PC Software Legitimacy Poll

[Mental Trousers]

I wont entertain anything french on my PC.

I'll entertain most things in French cut panties on my pc .... or lap ....

[dawnrazor]

I don't use any PC software - I use MAC software instead

[StoneChucker]

Paying for Microsoft software is saying that it's ok to put out substandard products, that innovation is a bad thing and that it is ok to have a market place that is so skewed by the mere fact that Microsoft exists (it's like a giant black hole in the middle of a galaxy - everything gravitates towards it whether it wants to or not) that nothing else is able to establish the tiniest of footholds. Competition is good so stop feeding the monster and look at alternatives.

I fully support paying for software btw. Just not Microsofts.

You hypocrite!!! I take it because you are defending the right to steal software, that you are using stolen software? I can't explain what you are doing any better than this:

hyp‧o‧crite  /ˈhɪpəkrɪt/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[hip-uh-krit] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun 1. a person who pretends to have virtues, moral or religious beliefs, principles, etc., that he or she does not actually possess, esp. a person whose actions belie stated beliefs

HEY! - All you Microsoft haters & Pirates:
Yes Microsoft is a monopoly, and yes they release substandard software. But, if you detest it so much and think it's ok to steal it for those reasons, then you are a raging hypocrite! Don't use the fucken software if it's so bloody shit... Don't justify (to yourself) that it's ok to steal, and then use the bloody software you are bitching about? It's so shit? It's a monopoly? It's expensive? Fine, use open source software or less pouplar software, but for heaven's sake have some morals and ethics, don't bloody steal the software you are slagging off and then use it saying how shit it is and that's why it's ok to steal?

Can anybody else see the hypocrisy? Come on, that fact that everyone is continually justifying it is even sadder. All I'm asking is, if you are stealing software, you are both stealing AND saying you need to use the software. However much you tell yourself it's ok, companies are too rich, it's too expensive, etc... it doesn't make it right. Dumb arses! (I'm not even saying don't do it, or like the vendors, just admit the facts)

NB: Holy topic dodging batman! I just realised something, Microsoft is ONE company (all be it a super large, fat-cat monopoly) - I'm referring more specifically to the rest of PC software. If I had to pick one company out of two who it was worse to steal from, Microsoft would NOT be that one, regardless of who the other one was, so you can see that I don't like Microsoft that much either. However, when it works properly, Windows is a rather useful application, which one has to pay for - Nothing is free in life, unless you steal it

[Mental Trousers]

...some stuff ....

Nothing is free in life, unless you steal it

I haven't stolen it. But I haven't paid for it either. Helps having worked in computers. You get *free* shit all the time. Somebody else paid for it. Which is fine by me.

[Zed]

You hypocrite!!! I take it because you are defending the right to steal software, that you are using stolen software? I can't explain what you are doing any better than this:

HEY! - All you Microsoft haters & Pirates:
Yes Microsoft is a monopoly, and yes they release substandard software. But, if you detest it so much and think it's ok to steal it for those reasons, then you are a raging hypocrite! Don't use the fucken software if it's so bloody shit... Don't justify (to yourself) that it's ok to steal, and then use the bloody software you are bitching about? It's so shit? It's a monopoly? It's expensive? Fine, use open source software or less pouplar software, but for heaven's sake have some morals and ethics, don't bloody steal the software you are slagging off and then use it saying how shit it is and that's why it's ok to steal?

Can anybody else see the hypocrisy? Come on, that fact that everyone is continually justifying it is even sadder. All I'm asking is, if you are stealing software, you are both stealing AND saying you need to use the software. However much you tell yourself it's ok, companies are too rich, it's too expensive, etc... it doesn't make it right. Dumb arses! (I'm not even saying don't do it, or like the vendors, just admit the facts)...

Preach it!

I take it this is one of your pet hate subjects Dave!

[StoneChucker]

Preach it!

I take it this is one of your pet hate subjects Dave!

Ha ha, nope - it's just that after the responses some people put to the poll I posted, I had no choice but to point out the blatant, idiotic hypocritical nature of their justifications...

[Mental Trousers]

One thing I'd like to know is do those that blindly pay for software have any mp3's on their machines?? Last I heard New Zealand legislation didn't cover making back up copies of cd's. That'd mean the majority of mp3's are in breach of copyrite unless 100% legal mp3's are the only thing downloaded.

[Flyingpony]

I've got a non-internet connected PC running Windows XP Pro and have an official CD-Key generated by the Student representative at University.

