Ed,

I think we both know eachothers standpoint. I'll suggest we agree in disagreeing. I did come to the conclusion that this kind of licensing breaking is more accepted here than in the US. Maybe I've to change my point of view, maybe not.. I don't know yet.

Your opinion is very strict and leaves no room for flexible behaviour when it comes to licensing.

My opinion is based on the fact that I as a developer like a happy client. If a client has bought one of my products and did not like this, i'll offer two options to this client:

- Offer some help or adjustment to the software to make it work.
- Take back the software and return the money.

I simply cannot live by the thoughts that someone feels robbed, because my software cannot forfill the expectations. I do expect this behaviour from other vendors, but they don't. I simply refuse to buy software without knowing if its serves my needs (Especially if there is a lot of money involved). Whenever possible I'll use demo or trial versions.

I do not buy a car without having a testdrive. Note that cars themselves have an stockvalue and productioncosts, software itself doesn't so the company will not notice if i've TESTED (not used) the software for a while.

Though you've made your standpoint clear, I really get the impression that your fear is that your software is going to be USED without licence. This is what I call piracy and reject. That there is an potential that if someone has evaluated the software and is now USING it illegally is true but cannot be prevented at all by any means.

I do not suggest that what I occasionally do is legal, but could be compared with speeding on the highway (everyone knows they're breaking the law, but everyone does it) or by taping a song from the radio (the rights about songrights are just the same as for software over here).

If all of us here on the UT say they allways have (and did in the past) the proper licenses for each product, I'll certainly regard this one big hypocritic show. I know everyone occasionally has broken the license rules, I'm only honest about this.

I'm aware that there might be a difference in culture involved. There are many countries where software piracy is broadly accepted, and users are not aware that they're breaking only international laws (not the local laws). By calling them thieves I do not think this proves you understand the problem. Though I certainly reject this behaviour, I do understand why they use illegal software. It has often something to do with the government of the country or the economical situation up there. But just to hate and yell at every country which allows this policy is not solving the problem.

Like here in the netherland all drugs are illegal (though many of you would have heard otherwise), but if you put all the drugsusers in jail, it will not solve the problem. (A few months ago an old general of the US army came over to Holland (=Netherlands) and did critisize our drugpolicy. But if you look at the figures about drug abuse, The US have a much higher drugsabuse rate (4 or 5 times))

What I'm trying to say is that the world is not black and white. We have to face the facts and live in a world where piracy does exist. Though I find we must do whatever is possible to reduce piracy, you cannot compare a company which has about 400 pieces of unlicensed software in use with a household wich has an illegal copy of Word 6.0. And I really think all big companies would agree with this statement.

I do hope we can end this battle and respect eachother in the persons and proffesionals we are (though i have many problems with being called a thief).

Walter,