Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

mkrishnan

Moderator emeritus
Jan 9, 2004
29,776
15
Grand Rapids, MI, USA
there is no data to support piracy levels for either or.

You're right, but on the software side, there at least historically I think was some data that said that Mac users spend more on software than Windows users. That doesn't necessarily imply that they pirate less, but it does seem suggestive....
 

ghoztman

macrumors regular
May 23, 2008
104
0
Switzerland
I was a Windows user until nearly a year ago. I only ever bought one piece of Software and that was WoW. I resented buying software and simply ran everything cracked.

Now that I am a Mac user, I buy everything. I have access to cracked software but I am happy with the way I have it. I don't resent buying software for the Mac because I get stable software that works, nicely. Also, OSX has so much available native to the system (think iPhoto, iDVD, iMovie) that when I buy software it means Aperture, FCE, Quicktime etc.

I also know that everything I have is supported to a standard that satisfies me. My days of sitting at home wasting time cracking and hacking and fixing broken things are over. I can afford to buy software, it's good software, I am happy with my purchase, end of story.
 

Kronie

macrumors 6502a
Dec 4, 2008
929
1
I'd guess the percentage is similar, but there are just many more Windows users.

That's it exactly. The reason that Mac users seem to pirate less is simply because there is so many more PC users. I know lots of Mac users both in school and professionally that use cracked software.

I did a quick search on a popular pirate site for "CS4 master collection" and for windows there are currently 296 people that apparently have already downloaded this file and 616 people currently downloading it.

For Mac, its 101 people have already downloaded the file and 258 people currently downloading it.

Seeing as Mac is only what, 10% of the PC market? There are WAAAAAY more Mac users pirating software than windows.
 

chilipie

macrumors 6502a
May 8, 2006
983
1
Englandshire
I did a quick search on a popular pirate site for "CS4 master collection" and for windows there are currently 296 people that apparently have already downloaded this file and 616 people currently downloading it.

For Mac, its 101 people have already downloaded the file and 258 people currently downloading it.

Seeing as Mac is only what, 10% of the PC market? There are WAAAAAY more Mac users pirating software than windows.

That's a very presumptuous statement based entirely on anecdotal evidence.
 

Winni

macrumors 68040
Oct 15, 2008
3,207
1,196
Germany.
I don't know if Mac users pirate less than Windows users, but I strongly doubt it.

However, many indie & shareware developers who produce products for Windows -and- OS X say that usually one third to one half of their income comes from Mac users, which indicates that Mac users, given their much smaller market share, tend to purchase more than Windows users.

One reason might be that you actually need to purchase more software for OS X than you need to purchase for Windows, because there is more Freeware available for Windows than there is for OS X.

I would also support the argument that the average Mac user has a thicker wallet than the average Windows user - after all, a Mac user is willing to pay a premium for Apple's designer hardware and software, indicating that he has more money at his disposal. (There was only a very small time window when the brand new Intel Macs could bet most of the PC competition over the price. That window has closed quite a while ago, and now we're back to "normal" Apple business.)

One the other hand, the premium priced hardware could also be a reason to pirate more software - especially when the respective user is on a budget and more or less has spent his budget on the hardware already. Then he's forced to pirate software if he wants to have a useful system. (One certainly does not need a Mac when Open Source software perfectly satisfies one's software needs, so pointing at Open Source software is not really a valid argument here.)

In short: Apple users might spend more money on software and content, but that does not automatically mean that they pirate less than others.

The article says that Mac users report that they are more likely to buy music. I expect that's due to the ease iTunes provides, if true.

Only that iTunes is also available for Windows and most iPod owners are Windows users.
 

Kronie

macrumors 6502a
Dec 4, 2008
929
1
That's a very presumptuous statement based entirely on anecdotal evidence.

You are 100%...............correct, but I'm using the data that's provided to me. Get me more accurate data and possibly the numbers are different....but I highly doubt it.
 

floyde

macrumors 6502a
Apr 7, 2005
808
1
Monterrey, México
These forums offer a hint: :p
 

Attachments

  • Dibujo.JPG
    Dibujo.JPG
    14.9 KB · Views: 39

robanga

macrumors 68000
Aug 25, 2007
1,657
1
Oregon
I'm guessing that it is partially an economic answer. Mac users have a tendency to be somewhat more affluent than the median of PC users worldwide. Where there is less economic incentive to pirate, you have less pirating.

