[Fsf-friends] IT Vision

[Raju Mathur]

>>>>> "klak" == Khuzaima A Lakdawala <klak@giasbm01.vsnl.net.in> writes:

    klak> On Fri, 13 Sep 2002 10:24:17 +0530, Raghavendra Bhat wrote:
    >> Mahesh posts :
    >> 
    >> >> saying that software piracy is harming the free software
    >> movement >> more than it is harming the Giants themselves
    >> 
    >> Illegally copied software cannot harm the Free Software
    >> movement because no revenue stream is hit.

    klak> [snip]

    klak> However, Mahesh's assumption that if such a locked-in entity
    klak> is "raided" for piracy, s/he/they will switch to free
    klak> software is not convincing because the hidden costs of such
    klak> a switch may be too high; re-training, migration of
    klak> proprietary format data, even porting of custom
    klak> applications, these may all serve as huge disincentives to
    klak> switching. Therefore, if "raided", it might be less costly
    klak> for such an entity to go out and purchase a proprietary
    klak> software license than switch to free software.

Not just that.  If you (hypothetically) are raided and found with
illegally copied software on your premises or your computer you are
liable to be put into jail.  Also as far as I know a miniscule
percentage of people from companies that have been raided have
actually been put in jail.  What happens to the rest?

Well, MS and Adobe et al and their minions the BSA and NASSCOM step in
and tell you, `So which do you prefer, going to jail or purchasing the
software legally?'

Guess which option most companies take?

-- Raju
-- 
Raju Mathur               raju@kandalaya.org      http://kandalaya.org/
                      It is the mind that moves