Thread: What is "piracy" and is it ever justified
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mrojas is offline mrojas
2010-03-03 , 04:47
Posts: 733 | Thanked: 991 times | Joined on Dec 2008
#59
Originally Posted by ysss View Post
I have a question:

Say I'm in a position to develop a compatibility layer that enables you to run Android and iPhone apps in a VM sandbox on the N900 at a decent speed. To do this, I will have to license some things from Apple and Google and employ a number of people to code, test, polish and package the thing. There's a reasonable investment of funds, time and effort for this whole thing - but I figure it may be worthwhile if I can get it back from the product sale.

I will sell it for a reasonable $15 per device.

Am I not entitled to charge the $15 and enforce that fee to -everyone- that wants my program?
You are entitled to charge the $15, as well as you entitled to keep the code closed.

Or the reverse, you are entitled to give everything away for free.

And no one will have a saying on it, because it is something you developed, you own it, and hence, you have the right of doing with it whatever you want.

It would be wrong for people to distribute your $15 software for free, as well as it would be wrong for people to charge $15 for your software if you were to give it away for free.

I think that is simple and clear enough.

However, the world is very rarely simple and clear. Around here, where I live, piracy flourishes freely, because people want commercial software, but they don't have the money to pay it. The cost of a Windows license is around 3 times the minimum wage!

So it was interesting when, a few years ago, Microsoft began to offer Windows XP and Office Proffesional in universities at $15 as a student bundle. Everyone and their mother found a way into the campuses to get their legal copy. This is also an interesting read about a similar phenomena: Gates in China.

Now, what would happen if someone took your software, reverse-engineer it, improve upon it and release it? Then, there is where I would recommend people to read Free Culture.
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