out and buy a pair of similar looking or exact copy of the same shoe for a fraction of the cost, but doesn't. But other people do go and buy similar "knockoff" shoes. Is it fair to say that the name brand company my wife buys her shoes from is losing sales to people buying no-name imitation shoes? I don't think so, because the people who buy imitation or knockoff items were never going to buy the expensive name brand stuff in the first place-- so how can that be lost sales or theft?

 

You may not agree, and that is your choice-- but the bottom line is that the company that puts out a quality product, at a fair price, with good customer service and support generally doesn't need to worry about online piracy.

You may not agree, and that is your choice-- but the bottom line is that the company that puts out a quality product, at a fair price, with good customer service and support generally doesn't need to worry about online piracy.

 

First... knockoffs are actually illegal.... aside from that shoes and software aren't comparable.

 

As for your line I quoted... I guess based on your statement not a single FS developer has done that... since even the best of them have been pirated.

"knockoffs are actually illegal.."

 

That's a pretty grey area actually, since copying an idea has never been illegal. Putting a fake label would be a trademark (and probably copyright) violation, but just imitating the style of an item of clothing would not be.

 

High Street imitations of expensive designer clothes and/or accessories usually introduce just enough variation not to fall foul of copyright laws.

since even the best of them have been pirated.

 

Guess what, every business is pirated to a degree. Whether its copied recipes, decor, clothing, electronics, software, music, etc. it happens. The best companies find a way to thrive and don't blame their failures on pirating. PMDG's software has sadly been pirated for years, but I would bet that at the end of the day they are counting dollars-in-hand sales and not arbitrary "pirated" lost sales.

Guess what, every business is pirated to a degree. Whether its copied recipes, decor, clothing, electronics, software, music, etc. it happens. The best companies find a way to thrive and don't blame their failures on pirating. PMDG's software has sadly been pirated for years, but I would bet that at the end of the day they are counting dollars-in-hand sales and not arbitrary "pirated" lost sales.

 

Thus far you've shown far more support in your attitude and statements for pirates than for commercial vendors. You even justify a pirate's actions by claiming it's the vendor's fault that their product gets stolen.

 

Your argument is going around in circles... you state that pirates steal because the company deserves to be stolen from... you then state that a good company need not worry about piracy... you then state that even the best company (assuming PMDG is the best, which is actually a personal opinion but we'll go with it for discussion's sake) gets pirated... which means, based on your first statement) that even the best company deserves to be stolen from.

 

"knockoffs are actually illegal.."

 

That's a pretty grey area actually, since copying an idea has never been illegal. Putting a fake label would be a trademark (and probably copyright) violation, but just imitating the style of an item of clothing would not be.

 

High Street imitations of expensive designer clothes and/or accessories usually introduce just enough variation not to fall foul of copyright laws.

 

Actually it's the term 'knockoff' that's becoming more gray. It used to mean a product identical in appearance right down to the trademarks and such... but the boundary keeps getting stretched by those who prefer to take another's ideas and work for their own profit.

you state that pirates steal because the company deserves to be stolen from

 

You lost your argument with that statement. I can guarantee I said nothing of the sort. Likewise as I said in previous posts, I do not condone piracy or theft in any form. My purpose for the entire thread was that too many companies lay blame in their business shortcomings on piracy, the economy or whatever. The marketplace has a way of righting its way, and that includes businesses that make quality products, have superior customer service and support their community. Those businesses prosper and survive.

<br />The marketplace has a way of righting its way, and that includes businesses that make quality products, have superior customer service and support their community.  Those businesses prosper and survive. <br />

 

And with that, we'll wave adieu to this once again entertaining piracy thread. I can hardly wait for round 1,247 to magically appear.