for programmers / developers, have you ever download applications without paying for it?

[takwong]

Just want to see, have you ever download a application without paying for license? I mean you downloaded a application on the internet, and then found a way make it a full version. Or you downloaded a full version of some applications....(i.e. photoshop)

Just curious, my friend was asking me why dont I download appz from the web instead of paying for the license.....I said the whole piracy thing, he laughed.

 

[StageLeft]

Of course I have.

 

[Maleficus]

do i qualify as a programmer if i made "Hello World"?

 

[minendo]

Yes I have back in the early days. I have now gone totally legit.

 

[FeathersMcGraw]

Originally posted by: takwong
Just want to see, have you ever download a application without paying for license? I mean you downloaded a application on the internet, and then found a way make it a full version. Or you downloaded a full version of some applications....(i.e. photoshop)

I download trialware and shareware if it's relevant to my work. If it's something that's going to be useful, then I inquire about either getting a PO or reimbursement for purchase.

If I don't pay for the work of other software developers, would they have any incentive to pay for products I've contributed to?

 

[Descartes]

Most of the tools I use are either free, written by me, or worth the cost.

I'm not saying I never have, mind you...

 

[Descartes]

Originally posted by: FeathersMcGraw

Originally posted by: takwong
Just want to see, have you ever download a application without paying for license? I mean you downloaded a application on the internet, and then found a way make it a full version. Or you downloaded a full version of some applications....(i.e. photoshop)

I download trialware and shareware if it's relevant to my work. If it's something that's going to be useful, then I inquire about either getting a PO or reimbursement for purchase.

If I don't pay for the work of other software developers, would they have any incentive to pay for products I've contributed to?

Of course not, but how would they know you didn't pay? Do you send an email to the developers of software you pirated to let them know you've done so?

 

[DaveSimmons]

As an undergrad I had a couple of apps from school, though I bought my own copies of Turbo Pascal and Brief (the best programmer's editor for DOS).

Now I'm 100% legit, both at home (for consulting) and at work.

If you're getting paid to do development then you can afford to buy your tools and if you have any ethics, morals or honor then you will. If you're a student you can get dirt-cheap versions of many tools, possibly even free if your school has that kind of site license. If you're trying to learn outside of school and don't have paying work then I can understand not paying $800 for Visual Studio.

 

[FeathersMcGraw]

Originally posted by: Descartes

Of course not, but how would they know you didn't pay? Do you send an email to the developers of software you pirated to let them know you've done so?

I know, which is the entire basis of ethics anyway.

 

[Descartes]

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
As an undergrad I had a couple of apps from school, though I bought my own copies of Turbo Pascal and Brief (the best programmer's editor for DOS).

Now I'm 100% legit, both at home (for consulting) and at work.

If you're getting paid to do development then you can afford to buy your tools and if you have any ethics, morals or honor then you will. If you're a student you can get dirt-cheap versions of many tools, possibly even free if your school has that kind of site license. If you're trying to learn outside of school and don't have paying work then I can understand not paying $800 for Visual Studio.

Absolutely. I've known developers who use pirated tools in client systems (components, etc.)!

 

[BoberFett]

My software is all paid for, though I do install some of it on multiple computers. I figure I can only use one of my computers at a time, so I don't think I'm doing anything wrong by installing on multiple PERSONAL computers.

I wouldn't however run a business with dozens of computers on a single license. If I had employees I'd make sure each of their computers was fully legit.

 

[takwong]

now, what if the software that you want is really expensive? Say you used visual studio at work, architect version....are you going to pay may be 1000 for a developer version to use at home??

As a developer, if you download / get appz from somewhere without paying for it, thats not right ( I think).....

another funny thing is, i was at the elevator at my company building the other day, this guy was talking to me and he said, "hey, what software do you need? I have mostly all namebrand softwares, visual studios, ms office, windows, borland, Sun...etc..., if you need any of them, I can get you a free copy, full version of course, with the license key as well..." I said, "i am a sw developer..." He shutup rightaway and didnt say a word...

So i guess its a norm / standard for developers not to download softwares anymore, right?

 

[gopunk]

Originally posted by: takwong
now, what if the software that you want is really expensive? Say you used visual studio at work, architect version....are you going to pay may be 1000 for a developer version to use at home??

As a developer, if you download / get appz from somewhere without paying for it, thats not right ( I think).....

another funny thing is, i was at the elevator at my company building the other day, this guy was talking to me and he said, "hey, what software do you need? I have mostly all namebrand softwares, visual studios, ms office, windows, borland, Sun...etc..., if you need any of them, I can get you a free copy, full version of course, with the license key as well..." I said, "i am a sw developer..." He shutup rightaway and didnt say a word...

So i guess its a norm / standard for developers not to download softwares anymore, right?

the thing is, if you're employed, you can usually get whoever employs you to pay for it. if you're a stduent, you can usually get a steep/free discount. so most of the time, it isn't unreasonable to do it legit.

 

[rh71]

I'm a developer. I write web apps that get used by a customer and the company pays me salary regardless of what the customer pays for it. That's the case with many of you and companies that pay their developers a salary. You can't say that the developers are getting ripped off of their work... the larger company is, in a way. If you think companies would give developers a raise based exactly on how well the product sells... well... let's just say they have other things to do with that revenue.

 

[StageLeft]

So i guess its a norm / standard for developers not to download softwares anymore, right?

Not a norm The reason why I use unpaid software the majority of the time is that I'd otherwise not pay for it anyway. Pay for visual studio for home? Not if I'm only gonna use it once in a blue moon. Or photoshop that I may use once every couple of weeks to resize an image? Not going to pay for that. Since pirating costs them nothing (whereas stealing a car obviously costs them something), since I was never going to pay for that in the first place I have no moral problem "stealing" it.

Now I will pay for some things - if I think a game is great I'll pay for it even if I could pirate it, since without pirating I was going to buy it anyway. But since copying software costs the producer no material loss if I never had any intention of buying it anyway I see no problem copying it.

The secret is being honest with yourself and not always using that excuse, even with items that are worth the money to you.

 

[rh71]

well said Skoorb. You might get some flak from the "righteous" people out there... but everyone speeds on the highway.

 

[notfred]

Originally posted by: takwong
now, what if the software that you want is really expensive? Say you used visual studio at work, architect version....are you going to pay may be 1000 for a developer version to use at home??

As a developer, if you download / get appz from somewhere without paying for it, thats not right ( I think).....

another funny thing is, i was at the elevator at my company building the other day, this guy was talking to me and he said, "hey, what software do you need? I have mostly all namebrand softwares, visual studios, ms office, windows, borland, Sun...etc..., if you need any of them, I can get you a free copy, full version of course, with the license key as well..." I said, "i am a sw developer..." He shutup rightaway and didnt say a word...

So i guess its a norm / standard for developers not to download softwares anymore, right?

Why does this sound like BS to me? Mayube it has something to with him trying to give you compilers and then shutting up when he heard you were a software developer. Who the hell would need a compiler that didn't develop software?