The new anti-piracy "illusion" and simple logic

[Lutze]

If I remember right my time at university with many friends owning pirated software and if I use my brain... i come to this conclusion:

1. If 100 poeple download a pirated version of octane, 90 of those will open it once or twice, then leave it on their computers and forgetting about it (together with hundrets of other software packages). Of the rest of 10 people who will use it more often, maybe 2 or 3 would have bought it if they had no access to a pirated version. So only 2-3 percent of the pirated copies are a real loss of the company. This may be marginal loss, but it is a loss.

On the other side, if i restrict the usage of the software for the legitimate users to much, a few of them will turn their heads to other renderers. I think that the argument that pirated software may cause a company to shut down is just a myth.

2. I know a lot of programs where the licensing system for legitimate users is a pain in the ass. My dongle for XSI broke more often than it worked. On the other side I saw pirated versions of XSI who never caused any problems. So why is it always so, that we who buy the software are the ones who have the pain.

3. When I buy a software I want to own it and want to run it when and wherever I want. I do not buy a car that i have to connect to internet each time I want to drive or a car that only works 4 days a week and only on even days.

Only some thoughts, may be I am wrong

Lutze

[face]

It will never end...

face

[falcon76]

Now that is clearly written in the requirement that an internet connection is required, no NEW customer can complain about that.
But OLD customer must complain if they cannot use it anymore.

[ROUBAL]

As the information is recent, we can consider that most if not all of current customers are OLD customers... imho

@Lutze : And as artists are people concerned by copyrights, I'm almost sure that no artist with a minimum of conscience would use a pirated copy for professionnal work.

[gristle]

...
Every day you start octane you will see new things.

...Radiance

So it sounds like a web app of some kind. Is there any contingency for scenes created in old/new versions?
Or will every newer version be 100% compatible with old scene files?

[Son Kim]

I think that the argument that pirated software may cause a company to shut down is just a myth.



Lutze

I agree, look at Moi 1.0 its been around for years at 195 USD and its pirated yet the guy is still in business

[mbetke]

Hey why does Radiance not refund when only a "few" people/ old clients don't like the idea?
This is what I would call fair!

With actions like this so called anti-piracy stuff it would be very difficult to build a strong brand. People which download stuff are going to buy it sooner or later. or forget about it.
I would really like to see how Radiance calculated his loss caused by piracy.

There will be even more trouble if his allmighty system got hacked by some nifty Russian hackers and he has to develop another anti-piracy mechanism.

Maybe development stopps then and he is going to make a nice living on Hawaii with all the Beta clients lol

[face]

I think that the argument that pirated software may cause a company to shut down is just a myth.



Lutze

I agree, look at Moi 1.0 its been around for years at 195 USD and its pirated yet the guy is still in business

How many developers have Moi and how many have Refractive?
I think thats make the difference...

face

[GeorgoSK]

Seems like you are all experts on piracy, huh... ?

Some of the "thoughts" even hurts to read...

No arguments here...just one other product, SolidRocks. This guy survives mainly thanks to frequent V-Ray updates.
Piracy DOES hurt certain bussiness, the guessing how it's a myth is pretty laughable, any first-hand experience... ?

[radiance]

...
Every day you start octane you will see new things.

...Radiance

So it sounds like a web app of some kind. Is there any contingency for scenes created in old/new versions?
Or will every newer version be 100% compatible with old scene files?

we've done a fair bit work to ensure 2.3 is compatible with 2.2 OCS scenes.

Radiance