visor said:
To cut a long story short - if an idividual has a certain, limited amount of money, and he pirates some software - he has more of this limitied amount of money to spend on somthing else - which will most likely preserve some employees job.
Do you really think it is neccessary that a company like e.g. microsoft acumulates money in a big way, while others loose their jobs because noone can pay them anymore? And, thinking on - if they loose teir jobs, could they pay for the most recent MS products anymore?
On the marketing perspective - might it be desirable to have pirated versions of software around to grow a user base, and as such spread to a bigger market which will in turn be producing more leagally bought products in the end?
Hmmm! Sounds like the old "Robin Hood" justification. I'll steal because I think someone is rich, and spend it on someone else.
First off, Microsoft, Apple or whoever is not just a big "corporation". (and I am not a big Microsoft fan) They are corporations that employe hundreds or thousands of people, and that generates hundreds of thousands of ancilliary jobs throughout multiple industries. What sins may exist on the corporate leadership level belong to the corporate leadership. It still does not justify theft, which is more likely to cost the very jobs you think you are saving. You are not stealing from the corporation. You are stealing from the employees, vendors, the vendors employees, the consulting and marketing firms and their employees, and it continues to cascade on down the lines of economics until in the end, you end up stealing from your own self. The corporations will just raise their prices, cut jobs or outsource to lower paying vendors, to compensate for any losses they occur. They have to, or else they will go out of business.
The rules of economics are realy quite simple. What goes around, comes around. Each individual is responsible for living within their means. Money in any form, is just a means of barter or exchange, a way to keep the energy of prosperity flowing. If you receive something, you have a responsbility to give something in exchange. Nothing in life is free.
The adage that "you must spend money to make money" is true. What you don't spend, cannot come back to you. You want a better paying job? Then start by paying for the products and services you consume. Because the person you pay today for products and services, will someday directly or indirectly, become the consumer who pays you or the company you are employed with, for their products and services.
And NO, pirated software has never been shown to increase market exposure of any kind in a "beneficial" manner. Instead, it just increases the perception of others, that they shouldn't have to pay either. Theft unchallenged, just encourages more theft. Then everyone suffers and pays the price.
. I did it with 10.3 and got it a month or so before my cd's came in 
