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Software piracy stops software development?

So what about Linux

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Of course, Julia Phillpot is correct regarded to the legal side about software piracy, but she states: "our business and that of every software company is completely dependent on the protection of the intellectual property rights. Without this fundamental protection, the software side of the IT industry simply wouldn’t evolve." Well, if that's so, why are we seeing the constant and powerful evolvment of Linux software and code? Because people want a stable, cheap(free) system in which they are taking part in the development and research themselves. In this area the profit lies in servicing and distrubution of the system, not the actual licensing, and of course this is a significantly lesser profit. As long as MS overcharges for their software, this is a problem they've gotta deal with. And how: "Although Microsoft runs a number of global campaigns to highlight the piracy issue, these are in fact just one part of our marketing activity through which we are trying to educate our various audiences as to the seriousness of software piracy." Except that its so-called "education" isn't education, it's purely propaganda and scarying tactics. A company with x$ billions net worth, and x millions dollars in net profit each year, whining about going "bankrupt" because about software piracy? Of course every company is in its right to protect their income and software, but as long MS and other companies charges a price people isn't ready to pay, they've got to cope with piracy as well as their competitors' prices. For me, software piracy is just the ordinary Joe's way to tell the product developer that they overprices their product. ® Related stories MS piracy losses claims don't stack up -Graham Lea Right of Reply: MS says stealing is wrong Register readers weigh in Y does not mean X: decoding the MS reply Software piracy stops software development? MS anti-piracy tactics snare innocent dealers How would Graham Lea like having his IP infringed? Phillpot calls piracy kettle black

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