Comments on: Software piracy and Photoshop http://www.sindark.com/2008/04/13/software-piracy-and-photoshop/ Temporarily Torontonian Sun, 12 Feb 2012 08:01:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Milan http://www.sindark.com/2008/04/13/software-piracy-and-photoshop/#comment-75829 Milan Sat, 09 May 2009 01:26:17 +0000 http://www.sindark.com/?p=2643#comment-75829 One of which will only let you run three programs at a time, apparently. It's like being zapped back to the late 1980s. I run about five programs at a time, just by default: IM client, text editor, web browser, antivirus, and <a href="http://www.getdropbox.com/" rel="nofollow">Dropbox</a> (a kind of internet file storage system - free and very useful). One of which will only let you run three programs at a time, apparently.

It’s like being zapped back to the late 1980s.

I run about five programs at a time, just by default: IM client, text editor, web browser, antivirus, and Dropbox (a kind of internet file storage system – free and very useful).

]]> By: Matt http://www.sindark.com/2008/04/13/software-piracy-and-photoshop/#comment-75827 Matt Sat, 09 May 2009 01:18:45 +0000 http://www.sindark.com/?p=2643#comment-75827 "In XP professional, you can encrypt files. I think the Home version leaves that out." I hate the multiple versions that Microsoft allows Windows to exist in. It's even worse for Vista (which completely deserves the bad press). Even Windows 7 is rumoured to be coming in way too many versions. “In XP professional, you can encrypt files. I think the Home version leaves that out.”

I hate the multiple versions that Microsoft allows Windows to exist in. It’s even worse for Vista (which completely deserves the bad press). Even Windows 7 is rumoured to be coming in way too many versions.

]]> By: Milan http://www.sindark.com/2008/04/13/software-piracy-and-photoshop/#comment-37249 Milan Tue, 15 Apr 2008 12:45:02 +0000 http://www.sindark.com/?p=2643#comment-37249 You can make rather robust encrypted archives in OS X, but it isn't especially easy to do (you need to use the Disk Utility program). In XP professional, you can encrypt files. I think the Home version leaves that out. You can make rather robust encrypted archives in OS X, but it isn’t especially easy to do (you need to use the Disk Utility program).

In XP professional, you can encrypt files. I think the Home version leaves that out.

]]> By: Emily http://www.sindark.com/2008/04/13/software-piracy-and-photoshop/#comment-37243 Emily Tue, 15 Apr 2008 07:41:36 +0000 http://www.sindark.com/?p=2643#comment-37243 Can you password-encrypt compressed files with the software built into Windows XP and Mac OS X? Also, I don't think mine came with it, which is why I use WinZip. Can you password-encrypt compressed files with the software built into Windows XP and Mac OS X?

Also, I don’t think mine came with it, which is why I use WinZip.

]]> By: tristan http://www.sindark.com/2008/04/13/software-piracy-and-photoshop/#comment-37171 tristan Sun, 13 Apr 2008 22:00:59 +0000 http://www.sindark.com/?p=2643#comment-37171 "People who pirate Photoshop (and who would not otherwise buy copies) can plausibly be said to benefit Adobe. As such, both their utility and that of the firm is increased, and the act is morally commendable." It can't be just that it benefits Adobe that makes it commendable. It has to also be that somehow Adobe has a right to make, distribute, and profit from software. Only on the basis of a series of rights can the fact my actions benefit adobe be called moral. Yes, Winzip is for noobs. “People who pirate Photoshop (and who would not otherwise buy copies) can plausibly be said to benefit Adobe. As such, both their utility and that of the firm is increased, and the act is morally commendable.”

It can’t be just that it benefits Adobe that makes it commendable. It has to also be that somehow Adobe has a right to make, distribute, and profit from software. Only on the basis of a series of rights can the fact my actions benefit adobe be called moral.

Yes, Winzip is for noobs.

]]> By: Milan http://www.sindark.com/2008/04/13/software-piracy-and-photoshop/#comment-37169 Milan Sun, 13 Apr 2008 20:41:16 +0000 http://www.sindark.com/?p=2643#comment-37169 Emily, Why use WinZip at all? Creating compressed archives and uncompressing existing archives is built into Windows XP and Mac OS X. The only case I have heard of where someone had to use Winzip with XP is because they installed the trial version, which actually breaks the built-in zip functionality in the OS. Emily,

Why use WinZip at all? Creating compressed archives and uncompressing existing archives is built into Windows XP and Mac OS X.

