I didn't say it was. Most don't sell what they download or even use it
for that matter and none of these junkies would pay for anything. I
think they do if for bragging rights, not because they need the software
or watch the same movie more than twice.
Alias
Generally Alias, I agree with that opinion, but the most widely 'pirated'
AND CONTINUALLY USED single piece of s/w has to be WindowsXP. XP downloaded
and used at home. XP being sold as counterfeit. XP installed by less than
ethical computer shops. Yes you can blame the small shops, but that market
is small margin. Dell/Compaq/HP etc. virtually put them out of business for
system sales and the like. Why would you buy any system from a small shop,
with the super cheap deals you can catch at the big OEMs.
MS want their retail sales, which is currently a fraction, possibly almost
nothing of the total XP sales. They already have OEM sales, that is the
HUGE slice of the pie.
Of course, their whole point of view is distorted just like DTV. DTV and
other companies claim to be losing millions of dollars a year to various
form of electronic 'theft'. The way they see it, or more likely, want
everyone else to see it, is that w/o the possibility of stealing DTV, all
of the people that were 'testing' cards, would become legitimate
subscribers, since thay can no longer get it for free. Subscription numbers
and revenue's would skyrocket. That is not the case. While it's true that
subs have increased since the security holes were closed, it doesn't really
show anything substancially realted to have a secure service. They had
steady increase is subs throughout their history, and looking at the chart,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DirecTV , the increase is not out of line with
the company history. Ergo, piracy of DTV did not nearly have the impact
that the company was claiming it did.
MS goes by the same mindset. Make it so you can't use it unless you buy it,
but let's charge $200/$300. Of illegal copies being used, how many of those
people would have gone out and purchased the OS retail to upgrade at $200.
I still work on people's PC's with Win98/Me on them. That's what was on the
PC when they got it, and it will be until that PC croaks.
So yes, people will steal it even if it's a buck, but if they make it so it
can't be pirated and must be purchased, a MUCH larger percentage of users
would feel comfortable spending $50 for the new OS.
Do you sell a million @ $200, or 4 million @ $50 ? If it were my business,
I'd go for the quantity sales.
DanS
