I live in a fast-growing town in Kerala, India. Fast-growing also means a town loaded with computer-fans. Even the janitor in our church seems to consult a computer before he sweeps so that he can cover the whole are in minimum sweeps and also to to decide upon the the latest ergonomical strokes of the broom to obtain maximum cleaning with optimum effort.
Without doubt, almost every computer-user here seems to be loaded with the latest version of MS Word, Photoshop, Video editing software, audio editing software, neural-network-emulation software, automation, and what not. If I need to know about a software today that is going to be released tomorrow, the young people in this town would not only give me the correct information, they also have the genius to deliver it yesterday. I sometimes feel like a moron because I started using computers when some of these whiz kids were not even born. They also at times (at least in the first iteration of our talk) use the same adjective about me in their minds. It takes a lot many more cycles of question-answer to exorcise them of the contempt (or pity) they feel for me.
It all typically starts with the same question put to me: what computer do you use. My reply usually startles them because they feel it is a system too powerful for ordinary use. So they think up numerous fancy uses to which I might be putting my computer and pop the next question: what all software do you have. My carefully compiled list of programs does not impress them because it does not contain the software, such as PageMaker and Turbo Racer, that they deem essential. When I tell them that PageMaker or Photshop cost a fortune and that I cannot afford to buy them, they simply cannot believe themselves. “Pardon me” is a common response. Pity about my ignorance of the ease of copying is their feeling. But once they are sure that I meant what I said (or vice versa, for some young ones in this town think in reverse), then without exception the next question is: why, you do not have to pay to copy!
My answer to the above question startles them yet more: of yes, one has to pay through the nose (and every conceivable organ) to freely copy software. It takes a little longer for them to understand that I meant it when I said that copying commercial software is illegal, and copy-and-use is stealing. That there is no essential difference between the common pickpocket and such people, except that he is uneducated and we are terribly educated (of course, the pun here is intentional).
Without exception I hear two arguments. The first one is: uncle, the computer vendor allowed me to copy it freely. The question I ask in return is “If something is available freely, does it also make it moral”. What is the meaning of:
For at the window of my house I looked out through my lattice, And I saw among the naive, And discerned among the youths. A young man lacking sense, And behold, a woman comes to meet him, Dressed as a harlot and cunning of heart. “Come, let us drink our fill of love until morning; Let us delight ourselves with caresses. “For my husband is not at home, He has gone on a long journey. Proverbs 4:6, 7, 10 , 18, 19
What does not belong to us simply does not belong to us even if offered freely. It is stealing, it is immoral (even if it is a non-sex sin).
The second question which comes to me then is: I cannot afford expensive software, so what to do other than copying. I usually ask “there are a lot of things that you desire but cannot afford. How many of these things do you simply appropriate when you are assured that you will not be punished for a little “shop lifting” of that item”. Everyone agrees that that would be stealing, and they would not do it. So why is it that the “higher” we grow in our intellect, the lower we stoop down in our perception of what is misappropriation (read, robbing).
So the morale of the story is, buy as much legal stuff as you can afford, and use freeware for the rest. Oh, you may say, freeware is written by all kinds of people. Exactly, I agree. Since it is written by ALL kinds of people, some of them would be experts. Stick to the software developed by them, and you will never regret. Such freeware is second to none in the software industry — take my word for it as I use and distribute hundreds of freeware to my students every day.
Only fools seem to use freeware when one feels that misappropriation is one’s moral might.
Guest Article By: Dr. Johnson C. Philip
http://www.ApologeticsWiki.Com
Software piracy in Kerala – A foreigner’s perspective…
Dr. Johnson C Philip in a post titled “Only fools use freeware” comments on software piracy in Kerala,
I live in a fast-growing town in Kerala, India. Fast-growing also means a town loaded with computer-fans. Even the janitor in our church …
I love using opensource tools becuase if you don’t like the way they work you can change them.
As Wagi indicated there are so many free opensource applcations out there which run often better than proprietary software so there is no reason to pirate them. I will say however that prices of software are outrageous which is why companies are adapting their business models to accomodate lower income people like students and such.
Thanks for the interesting article!
@wagi
Thanks for the comment. I too love open software, and promote it heavility. Of course only 1 in 100 users have the programing skill to change them.
@Tisha
Thanks for the comment. I agree that prices of the software has much to do to force people to pirate. But software companies are learning the hard way.
I have been trying my best to popularize free and also open software
Dr. Johnson C. Philip
Its not just software…the amt of pirated movies that are easily available is unfathomable.
@thanu
Yes I agree. Pirating is driving the multimedia industry crazy. The educated ones are the most serious offenders. We now have an increasing breed of intellectual pirates.
