College Students Are Buying More, Warez-ing Less

Keefesis writes: "This story from a researcher at the University of Florida states that software piracy among college students dropped between the 1996-97 school year and the 2000-01 school year. One reason cited is that software makers have found 'creative' ways to entice students to purchase software(rather than the heavy-handed and largely unsuccessful tactics of the RIAA)."

Comments

Book Expenses

[C. Mattix]

A lot of students that I know consider software perchase just like a book expense. If they are taking a Flash course, they buy the software. If they are taking a design course, they buy Photoshop, both at Educational prices. Other things like Matlab or AutoCad or Pro/E are definitly educational purchases as well.

Piracy at uni

[cybergibbons]

I can't actually think of a single person I know who has a legal copy of anything above windows 95. No one bothers. Same with application software.

There isn't a bit of guilt about it either. You don't even contemplate buying it. If it's obscure software, then you have to ask around a little, but it's no hassle.

Your payment - you copy it and pass it round more.

Re:Why warez in College? Its Free!

[Jon Shaft]

I checked my school's CIS web site and signed up for the MS introduction of .NET studio, when I go I will get a "gift pack" with Windows XP pro, Visual Studio and other assorted item "of value". I can't wait to see what I get... I'm taking my laptop so I try it all out while they are talking. Back to my point, my school (Georgia State BTW) hosts tons of these things, and if you know where to look you can get a bunch of free software... and no befor you ask it not usually criple ware.

Yes, at most big schools now they Universities have made deals with bigger software companies to get the software at discount prices. (So the students use the software in school, get sucked in and end up purchasing the software when they leave the University.) For example, Pennsylvania State University offers a "lending library" where students can stop by and borrow cds to install the software on their system. They get a week or so before they have to return it. Also, if you don't want to borrow the cd, you can download an installation file (Most of them are the entire cd in one huge exe file which you can directly install from)

Here anyone with a Penn State user access ID and the right privledges (student, etc) can download it. They offer Windows ME, Windows XP, Windows Visual Studio (plus Visual Java)... MacOS X licensces, Microsoft Office, and one REALLY useful product, Norton Corporate pro. (I work for a Residential Helpdesk at Penn State... and with all the virii sororites pass around..NO, NOT THAT KIND!!!, the computer kind, being able to install Norton Corporate pro on any machine in the University has made the job a thousand times smoother...)

The download system/lending library counts the liscense and tracks who downloaded what. I don't believe it's actually a bad system they have working here.