every one has their own reasons, but this is a topic that should not be discussed any where. let me make my point why before you condemn me as crazy. Look at windows 10, its really great but most of it really sucks, the risks of using it are still high compared to windows 7, why, one & only one reason, to hunt & target unauthorized access of any windows products, so whats wrong with that? well the problem is the piracy issue has nothing to do with it, microsoft is loosing global marketshare just like the melting glaciers. so, now with nadella at the helm, the only way is to have all users of microsoft tagged & identified at all times, thats the only effective strategy that could defeat the previous methods in old windows/products. hence such communities & torrents need to have a small vetting process while registering members.( sure include me) microsoft has studied tactics & strategy how people disseminate & consume their products. Now to the main & final point, Microsoft has always been a Bully. Just like a Bully at school, you could make a complaint agisnt IT & the school is forced to pretend to help you, the only way you defeat a Bully is by taking away its respect & power. you do that by showing everyone the true nature of the Bully. By tweaking, Modding, Slipstreamming, making windows more suited to the real needs of its users, we make windows better. so pirate all you can, but pay for that you appreciate, also if you are in a legal business do not take the risk, just obtain a license. you do not know when s**t hits the fan, al capone was finally arrested on tax evasion.
People pirate/crack products because: (Windows, Games, etc.) a) Expensive for some... (depending on the situation like living in a poor country or because of economical collapse) b) License blah blah and non sense. (frustration) c) DRM. (look at sony fiasco) d) To have a working backup copy. e) There are no DEMOs for some products. f) You buy a new computer and you can not migrate the software from another PC, they force you to buy it again. g) Just for learning new stuff like reverse engineering. h) They don't release the product after the end of support.
I'd say it's because it's so easy. You can install VL editions without any key at all iirc. There are also tools like KMSPico and MS toolkit which make it so simple anyone could do it. Thank goodness for those developers efforts!
Quote from OP "One big reason people pirate Microsoft's software is that they make it so darn hard to figure out how to buy it legally." Gave me a good laugh that did. People who pirate software do it because they can and are not bothered about buying it legally ..... That's why they pirate it. Of course I'm as honest as the day is long and I'd never admit to indulging in such dastardly deeds!
People pirate for the same reason that dogs lick their own balls...Because they can. Plain and simple.
Why do people pirate Microsoft? Because it's there! But I like the OP's explanation. Which can also be given as to why people pirate DVD movies and music. Because legit buyers are punished with DRM similar and such nonsense, which pirates don't have to put up with.
you forgot the joy of disc rot. ive had several Alien films, and a few others, become unplayable after a year or two. so much for being honest
1) I'm Cheap. I don't like to spend money on things that I believe should be offered at a reasonable rate to users like myself. To me students, the poor and whoever else you can name should get cheap/free copies with no jumping through hoops. 2) I do not care about large corporations. The day a corporation ACTS closer to a living breathing thing, maybe I'd give it the respect I do to living things. Argue that it has employees all you want, but as an entity, blame gets spread out such that no single person is at fault for any horrible decisions made. 3) Trials/Demos.. Where you be at? 1) Did I mention I was cheap? Oh, I will spend money on products I believe are produced in a way that I can generally accept and meet a certain set of standards. At the end of the day literally nothing else matters but the way money talks. Use it wisely, buy a politician
Students already do get free/cheap copies of MS software Suddenly everyone becomes poor.... good plan
In German, theirs is the term “Kavaliersdelikt” (Kavalier = knight, Delikt = offense). The translation is usually “trivial offense”, but this doesn’t render the true meaning. It’s the kind of offense that does not dishonor the offender, and rather demonstrates some ability on his part, a good example being avoiding to pay income tax, which practically everybody who can get away with it will do it. I think this best describes the situation with pirating Microsoft, or indeed any other software, including downloading pirated movies and music.
Pirates are also always potential customers. Most young pirates will later anyway good customers. So rather Windows Pirats than others. btw: mdl-'Pirats' Halloween Wallpapers (no it's free) https://httpsimage.com/img/2016.jpg https://httpsimage.com/img/2017.jpg
- People should not forget MDL Forum is nothing without MS like all other MS related forums including Warez boards - MS or it's owner/creator spent a lot of money to 3th world to help people with his money e.g. Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation - Other corps. like Apple never spent any money - Pirating or not, people need to pay their bills, including yourself and MS and what do people without jobs -> more evil things - If you not like products simply not use it instead of whine or complaining about - Pirating could be marketing for the product, if the product is bad no one wants to pirate it ... - Instead of pirate maybe ask the developer to lower price, KCSoftware developer is in some warez boards to monitor the status, he for example said I can give a discount - There are more points but I think it's up to everyone
Would a pirate be a pirate if they purchase legit software at discount prices? Now if a pirate sold somebody else's software at a discount, then they would still be a pirate
I think you not got the analogy, the developer is not a pirate, but instead of trying to crack it and waste hours of time (which in fact costs more money) he offers a discount, which is a good solution for both of them. He not needs to fear any cracks (or less) and the purchaser not need to spent yet again (after an update) his time to find another 'solution'. Cracking stuff and to provider mirrors which are maybe infected is also another stuff which is dangerous. If you use products really daily or very often you not get anything from using cracks, the time you waste with searching, trying to test it and maybe clean or re-install the software/OS because something is broken, is not worth (in most cases). It's math, let's say a product costs around (as an example) 50 dollars and you normally get 10 dollars each hour if you had work in that time ... calculate yourself ... People pirate sandboxie and such pretty good software, trying hours to crack it and after an update you need to re-do the entire work ... You spent overall much more money and your lifetime (which is priceless).
Your correct Chef, I do not gather the idea of cracking software is any different than pirating. If I develop a key generator to crack Adobe or any other popular software product, then that is not pirating it?