File-sharing bad for open source/free software

[cptjaben]

It has crossed my mind that pirating software and the file-sharing of computer programs could be unhelpful to the open source/free software movement. When someone needs a program such as photoshop or microsoft office that isn't free, they simply download it instead of looking for free alternatives such as gimp or open office. in addition, if one couldn't get quality software for free on windows or mac, but could on linux it would be serious motivation to make the move to open a source/free software OS. The linux and computer-savvy in general community seem to be pretty relaxed when it comes to issues such as file sharing, but would they be if they felt it was unhelpful to open source/ free software?

[Rhapsody]

Well there is that disadvantage, but then there's also the advantage that BitTorrent and other file sharing software makes it cheaper and easier to distribute large pieces of software like OpenOffice.org and the various Linux distros.

Besides that, file sharing has only really taken off in the past few years, and free software has been making big gains over proprietary rivals in that time. Whatever theories we can come up with, this seems to speak fairly conclusively that file sharing hasn't done free software any real harm.

[Polygon]

Im sure that microsoft and adobe hate the pirating of their very expensive programs... and they should be trying to stop it

but yet again, another expensive as hell product is shipped without ANY measure to counter piracy. All people have to do in windows is not upgrade or download a image of windows that has cd key checking disabled. or in photoshop, i can download it right now and use the same cd key 5000000 other users have used to activate their copies

i cant believe these companies are THAT STUPID to NOT include a cd key verfication program (as in once a key is used to activate it, the program sends a message to some server that this key is used and cant be used again). I mean, how stupid can you get to market a program like 800 dollars and then make it really easy to pirate it. i dont get it

anyway, yes you have a valid point. When its used to pirate software, i think it can hurt oss. But i think once these companies get their act together and put better measures to stop piracy in their programs, they will look for alternatives. A lot of people already use GIMP in windows for instance, just by word of mouth that its a powerful program and free to use.

[meng]

The original argument assumes that the only/principal reason for preferring F/OSS is monetary, whereas I would argue that there are many other equally important reasons.

[cptjaben]

Well, i don't mean bittorrent or file-sharing in itself is the problem, i'm talking about pirating non-free software regardless of how it is being done. i agree bittorrent and other file-sharing software have plenty of excellent uses besides pirating software.
Also i'm sure there are many other important aspects of open source/free software, but when Adobe Photoshop costs $250 and you can no longer download it, there's incentive to try open source/free software.

[aysiu]

While people do use file sharing to enable piracy, that is not its only use.

[Iandefor]

I voted yes, but with the implicit qualifier of "when used to pirate" because it's such a handy method of moving data around, legit or otherwise. File-sharing in and of itself doesn't hurt FLOSS, but the use of it for software piracy does.

[cptjaben]

Yes, I should clarify When i said file-sharing i meant file-sharing of illegal software that would normally be non-free, i have nothing against file-sharing itself.

[slimdog360]

i cant believe these companies are THAT STUPID to NOT include a cd key verfication program (as in once a key is used to activate it, the program sends a message to some server that this key is used and cant be used again). I mean, how stupid can you get to market a program like 800 dollars and then make it really easy to pirate it. i dont get it

I get where you are coming from but what if someone wants to use it on a new computer. Like someones hdd dies and so they get a new one and have to use the same cd key.

Anyway, how about when someone wants a copy of MS office, they download it right? yep they either do that or get a copy from a friend. How many people would start looking for alternatives if they actually had to pay $400 for an office suite.
I certainly did, but that was more of a moral effort on my part to not steal anything.
Ive got to say that firefox really started it all for me though, I started using it then read all about this open source thing. Then I found openoffice and long story short, here I am.