Well Piracy Problem In The Subcontinent

[kambui]

Guys ,(this is not going to be easy to explain)

Software companies like Microsoft and others are trying hard to stop piracy in south asia and the Indian Subcontinent .Well this is just an Imposiable task.I will explain the current software market situation very breifly.

I live in Kollkata a metropolitan city of India.Here an average person has an income of Rupees (indian currency) 10000/month.

Cost of a standard pc (P4 2.4, 256 ddr ram, monitor, keyboard,mouse,speaker,cd rom drive & UPS) is around rupees 25000.

Cost of Windows XP Home edition rupees 5250.

Under the above situation an average man has these options (a) Saving/loan for the new pc at the current rate is really under his purchasing power(Must remind you all that, pc are treated as an asset for at least for a duration of 2 years).But what should he do with just the pc without an operating system.He goes for the original retail version for Rs 5250 (which is his half a month salary).Or should he stick with the pirated version available at different price ranging from Rs 60 to Rs 250.

Remember people here is not so ignorant about the current situation , they don't support piracy ,but they are helpless to promote this .Even if the goverment steps into this it won't help because of the current economics situation.

I myself have taken all incentives to stop piracy in kolkata ,but the current situation didn't help me.If the rates of these software versions are made according to our supported economy,then i am sure that all of them will gladly accept it.I don't think cost of production of these are the matter of importance in our country.Only thing that companies like Microsoft have to look around is that none of these versions must be easily exported back to the west.Thats the only reson we are suffering.

I would like to discuss more if I get a good response from any of you guys.

[Martin Zugec]

It is absolutely same here in eastern europe, so I can understand what you mean. It is not that people like pirated sw, it is because they cant afford originals

[ColdFusion200]

its like that with everything - movies and music (altho there is a good claim that these are overpriced anyway), software, games - most people get them because they cant afford the originals and nowadays with broadband they dont even need to fork out for pirate copies either. just need to download them

[arvindK]

Last I'd read some time back, was that Microsoft was planning to launch a lower localised version of WinXp, which would be much cheaper. Of course we should expect quite a lot of features to be missing from this version, if and when it comes out.

I'm from Bombay, India and I've seen the pirated versions installed on quite a few of the commercial establishments and even some of the Co-operatives banks. This should be the target of Microsoft, on the raids which the company is known to conduct with the local police support, not the single user's.

[kambui]

Yes I agree with all of you guys.And thanks for showing interest in this subject.

I also agree that even corporate organization in India are using pirated version.Well they can afford the originals, they should be punished first not the common user who just cant afford it.

People who can afford a good computer just can't afford a original OS,software or games ......so what's the use of it!!!!!!!!

[ripken204]

and then in america xp home is about 90$, which for most people who lets just say earn 15$ an hour, it would take them 6hrs to pay for it, not even a work day, and then theres the people who make 20$ or more an hour, wow its alot easier in america

[Xanin]

I've got a friend in Egypt, and apparently even the high-street stores in Cairo sell pirated goods....

[arvindK]

Piracy is something that I feel is not restricted to the 3rd world countries. Why else would the p2p be so popular all around. If the developers themselves think of selling at lower prices would it not make sense to the consumers to buy it of the shelf rather than waste loads of expensive bandwidth and time trying to download it. Would'nt a lower price also mean more sales and just about the equal profit's for the developer. And also would an enduser not prefer to live at peace by buying stuff rather than having a fear of being caught sometime using pirated stuff.

[Tarun]

If they made these things cheaper a lot more people would buy them. They may not make quite as much but you never know.

Also, the minimum wage is roughly 5.25 - 9.60 an hour in the US. Depends on where you live, etc.