The only case I have heard of where someone had to use Winzip with XP is because they installed the trial version, which actually breaks the built-in zip functionality in the OS.

]]> By: Emily http://www.sindark.com/2008/04/13/software-piracy-and-photoshop/#comment-37164 Emily Sun, 13 Apr 2008 17:55:47 +0000 http://www.sindark.com/?p=2643#comment-37164 WinZip benefits from a more direct approach to this kind of distribution. You can use a WinZip trial indefinitely, however, after thirty days you have to sit through the "Your trial has expired! You have opened (running number of files opened).." message that appears when you try to unzip a file. This number runs higher and higher every time you use it, so it takes longer and longer before the 'OK' button becomes ungreyed and you can use the program again. Eventually it becomes a game of you vs. the amount of time you want to spend staring at a running number before you can unzip your file. I, of course, am a testament to will and patience, and never give in. (read: I'm too cheap.) But people in businesses (who can afford it), purchase it to avoid the inconvenience. Considering that WinZip is an inexhaustable resource, it seems like a sensible way of spreading and continuing business. (It's notable that this approach to software is the same approach they use in successful cafes and businesses: free samples = loyal customers, and positive word-of-mouth feedback.) WinZip benefits from a more direct approach to this kind of distribution. You can use a WinZip trial indefinitely, however, after thirty days you have to sit through the “Your trial has expired! You have opened (running number of files opened)..” message that appears when you try to unzip a file. This number runs higher and higher every time you use it, so it takes longer and longer before the ‘OK’ button becomes ungreyed and you can use the program again.

Eventually it becomes a game of you vs. the amount of time you want to spend staring at a running number before you can unzip your file. I, of course, am a testament to will and patience, and never give in. (read: I’m too cheap.) But people in businesses (who can afford it), purchase it to avoid the inconvenience.

Considering that WinZip is an inexhaustable resource, it seems like a sensible way of spreading and continuing business.

(It’s notable that this approach to software is the same approach they use in successful cafes and businesses: free samples = loyal customers, and positive word-of-mouth feedback.)

]]> By: Milan http://www.sindark.com/2008/04/13/software-piracy-and-photoshop/#comment-37160 Milan Sun, 13 Apr 2008 16:26:23 +0000 http://www.sindark.com/?p=2643#comment-37160 An outcome based assessment works well here: People who pirate Photoshop (and who would not otherwise buy copies) can plausibly be said to benefit Adobe. As such, both their utility and that of the firm is increased, and the act is morally commendable. An outcome based assessment works well here:

People who pirate Photoshop (and who would not otherwise buy copies) can plausibly be said to benefit Adobe. As such, both their utility and that of the firm is increased, and the act is morally commendable.

]]> By: tristan http://www.sindark.com/2008/04/13/software-piracy-and-photoshop/#comment-37159 tristan Sun, 13 Apr 2008 15:25:45 +0000 http://www.sindark.com/?p=2643#comment-37159 This is a good example of what looked like a candidate for a universal ethical principle (don't steal) produces contradictions. If no one stole photoshop, photoshop wouldn't exist in the way it does (certainly if it was not the industry standard, they would not sell as many copies and be able to afford the development they can). It is not that there is a "general ethical principle" not to steal, but whether or not to act on that principle is something that depends on your situation. This isn't different from the "Should I lie when the axe murderer is chasing the young girl" scenario. The mistake was for undergraduate professors to teach that Kant diverges from Aristotle on this question, when in fact there is no obvious difference between them on the question. This is a good example of what looked like a candidate for a universal ethical principle (don’t steal) produces contradictions. If no one stole photoshop, photoshop wouldn’t exist in the way it does (certainly if it was not the industry standard, they would not sell as many copies and be able to afford the development they can). It is not that there is a “general ethical principle” not to steal, but whether or not to act on that principle is something that depends on your situation.

This isn’t different from the “Should I lie when the axe murderer is chasing the young girl” scenario. The mistake was for undergraduate professors to teach that Kant diverges from Aristotle on this question, when in fact there is no obvious difference between them on the question.

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