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Looper's Delight
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Before this thread dies -- one more point to consider about "warezing" in general. Warezing is simply another word for a mass distribution paradigm that is only recently being understood by the marketplace. Those who are beginning to understand it give out their products in slightly crippled - but functional - version that entices the user to want to buy it without forcing them to find a warezed version. By electing to make available a freely distributable, nearly fully featured, version of their software - the company shortcuts 90% of the pirate scene by making it easier to get their copy than to search the sites looking for a rip/warezed version. These new companies of the new digital millenia understand that the more computers their software resides on, the more chance they have of touching on the "select few" who are willing to buy their software in the first place. The unlimited distribution mechanism of the internet actually gives companies and software writers the ability to earn MORE by undercutting their expensive over the counter, shrink-wrap and ship methods which reach very few people in comparison. As an analogy - let's use Stephen King's new novella which did not appear in print. He decided to only distribute it over the Internet in segments. He also made note that if enough people did not purchase the first installment, there would be no follow-up installments. On the first day of it's release, it was everywhere - all over the warez scene and on everyone's computer. It was distributed everywhere instantly by everybody. The point? Even though it was pirated more than any other book in history, he also made more in sales on that first volume than he made on all other books he ever wrote because the people who cared payed for it. Think it through, chew on it. Taste the flavor of the new paradigm. THAT is the power of the internet distribution methodology. THAT is the truth of the future staring at us in the face which must be embraced. The same goes for music - MP3's and the like. Give it away easily in a slightly denatured format (22k for instance), and let those who care enough pay for it. Give incentives (cover art, extra tracks, hidden trick PC stuff, 44k high-fidelity sound vs 22k MP3's). Put YOUR copies of the MP3's in the warez scene.. Put YOUR copies on Napster and on MP3.com.. Make YOUR versions with YOUR copyright in tact (and a link to your web site to buy the real thing) available to the world. Make it easier to get your versions than looking for one in the warez scene, and then those who care will pay, those who don't will end up deleting it anyway. The fact is that there will ALWAYS be those who won't pay for it no matter WHAT scheme you come up with to protect your "interests". It is simply impossible to control the distribution of anything digital with a far-reaching digital network like the Internet. Instead of fighting the tidal wave, grab a surf board and enjoy the ride. For the first time in the history of mankind, the world is at our fingertips and I'll be damned if I'm not going to have my work be everywhere, all the time, and still profit from it. Good luck to you all. Ken Melms Programmer/Musician/Internet Guru