Few businesses can operate without using a computer, and computers need software to operate. Does it still make sense to cut corners by using pirated software?
Consider the following figures:
1,962 – the number of raids made by the Philippine Anti-Piracy Team
3.3 million – optical disks seized in the raids
P876 million – estimated street value of optical disks seized
206 – computers seized as of November last year
15 – sacks of pirated CDs of software valued at P14.3 million seized
The team claims its campaign will affect both small and big businesses. I checked with a few big corporations this month and it seems that their IT teams have begun the purges in earnest last year. They can well afford to lose computers and CDs, but damaged reputations will take a lot more time to repair. Small businesses are the ones that can get really hurt if caught.
I didn’t care about piracy before. I loved buying pirated CDs and displayed them as trophies of being “smart.” But having worked with publishing firms lately opens your eyes to the perils of piracy like nothing else can. ☺ Besides, Microsoft and other firms have knocked down their prices and buying licensed software might be better than losing your entire computer, plus paying fines.
January 23rd, 2008 at 1:41 pm
yeah there are free softwares like cadd and others like for replacement as with photoshop and illustrator, but it is not as good with those softwares i mentioned above. See here, if you have a client thats very meticulous about workmanship i dont think those alternatives are going to make your clients happy about the result of your work. Thus, you may end up losing your clientile to others. then your business will go puff…
see here, i tried those like “intelicadd” but i find it not so user friendly as those of Autocadd by autodesk and also the results are not satisfactory. what i’m saying is for your business to grow you will need those softwares no matter what.
the only thing that matter here is the cost.
also, Mr. Mel’s comments ,are good…from the start your really bankrupt with the cost of your softwares ang evrything…and you are not even operational in your business, but your capital is already gone.
for internet cafe its a different story, you can use those firefox, linux and etc. as our friends here are saying….since it only requires an operating system , spreadsheet solutions, word processors…but not in consultancy offices which you will require much more softwares like that i mentioned.
January 23rd, 2008 at 10:10 am
i run the IT department of a top 1000 corporation. we have 20 large multiprocessor hp servers. we started with 6 machines on win 2000, win nt and win 2000 server. even with legit licenses, i phased out microsoft, it is on only 2 machines now. the 18 are on ubuntu, devil linux and centos. our linux firewall has been running 24 hrs for the last 3 years with no problem. microsoft needs a reset as often as weekly or at least quarterly. linux is not a memory or hard disk hog. the whole firewall and OS runs off a 720 MB cd drive so it’s hack resistant. restart it and all settings are good as new!
i’m not even considering Vista(do). if you must be a microsoft junkie buy old win 2000 licenses P1000 each and not xp or vista(do) which have built-in spyware. they tell microsoft if you have unlicensed software and report your ip address so you can be raided. you can’t even upgrade/ change your hard disk without calling microsoft singapore.
go to
http://www.ubuntu.com/
for free software
January 23rd, 2008 at 5:06 am
for internet cafe mgmt you can install ubuntu, firefox, open office and yahoo.
http://cafe-manager.qarchive.org/
January 23rd, 2008 at 12:40 am
let’s see here
a small busines with 10 computers running an OS and with the following applications
1 Word Processor (typing and printing jobs)
2 Spreadsheet (other financial calculations)
3 Imaging Software (greeting cards and invitation cards)
4 Anti-Virus software (for obvious reasons)
5 Gaming softwares (for obvious reasons)
6 Other support softwares (DVD Burners, anti-spywares, etc)
all software cost multipy by 10 computers = bankrupt from the start!
NOTE:
Not counted are the prices of each computer and other hardwares and other operating cost!
That’s how much you have to pay for licensed software! it’s like buying the software without actually buying it! instead, you pay the right to use something that takes no raw material to replicate!!! the prices are so absurd!
This is not to say i advocate piracy, merely, to state why piracy is so rampant.
and when u say ‘Microsoft and other firms have knocked down their prices’ what knocked down prices? they are still in the thousands!!!
Only very rich companies who have much to waste can buy those crap!
January 22nd, 2008 at 11:47 pm
for free cad software on linux ubuntu go to:
http://www.tech-edv.co.at/lunix/CADlinks.html
i agree with you. there should be different prices for 3rd world nations, but big business has no sympathy for the little guy. just use free software to protest.
even if you have xp cd you have to pay microsoft P8000 per computer installation. linux/ ubuntu is free! go figure. for
internet cafhttp://cafe-manager.qarchive.org/