I use Linux. Enough said.
By the way, I did not know you had a blog. Good Job.
@ binny
lucky you linux is still not for the non adventurous havent tried the latest ubuntu but did the one before that and wrote about it her
check it out
http://thephilip.org/2006/10/27/ubuntu-update-it-sucks/
@ binny thanks for your comment. This blog does not belong to me but to my son. To see my blog you will have to come to http://www.ThePanacea.org
I hope to contribute articles to both these blogs
This is not directly related to free software.
Still ..I do not understand our Government’s stand towards anything American (be it Cola, Microsoft or Geroge Bush). While somethings are justified like the Plachimada “fights” and Coca cola, supporting Free software and shunning Microsoft and its Operating Systems and other software from it , is sheer ridiculousness and talks volumes about the knowledge (or lack of it) about our so called leaders. The whole of India including Bengal can use it. But not Kerala because it comes from America.
The hypocrites who oppose Microsoft want use to use Linux, when their own party newspaper runs/used to run on MS IIS Server and these so-called people used MS Powerpoint for their presentations in Plenary sesions. Talk about double standards
@Unni
I appreciate your comments, though — as you said — it is not related directly to my subject.
I do agree that as a group we Indians, or people who rule our country, do not always demonstrate coherent behavior. Part of the reason (not the sole reason) is indoctrination with false ideas and philosophies. People like you can play a substantial role in reversing this trend by educating the younger ones who would take leadership into their hands tomorrow. Do something through your blog for this.
Freedom is not free. One has to invest a lot of time and energy to obtain it. I will be discussing in one of my forthcoming posts: Blog To Liberate India.
[...] [Article courtesy of The Blog Of Dysfunction, http://thephilip.org/2007/01/11/only-fools-use-freeware/ [...]
Dear Sir,
Consider the following 3 things while talking about Free and Patene softwares
1.Philosophy :- Nobody in the world have right to conceal the knowledge. Knowledge is not monopoly. Microsoft is doing such a thing. Will you buy a car,if the vendor asked to sign an agreement with following things ?
1.1Donot open the Bonel
1.2Donot alter the car
1.3Donot give the Car to your friend for using.
This is whats happening in the case of Software. Knowledge is passing from generation to generation not only developed by Microsoft or any other monopoly companies.
2.Technical :- Worlds strongest computer networks are built on Unix like systems. Its a fact. The Pentagon is using Free software after the WTC incident. Worlds leading companies migrating to Free softwares. Even Microsoft is hiring Linux experts.
3.Economical :- A software project can be split into following
Hardware 60%
Software 30%
S/W Devel 9%
Networking 1%
We can save the 30% if we are using Free software. Hardware we can do nothing.
And the most important thing is the security. Suppose you think you are scientist and doing R&D works in your computer. How can you assure the security of your data while Microsoft is updating your operating system through internet. You dont have right to see the update programme.
A lot of things to continue…..
Dear BipinDas,
Compare apple to apple..don’t compare software with the bonet of the car but with the design diagrams of the car. No car manufacturer would reveal their intellectual property with others.
Knowledge is not free. Every professional whetehr its a book writer/doctor/engineer/designer or software engineer use their knowledge to earn money.
There are too many contraductions in your statement. Unix systems are the most proprietary form of software my dear friend. On the other hand microsoft.com which is one of the most targetted entity by attackers on the internet is completely built on Windows platform
Also on the economic front don’t quote numbers without quoting the source behind it. Your calculation is absurd and studies have shown that on many occasions total cost of ownership of free software is high.
Microsoft stealing scientist’s data, eh! Are you sure that the free software you are using is free of malware?
BipinDas,
Very funny, indeed! How could you compare cars and software?!!! Please read thru and tell me what you think:
1) Can you copy a car that you buy and create another car?! (I mean, by doing something like a Ctrl C and Ctrl V ?). If so, if you could create 100 cars from the one you buy and give them to your friends for free use, then I’m pretty sure that the car dealer would make you sign an agreement that prevents you from “copying” your car. Well, a very funny example, I know, but fits your really funny post!
2) “Worlds strongest computer networks are built on Unix like systems” – How would you make this assessment? You’been to the Pentagon? Sure that they use ONLY free s/w? Do you have any idea about the security threats that come along with the so called “free” s/w?
3) What an awesome math!
Well, I am sure that your “A lot of things to continue…..” are wierd things like the ones in your earlier post.
I agree with you that not all software that you get s free. Some will make you pay through the nose… I love free software as much as the next person but I think all of mine is legal.
In order to move people away from software theft, I have created my freeware review site. Copying commercial software is illegal even if people don’t think they are doing anything wrong.
Please if you like my site, leave me a message either here or on my site.
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