Piracy is Bad... Right?

Nothing in the world of a shareware author can be so angering, yet strangely flattering, as finding a crack for one's own software. The emotions run the gamut from disbelief, to shock, to dismay, to downright angst. And they're deserved emotions, because piracy is bad, right?

For years, there have been detractors in the industry — those who say that the BSA inflates their estimates, and that piracy isn't as bad as it's made out to be. Over the years, this has grown into a larger group who believes that we should concentrate only on "keeping the honest people honest." But recently, there has been a more extreme viewpoint taking hold.

There are an increasing number of publishers and authors who seem to believe that piracy may just facilitate another form of viral marketing, and that "pirates" are convertible into real, paying customers.

According to SafeNet's rights management specialist Prakash Panjwani, some software companies "have let piracy continue because it's great viral marketing."

Taking all this into consideration, the real question is, how can we convert them? Why would someone who has obtained a program for free, willingly pay for it? Chris Thornton thinks he has the answer, and it's called "shame."

While some of the "pirates" are the hardcore haxxors and diehard script kiddies who actually crack the programs, Chris is focusing on infringers such as the grandparents who don't realize they're stealing, or the parent whose child installed a program using an illegal serial number. Many of these people aren't aware that they're stealing, or they think what they've done is "victimless" and don't realize that serial numbers are often purchased with a stolen credit card.

When Thornsoft products detect a bogus key, the user is sent to a "Naughty Pirate" page, where the details of the fraud are spelled out (such as using a credit card acquired through identity theft). The user is even given a link to contemplate Commandment #8 — Thou Shalt Not Steal.

The turning point is when Chris tells them that all will be forgiven if they purchase a code. Not only that, but users will then have access to free technical support, and he promises that his legitimate unlock codes will work better than those obtained from hackers. Amazingly, he has converted a whopping 1.5% of all visitors to his Naughty Pirate page. That's more than many shareware authors' convert using standard marketing techniques.

So, the real question is, do we exploit pirates and use them to our own advantage to increase sales, or do we treat them like the thieves we all believe them to be? I mean, piracy is bad... right?