Piracy - Any Real Idea How Your Sales Have Been Affected?

Gordon · 11-09-2004, 11:03 AM

It's been an interesting week over here as a few of us sat together discussing software piracy. Considering the amount of software there is out there, we all looked at what we have on our hard drives, and what we used illegally and legally.

It's been a suprising thing, as we found out that the main items we all paid for had been utilities that perfromed in a way that we just found so good, that there had never been a doubt in our minds that the software was worth the money.

I hold my hand up here and say that like many users, I had used one of the many cracked versions going around, but I had one of those days that I looked at what I had been using, then realised that the cost of the software, up against what I used it for, left me with no excuses at all for NOT buying the software.

Do you know what was an unexpected side effect of buying the software? It felt good to be 100% legit! In saying that, this was a combined factor of having a piece of software that was released at a realistic price, and not having me toed into expensive updates every year or so.... though in saying that, if a software house cannot get extra revenue from it's client base, then how can it continue to grow? That one, I'm sure would be an interesting thing to have some feedback on.

bmxer · 11-09-2004, 09:24 PM

actually piracy HELPS sales itself.

once some people tested the pirated software. they will go buy and get updated versions.

you have to remeber that warez groups are just advertising your softwares.

MxxCon · 11-10-2004, 12:49 PM

no doesn't.
for people to test software, there are shareware and trial versions.

Gordon · 11-10-2004, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MxxCon
no doesn't.
for people to test software, there are shareware and trial versions.

Well that is one way of viewing it, but I know from experience that people will always want to use something longer, and it's just human nature... some people will never wan't to pay for anything... pure and simple!

The thing is though, when a quality piece of software is used long enough, some people develop a conscience and in turn pay for what they have used... But, as I said before, it all boils down to the price being right as well.

Ryan Hemelaar · 11-15-2004, 01:37 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by bmxer
actually piracy HELPS sales itself.

once some people tested the pirated software. they will go buy and get updated versions.

you have to remeber that warez groups are just advertising your softwares.

Yeah I agree, but only to an extent. If you have a product that is not well-known, piracy can help advertise your product/company. But once your product is more well-known and users like it, if possible try stop the able to be pirate software, so then the users would have pay to upgrade your software to the newst versions.

Gordon · 11-15-2004, 03:26 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ryan Hemelaar
Yeah I agree, but only to an extent. If you have a product that is not well-known, piracy can help advertise your product/company. But once your product is more well-known and users like it, if possible try stop the able to be pirate software, so then the users would have pay to upgrade your software to the newst versions.

Yup, I agree with you. Look what Microsoft did... the released Windows (3.0, 3.11, 95, 98, ME, NT, 2K etc...) in a way that they KNEW could be copied world-wide, and then once the market was established, they started to tighten the security side up.

It was an obvious and excellent strategy to to take control of the world-wide operating system market.

MxxCon · 11-15-2004, 04:25 PM

if microsoft really wanted to "tighten up" their hold against pirates they could've easily done that windows 95, or windows 2000...both are totally new os...
alas, at that time the issue of software piracy wasn't as aparent, and people weren't as desensitized to DRM-type of protection.

Gordon · 11-15-2004, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MxxCon
if microsoft really wanted to "tighten up" their hold against pirates they could've easily done that windows 95, or windows 2000...both are totally new os...
alas, at that time the issue of software piracy wasn't as aparent, and people weren't as desensitized to DRM-type of protection.

Sorry, I think it has taken many years of research and a gradual and constant pushing of the software piracy threat to allow software vendors to now do what they are having to do... make is more difficult for the casual copier.

The hard core software trader, usually collects and passes on, but never uses, so while it's illegal under the terms of software terms and conditions, the actual sales side proably remains the same to a certain degree. This is the argument that has raged since computer software was released, and everyone will always have their own opinion on it.

As stated at the beginning, I bought this software simply because I felt the time was right to do so, plus the software itself has always been rock solid (ignoring small niggles) and there was no excuse to continue not to pay!

DYN_DaTa · 11-16-2004, 08:53 AM

Well, i posted some time ago my thoughts about software piracy ... but now i want to give another 'point of view': support.

One of the most important reasons to buy a license is, in my opinion, the support that the company/developers will give you. This can be through software updates, fixing bugs or with a portal/forum/helpdesk restricted to licensed users.

For example, Oracle. Oracle has one of the biggest support portals out there, it's called 'Metalink'. Inside there are a bunch of hundreds of patches, technical articles, discussion forums, etc... (in other words, the vital support that anyone that works seriously with Oracle need). You can download, without cost, the whole Oracle suite (8x, 9i, 10g, Developer, etc ...) from Oracle Technology Network (it requires registration but it's free), but if you plan to implement or work with Oracle you'll need (sooner or later) acces to some kind of 'expert' support.

Yes, there're a couple of sites (like asktom.oracle.com & otn) that gives you nice support, but 'Metalink' is the place where you'll find the damn patch that solves, for example, your rollback segment problem or the complete answer & explanation of the infamous ORA error messages. �The cost of be able to login into 'Metalink'?, well, it depends of your Oracle license ... $40.000 per cpu (Oracle Enterprise Edition), if i remember correctly, more or less.

Talking about FlashFXP we could see some kind of similarity: having restricted forum sections to licensed users, giving those users beta-updates, giving more support to registered users ... Nowadays the only way to attract more users is lowering the price or giving 'more' support (and the price is ridiculous low and the support is excellent, so ...).

Gordon · 11-16-2004, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DYN_DaTa
Well, i posted some time ago my thoughts about software piracy ... but now i want to give another 'point of view': support.

One of the most important reasons to buy a license is, in my opinion, the support that the company/developers will give you. This can be through software updates, fixing bugs or with a portal/forum/helpdesk restricted to licensed users.

For example, Oracle. Oracle has one of the biggest support portals out there, it's called 'Metalink'. Inside there are a bunch of hundreds of patches, technical articles, discussion forums, etc... (in other words, the vital support that anyone that works seriously with Oracle need). You can download, without cost, the whole Oracle suite (8x, 9i, 10g, Developer, etc ...) from Oracle Technology Network (it requires registration but it's free), but if you plan to implement or work with Oracle you'll need (sooner or later) acces to some kind of 'expert' support.

Yes, there're a couple of sites (like asktom.oracle.com & otn) that gives you nice support, but 'Metalink' is the place where you'll find the damn patch that solves, for example, your rollback segment problem or the complete answer & explanation of the infamous ORA error messages. �The cost of be able to login into 'Metalink'?, well, it depends of your Oracle license ... $40.000 per cpu (Oracle Enterprise Edition), if i remember correctly, more or less.

Talking about FlashFXP we could see some kind of similarity: having restricted forum sections to licensed users, giving those users beta-updates, giving more support to registered users ... Nowadays the only way to attract more users is lowering the price or giving 'more' support (and the price is ridiculous low and the support is excellent, so ...).

You know something, you have the nail on the head!
The support and the "feeling" of actually being important to the software vendor does help to create the feel good factor!
In saying that though, I really don't get that feeling from any Microsoft Product I buy (yeah I BUY them as well) and I really feel these products are way too expensive for what they are.

The "exclusive" or "members only" side does give you a good reason to part with the money as well, as once again you feel you are entering into an "Inner Sanctum" of like minded people!

I know of at least 4 other guys similar to me in my uses who have bought this software now, so there you go, my ravings have had a small amount of good done for the software writers here!