ahoy!

I have old versions of various design stuffs that can't be upgraded to OSX compatibility, and in looking at the shockingly high cost of such things, it occurs to me that there are situations where I don't find software piracy particularly bad. Not that every independent web artist should use stuff illegally, but I really don't have an ethical issue with 14-year-olds (or even underemployed 34-year-olds) using pirated copies of PhotoShop to design their blogs. It's a piece of software clearly priced with a corporate market in mind, but it's also the best tool for certain jobs. Basically, I'm a big commie, as I think software license fees need to do a better job of taking into account your usage and ability to pay - there's a difference between a hobbyist and a professional, a difference between one kid and an entire high school. Why not accomodate that? I'd give people software according to their need, and have them pay as they were able. In the meantime, 14-year-old budding designers have done really well at stealing according to their need, and I can't say I blame them.

What do you think? Is piracy a form of civil disobedience?

[Poll #451506]

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