Shareware the Pirates?

[jgbrowning]

Ok, this is my first cross post ever, but I think I've just had a pretty cool idea.

At rpgnet this was posted *my emphasis*:

The main problem with piracy and why I personally think it is theft is becuase you take upon yourself all of the benefits of ownership with no legitimate cost of ownership. You also deprive someone of the money they could have made from your legitimate purchase. Its one thing to pull down a .pdf and decide if you like a book enough to buy it, I think most merchants try to put up samplers for that very reason. Its another thing completely to download it and say its ok, because you would never have bought it anyway. At that point you should respect the content producer and delete it. If you like it enough to play it, or keep playing, you should buy it...even if its just that once a month game with so and so and you only need the last three paragraphs in the 5th chapter. If your need for it is enough to have it at your hands whenever you want it, you are gaining the benefits of ownership, as opposed to the benefits of borrowing Larry's copy when you are over there once a month.

And here's my Idea

I wonder what would happen were I to include something like this in my next Big PDF:

If you've gotten this file illegally and have decided that you would never pay the price I'm asking for it, but are willing to pay a reduced price, please pay whatever you think is reasonable to the PayPal account josephbrowning@exp.citymax.com. I promise that I will not attempt legal action against you and I will consider whatever you have determined a just payment as satisfactory.

So, If you find some part of this book useful, send some cash my way so I can keep making stuff you find useful. Any payment received will turn your previously illegal copy into a legal copy.

Basically, trying to work on the shareware concept a bit in an attempt to establish some revenue from a previously untapped source.

Hrm.. wonder how it would work...

joe b

 

[francisca]

**If** they bothered to read it, most pirates would roll their eyes, and ignore it.

 

[soulforge]

I'm not sure if I would personally roll my eyes and continue on. I fall more into the realm of guy who downloads in order to see if I like something in order to purchase it. Truse me I love supporting the industry, and there is something to be said for a "pure" hardbound copy of a book I use. This said each night I deal w/ ppl in my group pulling out prestiges, spells, and feats from their D&D self-compiled DVD. I hate this fact, but w/o disbanding my friends who I've gamed w/ for 10 years I'm just gonna swallow my dislike and let them do what they wish.

If I illegally download a book and decide I don't like it then it gets trashed... one reason is the fact that I didn't like it, and secondly even if it has some stuff I may wish to use I really don't like using something that I haven't purchased. That said if an option was available to pay "What I felt" was reasonable then I can easily see myself tossing a few bucks someones way to use the monsters, traps, or magic items from a book.

Now, I'm not saying this will work for everyone. I think my concious weights to heavily on me to allow me to use something that I haven't paid for, and most pirates might not feel that way.

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

**If** they bothered to read it, most pirates would roll their eyes, and ignore it.

But I reckon enough people would bother to send in a little something to make it worthwhile.

After all, shareware is an effective business model even when there's no practical reason for registration-- i.e., when the software isn't crippled in any fashion.

Since piracy is going to continue to occur anyway, it's worth the attempt.

 

[Fieari]

I could see myself sending money along in that manner.

 

[Corsair]

I could see myself sending money along in that manner.

Me too. Now if WotC did this, maybe I'd be willing to spot them 5 bucks each for electronic copies of the Races series, or environmental series. That's more they are getting out of me than they are right now. (Haven't bought a book since Complete Adventurer)

 

[Hammerhead]

I feel that when victims of theft become complacent in the robbery of their own hard work that software pirates truly win.

 

[Sammael]

Adding the text doesn't cost you anything; I think it's worth a try.

 

[Crothian]

Go for it!!

 

[francisca]

But I reckon enough people would bother to send in a little something to make it worthwhile.

After all, shareware is an effective business model even when there's no practical reason for registration-- i.e., when the software isn't crippled in any fashion.

Since piracy is going to continue to occur anyway, it's worth the attempt.

I agree with that, it certainly wouldn't hurt.