Unfortunately, this install stopped working after 30 days complaining about not being activated or something,,, but I already gave it a Microsoft generated CD-Key so why is it still bugging me about it?

Maybe the CD-Key was faulty and I should go back and get a new one?

Anybody knows how to fix this?

[kickingzebra]

All I can say is Go opensource!!

why would you flog office, when open office is free, easily available, and every bit as useful for the average user?

Likewise Ubuntu, does damn near everything windows does, and a lot of things windows doesn't, but it's free!

Winzip? easy I use Justzipit. Damn site faster, and no bullocks interface that is useless.

I have a computer at home running all MS product, but it is all paid for. Came with computer, through I relative who is a distributor. Cost saving for sure, but I wouldn't steal it!

You just have to be prepared for the work around.

photoshop? I use GIMP, Even if I had photoshop I would probably still use gimp.

Open source is the way forward, but I still struggle to understand how canonical, the parent company that releases ubuntu (including free shipping if you want a CD) actually makes any money.

Good on them none the less. They must have identified a market.

As for Bill Gates, The guy is as big a philanthropist as damn near every other country in the world. His house is less than a 5 million dollar affair, and his life is chronically boring. Leading a market matters more to him than profits, but as in any business, if there is no profit, there is no business. Maybe they charge so much because of the pirates? how else are you going to make up the dollars and cents?

[phaedrus]

I've got a non-internet connected PC running Windows XP Pro and have an official CD-Key generated by the Student representative at University.

Unfortunately, this install stopped working after 30 days complaining about not being activated or something,,, but I already gave it a Microsoft generated CD-Key so why is it still bugging me about it?

Maybe the CD-Key was faulty and I should go back and get a new one?

Anybody knows how to fix this?

Sorry, but nothing is faulty, this is just how windows works. Essentially the computer doesn't believe that you are legally using windows, it wants to phone home to check if your cd key is in use elsewhere, there is a way to do it over the phone but i don't know how. If you install the WGA patch (last I heard it was beta software pushed out as a critical update - and microsoft don't support it) it will do this check every week.

[StoneChucker]

All I can say is Go opensource!!

why would you flog office, when open office is free, easily available, and every bit as useful for the average user?

Likewise Ubuntu, does damn near everything windows does, and a lot of things windows doesn't, but it's free!

Winzip? easy I use Justzipit. Damn site faster, and no bullocks interface that is useless.

I have a computer at home running all MS product, but it is all paid for. Came with computer, through I relative who is a distributor. Cost saving for sure, but I wouldn't steal it!

You just have to be prepared for the work around.

photoshop? I use GIMP, Even if I had photoshop I would probably still use gimp.

Open source is the way forward, but I still struggle to understand how canonical, the parent company that releases ubuntu (including free shipping if you want a CD) actually makes any money.

Good on them none the less. They must have identified a market.

As for Bill Gates, The guy is as big a philanthropist as damn near every other country in the world. His house is less than a 5 million dollar affair, and his life is chronically boring. Leading a market matters more to him than profits, but as in any business, if there is no profit, there is no business. Maybe they charge so much because of the pirates? how else are you going to make up the dollars and cents?

Firstly, I was going to point out that fact that Bill Gates is amazingly big into charity work and not that much into living it up big time, but I didn't think anyone would care - So good to see someone else has an open mind.

Now, how do I get this next point across??? Everyone keeps going on and on about open source software, Ubuntu, Justzipit, GIMP, etc... You are missing the point. I'm not saying use paid software only, and don't steal it either. I actually agree with using open source, it will slowly break apart monopoly businesses.

I'm talking about the people who choose to use paid software but also choose not to pay for it. Those same hypocrites justify their reasons with all the excuses listed previously, even fooling themselves that it's ok. They fucking bitch and whine about monopolys, bugs, cost, etc.., but they still use the gdamn software, pirating every single copy.

If you like open source software, good, so do I in theory, so then use the free software - don't use paid stuff you steal. Can noone see the fucking point? Use the open source - good. I am pointing to those who say that (and use most of it), but then run stolen copies of that same software they bitch about.

Do I need to paint a picture? Anyone who still misses the point, you'll never get it so forget about it - carry on in your delusional dream world. The point I'm making is irrefutable - There is no discussion. It is right and wrong. If you justify theft or don't believe you're doing it, you are a certain type of person who just cannot understand the essential roots of right and wrong. Back to my initial point, the only truth I ask, is to acknowledge that you're doing it. I don't have any real-world problem with people using stolen software, as long as they understand it is stolen and that they don't try and insert their fuzzy logic to justify it to make themselves feel better - Admit it, or don't justify it making yourself look like a moron.

