Does anyone ever ask to borrow one of your CDs so they can burn a copy of it, or ask to install some of your software on their computer? It’s a weird situation because on the one hand you’re not losing anything, and your friend is gaining something they want.
But I find myself thinking, “I paid for that. Why should they get it free?” Does that make me a bad person? It’s not even the piracy thing, which I’m also against, although I have been guilty of it a few times myself. It also seems different somehow from loaning something to a friend. Does anyone know what I’m talking about here?
Sometimes I think it’s irrational for me to be irritated and conflicted. But if someone’s asking for a copy of software that cost me several hundred dollars, it gets my back up.
I’d gladly let anyone copy any and all digital media I own.
Well, aren’t you lawless!
I have a special disregard for laws that only exist because of corporate interests (i.e., greed). The supply and demand balance for digital media has a thumb on the scale, as the scarcity of the supply is an artifice maintained with the compliance of the state.
I’ve been on the other side of the “borrowing software” stick so many times that I try not to let it bother me. On the other hand, I can understand being annoyed by it. I try to pay for stuff when I can afford it, and I would hate for someone else to call to lend *my* reg-number out. Not that I want people to pay for things themselves, but I don’t want to call up and say yeah I’m user XQ8-123456 and have them say “Oh, sure you are. You’re the fifth one today!” or something…
With registered software — nope, not unless I’m getting rid of it. I’ve gladly given away software I no longer use or found didn’t do what I wanted, particularly play-once games. I’ve loaned out software I wasn’t using and didn’t have loaded. But if it’s registered software in my name, I get paranoid, and a little ungenerous. I don’t ask others for software copies, and I don’t usually give them. I thus avoid the issue.
Other media…that’s harder. I’ve burned copies of songs for people and asked for copies. Because I have recorded material I sell, I feel a little queasy about taking that money from the artist (especially a little known or small market artist). On the other hand, sometimes it is just freaking impossible to get a copy of something (especially a little known or hard to get artist) and I will make a copy to spread the word and wonder.
Aside that, I’m not cool enough to buck the corporate system. It’s paying my mortgage.
The only time a request ever got me annoyed was when I sent an acquaintance my list of CDs, expecting him to ask for a couple of the rare ones, and got back a list of thirty or so discs that he could have easily bought in the stores had he felt like spending the money.
I don’t feel soaked by requests for one-off trading, no matter how big. Remember, if it’s something big and expensive, you still have the official license.
-Mike
depends on how CLOSE that muddaf.. err…i mean friend is.
sometimes i buy software ESPECIALLY meant to be shared…and we all will snigger and feel like we’ve robbed a freaking train…heheheheheeee….
MAKE ‘EM PAY!
I think there are a lot of small software houses that make excellent software that need to be supported. So, I’d feel bad not paying for that.
But with musicians, most of them are greedy assholes taking as much money as they think they can get from us – not true for small, unknown artists. I’d feel bad copying from musicians that aren’t well known, who deserve to be bigger.