Quote:
Originally Posted by Katsunami
Second this. When I was younger, I pirated a lot of software I wanted to learn and use, while not having the money to buy it. So, I pirated Windows, Photoshop..... basically most of my software was illegal.
Now that I have enough money, I buy everything legally, or if I find it too expensive or the company's behavior doesn't suit me, I don't use their stuff.
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My experience is largely the same (and it's a lot like the experience of many other people I know). When I couldn't afford to pay for computer programs or buy more than one CD every few months (because when you earned 3000 kr / $190 a month and a CD cost 260 kr and a copy of WinRAR was $25 and required a credit card which I didn't have and couldn't get, because back then only the rich people who earned at least 5000 kr / $325 a month could get one, then, well...), then I downloaded considerably more stuff without paying for it.
Once I started earning more and had money actually left over from food and utility bills, I also started paying more and more for both entertainment and computer programs. Practically all of my software is either freeware or legally bought now (including Windows and Office).
I buy my DVDs (circumventing the region codes by having a region-free player - the majority of things wouldn't be available for me otherwise), including buying season sets of TV shows (most of them still shrinkwrapped) that I've downloaded and watched before they became available, just because I hated feeling left out of all the discussions online (yes, I know that's entitlement - I'm not much bothered by that). I buy the overwhelming majority of my ebooks.
I'm sure there are people who grew up with "free" everything and continue to get everything for "free" even once they became able to afford to pay for it, but in my experience, it's simply not true for everyone, possibly not even the majority of people.