Adobe, pirated software

Status
Not open for further replies.
Galaxy66

Galaxy66

Jeremy Beadle
Suspended / Banned
Messages
9,190
Name
My name is Mal not Jeremy :)
Edit My Images
Yes
Ok we all know it goes on, and there is a moral issue, but what are the real risks and limitations involved in the use of pirated software such as Adobe.

Or is this a taboo subject:nono:
 
The simple answer to your question is that this board doesn't condone piracy of software in any way. :nono:
 
Maybe its in the best interests to delete this thread altogether before any more posts appear which could encourage software piracy. Yes I hear you say, if it wasn't for me starting the thread...........

Take that:bonk:and that:bonk:and that:bonk:

nuff said! :exit:
 
slap.gif
:naughty:
 
There are reports that the latest Photoshop updates includes checks for licences generated by keygens etc which then invalidate your copy of software.

Microsoft already refuse updates if they think your copy of software isn't valid.

It wouldn't surprise me if big companies with very expensive software packages start going the same way.
 
Galaxy66 said:
Ok we all know it goes on, and there is a moral issue, but what are the real risks and limitations involved in the use of pirated software such as Adobe.

Or is this a taboo subject:nono:
Click to expand...

I dont see why this should be such a Taboo subject to discus! nobody is offering anything illegal here!

To answer the question.. VERY low risk, but as you pointed out it is illegal to use so you do so at your own risk..along with Thousands of other people!
 
As new security measures are put in, new security cracks are brought out. I agree that the way big software companies will go is to validate on updates like microsoft do. Again, new security cracks come out to get round these but it's a constant battle to get new cracks and god knows what other malicious software is bundled into these cracks so you let yourself open to a host of all other threats to your system.

Yes the software is expensive, but thats because they are quality pieces of software that take a lot of development in the first place, and also a lot of maintenance in the form of updates and patches and, of course, the battle againsts crackers. There are many pieces of free software out there to do similar things, but they often lack the best/useful features and are often performed at a poorer quality. They are also often not quite so stable or pleasent to use. But they're free.

[/Programmers perspective]


You'd pay hundreds/thousands of pounds on a lens to take certain types of photos, so why not pay a few hundred pounds on a piece of software that caters for all your photos?
 
The difference between manufacturing and software is that everything has to be designed, made and transported, so subject to a lot of physical costs (raw materials, production costs, transportation) so part of the purchase price are tangible costs that can't really be reduced by ramping up production - eg quality optics have remained consistantly expensive partly due to the complexities of manufacturing.

Plus its hard to pirate copy a lens.

With software, yes there is a lot of development time that goes into it, but manufacturing afterwards is simply a producing a CD or more often now just an electronic download. You don't get the boxes of printed manuals anymore... I know there are updates and support, but likewise physical goods have a warranty and service issues too.

By reducing the selling price, they simply open up the potential market to those who couldn't afford the current price who would be prepared to download a pirate version. Profit per individual sale would go down, but the user base would go up and this would mean an increase in profits overall and less piracy.

I know you wouldn't get rid of piracy altogether, there are those who are determined to get things for free, or for the challenge of cracking it, but many people I am sure would rather have genuine rather than forged software.
 
Don't get me wrong, I don't agree with the such high price. However when there is such a specific market, or little competition, this is what you get.
 
mattyh said:
The other point to raise is, why do we in the UK have to pay so much more for the software?

Case in point: Adobe CS3 master collection.

US Version. $2,499
UK Version. £2,200

Work that out!
Click to expand...

The same can be said about any other product/purchase when comparing with the US. Taxes and enconomy. They charge what people will pay. Unfortunately we in britain pay the prices (generally by borrowing) so they carry on charging those prices.

For what it's worth, I don't think i'll be staying in England too much longer, i've just about had enough of it and the lastest fuel prices are pretty much my final straw. But now we're veering waay off topic :)
 
mattyh said:
Lol you have a point.. I don't pay for fuel, so it doesn't really affect me, but we get screwed on everything else!
Click to expand...


lol. sorry to drift OT...
You DO pay for fuel!!!! in everything you buy :) hence your statement about being ripped off.. its just that some of us pay for it twice lol

:)
 
mattyh said:
The other point to raise is, why do we in the UK have to pay so much more for the software?

Case in point: Adobe CS3 master collection.

US Version. $2,499
UK Version. £2,200

Work that out!
Click to expand...

Can a UK user not buy / download from Adobe.com as opposed to UK?
 
Besides, how will you pay for it? They'll check your credit card address etc to check you are in the right country. This is how they do it with £1.49 mp3's from various sites so I think they'd be a little cleverer about expensive software :)
 
Grrrr, don't get me started on this one.... reduce the cost, reduce the demand for piracy, its quite simple....its like tax hikes on ciggies and booze, reduce the tax, reduce the amount that gets 'imported and sold' illegally, so plod and customs and spend more time & money solving real crime :bang:
 
LadyLens said:
Grrrr, don't get me started on this one.... reduce the cost, reduce the demand for piracy, its quite simple....its like tax hikes on ciggies and booze, reduce the tax, reduce the amount that gets 'imported and sold' illegally, so plod and customs and spend more time & money solving real crime :bang:
Click to expand...

and breathe :D

But I agree
 
The thing is reducing the cost will not stop or reduce very much the piracy that goes on. A DVD costs £20 in the shops and many are pirated for a fiver! A CD costs less than a tenner and illegfal use on the net is growing all the time.