[The_Dover]

Firstly, I was going to point out that fact that Bill Gates is amazingly big into charity work and not that much into living it up big time, but I didn't think anyone would care - So good to see someone else has an open mind.

Now, how do I get this next point across??? Everyone keeps going on and on about open source software, Ubuntu, Justzipit, GIMP, etc... You are missing the point. I'm not saying use paid software only, and don't steal it either. I actually agree with using open source, it will slowly break apart monopoly businesses.

I'm talking about the people who choose to use paid software but also choose not to pay for it. Those same hypocrites justify their reasons with all the excuses listed previously, even fooling themselves that it's ok. They fucking bitch and whine about monopolys, bugs, cost, etc.., but they still use the gdamn software, pirating every single copy.

If you like open source software, good, so do I in theory, so then use the free software - don't use paid stuff you steal. Can noone see the fucking point? Use the open source - good. I am pointing to those who say that (and use most of it), but then run stolen copies of that same software they bitch about.

Do I need to paint a picture? Anyone who still misses the point, you'll never get it so forget about it - carry on in your delusional dream world. The point I'm making is irrefutable - There is no discussion. It is right and wrong. If you justify theft or don't believe you're doing it, you are a certain type of person who just cannot understand the essential roots of right and wrong. Back to my initial point, the only truth I ask, is to acknowledge that you're doing it. I don't have any real-world problem with people using stolen software, as long as they understand it is stolen and that they don't try and insert their fuzzy logic to justify it to make themselves feel better - Admit it, or don't justify it making yourself look like a moron.

The main flaw in your argument is that you assume that everyone understands what opensource software is, where to get it, how to configure it etc...

Software prices aren't high because of piracy, every piece of software I have ever bought (except old Codemasters games!) has been overpriced. Why do you think succesful software companies make a fuckin packet? Where is the incentive to pirate shit and break the law if it is affordable?

Opensource is great, if you have the knowledge and understanding to use it.

[kickingzebra]

My point to that, is there is no need to pirate software... If you steal because you need to, maybe excusable, but if people hate redmond with such a passion, there is a whole world of alternatives!
Are they actually trying to hurt microsoft by using pirated copies? Cause all that will really do is increase the strength of the brand.

If you hate the disbutable fact that microsoft are operating a daylight robbery business, easy solution that doesn't hurt any ethics or morals.

Now all we need is open source telecommunications, and viable market opposition to telecom.


Edit: The switch to ubuntu, as far as open source goes was as close to seamless as they come, likewise GIMP and openoffice, they use very similiar GUIs, and the help files are actually helpful! It is very easy, like driving a different car, same principle, slightly different execution... And it hurts the money grabbers more!

[StoneChucker]

The main flaw in your argument is that you assume that everyone understands what opensource software is, where to get it, how to configure it etc...

Software prices aren't high because of piracy, every piece of software I have ever bought (except old Codemasters games!) has been overpriced. Why do you think succesful software companies make a fuckin packet? Where is the incentive to pirate shit and break the law if it is affordable?

Opensource is great, if you have the knowledge and understanding to use it.

First, lots of things are over priced, that doesn't mean it's ok to steal them. Can afford that HSV? Do you know how much they make them for?!! It's ok, steal one if you can't afford it.


Seriously though, I'm interested in what you mean about understanding open source software to be able to use it? (No, I'm not being sarcastic, it's a serious question). I've never used open-source, and to be honest don't know / understand anything about it other than downloading it and installing it to use. That's probably because I've never thought about it though.

[StoneChucker]

My point to that, is there is no need to pirate software... If you steal because you need to, maybe excusable, but if people hate redmond with such a passion, there is a whole world of alternatives!
Are they actually trying to hurt microsoft by using pirated copies? Cause all that will really do is increase the strength of the brand.

If you hate the disbutable fact that microsoft are operating a daylight robbery business, easy solution that doesn't hurt any ethics or morals.

Now all we need is open source telecommunications, and viable market opposition to telecom.


Edit: The switch to ubuntu, as far as open source goes was as close to seamless as they come, likewise GIMP and openoffice, they use very similiar GUIs, and the help files are actually helpful! It is very easy, like driving a different car, same principle, slightly different execution... And it hurts the money grabbers more!

I'm not sure if uou are talking to me, but we are totally on the same page. That's partly my point!