59% of web pros are using pirated software

8. what is your solution no.7?

Between high prices good quality software and free and mediocre software, what do you suggest?

I teach computer hardware, and im always willing listen to others who can offer my advice and with regard to software i am forever searching and trying free open source software from the following sites

http://www.filehippo.com/

http://sourceforge.net/

http://download.cnet.com/

And from these sites i can access various caetgories to suit my students.

if you know of any website like these above, please let me know.

thanks

7. The thing is the price of license is too high and is not flexible...Most softwares offer a minimum license period of 1year...In some cases (most of it actually) there is a new version release before even your license expires....which means you are using an outdated software paying exorbitant rates....

6. Too Expensive. People use pirated versions because to shell out hundreds of pounds for the software is similar to insanity. Pirating is the only way to learn the software on a casual basis and not be extorted. There are people who would love to experiment with industry standard software but we're not using it for commercial gain (some might, but meh).

5. @scottgilbert which doesn't actually help the people mentioned in the article or anyone who's a hobbyist. To reiterate my point there's plenty to help out those in education but nothing for the hobbyist or self employed/part timer. Not everyone is either a big corporation or a student.

4. i know autodesk do free student versions for 13months, its a shame others dont follow suit

3. optimaximal is spot on. If there were non-commerical/hobbyist versions that would be great. I'd be more than happy paying full price for software if it was actually earning me money, presumably after gaining good enough skills in the software to be producing commercially viable stuff. I know there are such "personal"/non-commercial editions of some software but they are few and far between.

2. re: what mobius says...

The licenser's need to broaden what they mean by an 'academic license'... At the moment, it fundamentally covers 'use whilst a member of an academic institution', whereas it ideally would say that software should be suitably cheap or free for home learning or even hobbying, where commercial use is more heavily enforced and prohibited unless a license has been purchased.

Nobody is going to buy Photoshop to 'learn' it. They either pirate it or get work to buy it, but you can't get the good jobs in the industry without Photoshop experience, so piracy is often the only option.

Frankly, its another case of old industry practices shooting those at the top enforcing it in the foot - They're missing a stunningly wide market in lieu of profiteering.

1. I refuse to use pirated/unlicensed software but I find I simply cannot afford industry standard software. So I just have to do without. What I use at work I cannot afford to buy for myself if I want to start my own business in my spare time. I'm actually surprised the figure is so low for using illegal software. Open source/freeware only goes so far in specific instances. Many software companies cater for those in education but not really for developers on their own starting out etc or hobbyists. I'm learning a software application now at my company that was bought as 1 license for £2500, that's by no means the most expensive software but if I wanted to play around with it at home or try creating stuff for myself or just improve my skills in my spare time, there's no way I could justify or afford that expense and there is no alternative. So although I don't condone the actions of pirating, in circumstances where software is simply extortionate it is certainly understandable. Not everyone is an established large company.