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Software Price Gap Between the US and Europe
Kensai7 writes "A quick comparison between same versions of mainstream software sold in the USA and the EU markets show a big difference in the respective price tags. If you want to buy online, let's say, Adobe's Dreamweaver CS3, you'll have to pay $399 if you live in the States, but a whopping E570 (almost $900 in current exchange rates!) if you happen to buy it in Germany. Same story for Microsoft's newest products: Expression Web 2 in America costs only $299 new, but try that in Italy and they will probably ask you no less than E366 ($576!). How can such an abyssal difference be explained? I understand there are some added costs for the localized translated versions, but I also thought the Euro was supposed to be outbuying the dollar. Where's the catch?"
were not that dumb
http://thepiratebay.org/
E570 is not $900; it's stearic acid. E366 is potassium fumarate.
At the bottom of the
Obligatory:
"I'm proud to be an American, where at least my software is more free"
Because Free Software is more popular in Europe, the commercial software companies must make up for the lost stales by increasing prices.
If those damn users would only stop using Free Software, the price of commercial software could come down to a more reasonable level.
There is some, at least. In the US, that would be localization.
Tiller's Rule: Never use a word in written form that you've only heard and never read. You will end up looking foolish.
Having worked for European companies in the States, I think it's a "business culture" thing. Europeans tend not to be as price-conscious when making business related purchases. US companies will fight until the bitter end negotiating over a few dollars, so software companies know they have to price competitively.
Not quite sure what drives it though; Europeans can be tough negotiators on most contracted services.
Take an example from my line of work -- air transport. Business class tickets sell very well in Europe, mainly because it's considered a perk once you get to a certain level. With the exception of consulting companies and others that can bill away expenses, most staffers and lower managers in the US ride in coach. Business and first are reserved for senior management, and even that requires justification when times get bad. If you're a road-warrior staff member, and fly legacy carriers, you'll eventually get to a point where (through FF miles) you're upgraded to business, but I've never worked for a company that would pay the extra money for a business class ticket, even on 17-hour torture flights!
Maybe there's some parallels to software too.
"I'm proud to be an American, where at least my software is pirated"
Fixed. :)
...if you happen to buy it in Germany
You:
...in semi-First World countries like those in Europe
Wow!
But then, you are right, when I was living there the first 25 years of my life, we used to sit on trees and hunt mammoths with hand-axes, while our neighbours were struggling with the fancy new walking-upright industrial norm.
"Hannibal's plans never work right. They just work." Amy/A-Team
Microsoft has always charged less in developing nations with weak or fragile economies.
Yes, but if you are stealing it, you get a better deal in Europe, where you end up saving more.
In the US they seem to virtually all be native Spanish speakers, and in the UK they have such poor grasp of their own language that most custom orders seem way above them.
I'm nearly convinced that the average Scandinavian high school student has a better grasp of English than those in the UK or US :(
You are right next to this dude in the stupidity department. Generalizing arrogant punk.
So, because he made one bad generalization, you generalize and assume that his reasoning skills in general are impaired? Pot, meet kettle.
I can't speak for the UK and Australia, but here in the US they typically speak either Spanish, or some sad combination of English and nonsensical gibberish.
Just another ignorant American.