Even if Ps was £100 many would still use pirate software to save spending the £100! There are many programs out there that cost very little but you still see the stalls selling the pirate versions for a fiver or tenner. I live in Glasgow and "the Barra's" (a traditional market place) is raided constantly to try to stop the sale of pirate games and DVDs.

I say buy it and be safe. If you can get the US version. It's exactly the same.
 
Thieves will always try to justify their actions, it part and parcel of their corrupt personality.
 
Piracy perpetuates Adobe's dominance of the imaging industry, though—they might well think twice before disabling it completely, or else what will the next generation of graphic designers (who can hardly afford Adobe's prices and so pirate) get hooked on? A competitor of theirs.
 
robmiller said:
Piracy perpetuates Adobe's dominance of the imaging industry, though—they might well think twice before disabling it completely, or else what will the next generation of graphic designers (who can hardly afford Adobe's prices and so pirate) get hooked on? A competitor of theirs.
Click to expand...


I agree, whilst on holiday a short time back I got talking to a chap from Adobe and he suggested Adobe don’t condone piracy and would prosecute in extreme cases i.e. production and sale, but would prefer an amateur to use a pirated copy of their software than a competitors, as the user would most likely go genuine if going pro.

You could always start a college course or evening class and apply for student discounts, my son just started an art MA at St Martins and I just bought him an Adobe package for £245 full price £1655.58 now than can’t be bad.

Adobe Creative Suite 3 Production Premium - Student Edition
Maximize your post-production productivity with Adobe® Creative Suite® 3 Production Premium - Student Edition software. Combines Adobe After Effects® CS3 Professional, Adobe Premiere® Pro CS3, Photoshop® CS3 Extended, Flash® CS3 Professional, Illustrator® CS3, Soundbooth™ CS3, and Encore® CS3, and also includes Adobe Dynamic Link, Bridge CS3, Device Central CS3, Adobe OnLocation™ CS3 (Windows® only), and Ultra® CS3 (Windows only).

The Student Edition is for home use by students only.
 
What`s the deal with that? Would that extend to a 10 week evening course or is it only recognised courses with qualifications at the end?
 
CraigDouglas said:
You'd pay hundreds/thousands of pounds on a lens to take certain types of photos, so why not pay a few hundred pounds on a piece of software that caters for all your photos?
Click to expand...

I think the difference is that a nice 'L' lens that might cost a thousand pounds or more will last you 10 years or more so you dont mind spending the money for the best lens available.

where as with Abode Software of the same value, you know it will be out of date before you learn how to use it....:shrug: then you have to pay again for the expensive updates....

If Canon L lenses needed updating every year very few people would buy them.

What we need is pay as you go software of some kind, pay a fee per 1000 files saved or something, so pros pay lots, home users get a good deal as they would not use the software as much. ( That was my idea, so cut me in on the deal Mr Adobe please :lol: )


I use elements and other cheapish software that has reasonable upgrade costs.

I dont mind spending lots on nice hardware though :)


Mark.
 
I don't think that there is anything wrong with discussing the subject of piracy, as long as nobody goes into detail for sources, or ways and means of getting said software.

Adobe wouldn't have their dominance in the imaging market without piracy, in some ways it is not in their interest to crack down completely. All these magazines would not be running tutorials for PS (some with Adobe's help) if there weren't a huge amount of people using Adobe PS software. And I don't think that vast majority of PS software in the country are legal by any stretch of the imagination. I know very few people with legal copies. :shrug:

As more users enter the camera market, and they don't have access to the full PS software, either because of cost, or because they don't know how to obtain illegal copies, there is a move in magazines for tutorials using PS Elements, as the readership of the magazines complain about tutorials for software that is way beyond what the vast majority of people can pay for.

There is a big difference in the attainability between software that costs about £60 (PS Elements) and one that costs about £480. (CS3) Whether that price difference is justified on features is another discussion on its own. I know few people who have legal copies of PS. I know more people who have legal copies of PS Elements.

If PS was cheaper, then more people would pay the full price I think. Even if the the UK price was closer to the exchange rate, as it should be, then that may help people feel that they are not being ripped off in comparison to the USA. What is the point of a strong £ if we can't take advantage of it.

It would be interesting to have a poll on the amount of people using the various copies of PS and Elements, both legal and not. I can see why that would not be a very good idea though. ;) :lol:
 
the bottom line is if you're not paying for it, you're stealing it. Those of you that condone this would, no doubt, be up in arms to wake up in the morning to find your car gone, or your house burgled. How would you feel if some jerk in the street helped themselves to your camera because they couldn't be assed or couldn't afford to pay the going rate?

Any argument about tax / inflation / government is a side issue and hey, if you didn't notice, we live in a capitalist democracy and send people to war to protect it
 
One other thing to consider is that the keygens used to unlock such things contain malware. And more worryingly, that malware also normally consists of a rootkit!

Why? because the people who write the keygens ARE the malware writers!

So, if you want your computer to be tracking every key press (done your banking online recently) and become part of a DDoS zombie network, go ahead, it's free afterall ;)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top