Look at where many of the viruses and malware of the world gets spread from, un-patched windows PC's in places such as Russia and China. Why are they not patched? because in many cases they are not running legit copies of the OS. In those countries, even a very low-end inexpensive PC can cost a few months of an average salary, so actually buying useful software for it is another expensive proposition.
 

nplima

macrumors 6502a
Apr 26, 2006
606
0
UK
Hi,

Mac users are a dangerous bunch :)

Just look at this forum and you'll find:
1) people altering their graphics cards so they can be used on Mac Pros instead of the normal PCs they were built for;
2) people tinkering with PCs so they can use OS X86 on them;
3) people "jailbreaking" their iPhones
4) people creating their own music instead of buying pre-made art from RIAA affiliates.

I could go on and on... all pirates! arrrrrrrrrrrr!

;)
 

Sesshi

macrumors G3
Jun 3, 2006
8,113
1
One Nation Under Gordon
More creative users = relatively more respect for intellectual property.

So please explain -

All the extremely talented (and frequently somewhat impoverished at some part of my relationship with them, if not broke) designers I've worked with, me not only having to pony up basic costs for them to come into work on time / deliver work on time but in some cases, but (always) provide legal versions of software?

In fact, come to think of it the sole talented designer(s, since they are two partners) I know of who have actually pulled out a set of genuine disks and installed it on the machines I provided to them have been Windows-based. Obviously we're talking about individuals and not companies.
 

Schtumple

macrumors 601
Jun 13, 2007
4,905
131
benkadams.com
Generally, I think it's because the software is actually worth the money you pay for it, I've bought plenty of crap apps for windows that were a good £20-50 thrown down the drain, I haven't come across that for mac yet... Although there probably is the odd crap app for mac too :p
 

millerj123

macrumors 68030
Mar 6, 2008
2,578
2,571
Only that iTunes is also available for Windows and most iPod owners are Windows users.

Good point. But, I'm anecdotal evidence of exactly one. I only plugged my shuffle or iPhone into my PC if I absolutely had to, otherwise, I wouldn't run iTunes at all. Once I got my mini, I leave iTunes in it's own space and plug in daily, at least for my iPhone. I've bought more music since switching than in the prior 5 years. My personal experience is that PC users (me, only) don't buy music from iTunes at all, but Mac users (me, only) have rented once and bought one or two tracks. However, I was simply speculating, with no published data to back this.


My point was that the article was about purchasing music, and didn't say anything about piracy.
 

cjm3113

macrumors 6502
Nov 30, 2008
358
0
Some numbers

From just a quick glance it would appear to show that..

Mac users supply 4% of torrents.
Mac users seed 10% of torrents.
Mac users download 23% of torrents.

Correct me if I'm wrong, wasn't paying too much attention.
 

Kronie

macrumors 6502a
Dec 4, 2008
929
1
Some numbers

From just a quick glance it would appear to show that..

Mac users supply 4% of torrents.
Mac users seed 10% of torrents.
Mac users download 23% of torrents.

Correct me if I'm wrong, wasn't paying too much attention.

So using those numbers and lets be generous and give apple that 10% of the market share.

1. Mac users supply less than windows. (Which makes sense because there are limited mac programs).

2. Seed slightly less (Once files are downloaded they make them available in there system for others to download)

3. Download more than windows users?! Hmmmm? interesting!
 

garybUK

Guest
Jun 3, 2002
1,466
3
I think that Apple users have a much more intimate and tangible relationship with the company that provides for their computing needs. When you're a PC user, you might be building your own comptuer -- picking up odds and ends from various companies that really mean nothing to you. You do the same with software -- some of it works well with your hardware, some of it doesn't. The relationship just isn't on the same level as it is with Apple user and Apple the company.

We like the products that Apple makes. We appreciate the work and effort that goes into creating Apple hardware and software. We have some level of respect for the company and the way that they have treated us over the years -- I know that I have had nothing but memorable customer service at the hands of Apple. And, I think we recognize the need for this company to be a successful business. So, when Apple comes out with a new iLife suite and markets it for $89, we feel okay about giving that money to Apple.

I also think that for the majority of Apple users, similar relationships exist for companies like Adobe and for music artists that we appreciate and respect.

I'm not saying that I don't pirate because that would be a lie. I would say though that I have a conversation with myself from time to time to determine whether I'm okay with pirating something.

That's my take on it.

darren

Have you met the die hard AMD / Nvidia crowd? It exists in the PC world as well, but on Microsoft Windows you have such a population of installed machines that when software is released it's released on such a scale that Apple's never seen, hence someone somewhere is going to post it up on a torrent site.

I personally don't like the iTunes store for many reasons but Apple has added something that can't be done with 1000+ companies involved in the PC world..... convenience... my opinion is they have made it easy to get legal music/movies and that's why it's been successful (it certainly isn't for the technical abilities)
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.