[IRON FART]

I have relatives in Tehran, and they tell me Piracy is extremely rampant there. Most Xbox/PS2 games only cost one or two USD. And it is a similar situation with movies and Windows. But the thing is over there, it is open. The government doesn't care about anti=piracy of American goods. If you pirate something from Iran though, they will come after you)

I have cousins in London who are extremely computer proficcient. They pirate goods all the time. Pirated WinXP, pirated games etc. But He does not sell it or use it for commercial purposes. It's strictly for his own enjoyment or learning. Yes it is still illegal, but MS should be hunting down the companies who do this. I had no idea they would do this to home users in India.

Maybe you should try to promote Linux? It's a cliche thing to say, but some Linux distributions are really trying hard to target home users. Namely Lycoris and Ubuntu. Bottom line is that it is cheaper, and it will spare you 5250 rupees.

[arvindK]

Tarun - They would make more or just about the same profit's, since here we're talking of quantity and possible a permanent solution of piracy. With regards the single user's ofcourse.

IRON - Linux is targeting the single user's with just the quantity concept that I've mentioned above. After all how much will burning the software onto a few CD/DVD cost. Ain't that why the Linux distro's being sold for a bargain.

As of now almost all the roadside guys selling the pirated stuff, have stoped stocking Microsoft ware's. It seems that Microsoft has employed a few local private eye's to check on them and immediately inform the nearest Police station, who then conduct a raid and detain the seller and destroy all the disk's in his position. Wouldn't it be a proper solution to spend all this time, funds and effort in coming up with a cheaper OS and programs and benifitting all.

[kambui]

As of now almost all the roadside guys selling the pirated stuff, have stoped stocking Microsoft ware's. It seems that Microsoft has employed a few local private eye's to check on them and immediately inform the nearest Police station, who then conduct a raid and detain the seller and destroy all the disk's in his position. Wouldn't it be a proper solution to spend all this time, funds and effort in coming up with a cheaper OS and programs and benifitting all.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well arvindK both you and i know it that MS will never reduce the cost here because that will result in export diflation.Cheaper version will be exported back in the west and their industry will fall.But MS can always bring out a version totally different for the subcontinent and south asia.That just may reduce the cost as it will be restricted to the particular region.

[derek]

If you use commercial software without paying for it - this is called stealing. There is no point in justifying the practice. The simple answer is if you can not afford it then don't use it. When it comes to software there are a number of free or very cheap alternatives for probably all high priced commercial applications.

As for lowering the price of software - you have to consider the "price elasticity" of the item. In simple terms: as the price decreases the number of items sold should increase and conversely as the price increases the number of items sold should decrease. Plotting the number of items sold vs price you can deduct the optimal point (the highest income = price * number of items sold). We can assume that MS and other major software companies have done that and have derived the sweet spot - so to speak.

Piracy - everyone does it at some stage - but please don't try to justify it.

[azagahl]

Pirating Windows because you cant afford it is just silly.

Anyone can order dozens of Ubuntu CD's and get them mailed to them for free.

Comes with tons of apps including office apps and compilers. There is also a 64-bit version.

I'm still waiting for a non-beta 64-bit compiler from Microsoft...

Edited August 10, 2005 by azagahl

[chessonly]

Well frankly speaking the thread was from the beginning just silly, sorry kambui but piracy actually it is not exactly a problem.

Meaning piracy and piracy in the subcontinent are completely different things. Nobody in this forum is concerned (not that they should) because neither we can understand this 'stealing' nor can they understand the curreny difference and that only the filthy rich, noobs buy legal software(plz don't argue abt this- neither i nor u can understnd).

If you do want to disuss about piracy i think it should be done in some Indian forum, here it is completely 'off-forum'

Well arvindK both you and i know it that MS will never reduce the cost here because that will result in export diflation.Cheaper version will be exported back in the west and their industry will fall.But MS can always bring out a version totally different for the subcontinent and south asia.That just may reduce the cost as it will be restricted to the particular region.

What are you talking about this has already been implemented.

btw china among other countries- all except western europe and america have this problem , so theres nothing special abt the subcontinent.