“I was wondering if you can throw any light on Macromedia’s anti-piracy initiative in India. I believe some users (in mumbai atleast) have received letters from Macromedia urging them to purchase licences.” This was an e-mail I received from a person few days back. And early today morning one of my friend called me up saying he just got a Notification letter from Macromedia, India to start buying licences of Macromedia Softwares if they haven’t already. About a year ago or so, I was called up by some representative of Macromedia, India and told me I am using pirated copies because my name was not listed in their book where they keep records of persons/companies who bought softwares from them. Well, I told them nicely that I got my copies from Macromedia HQ itself and what I used are all legal ones. And all software bought by me so far are all online and I have never bought anything from India itself.
The developers and designers alike here, are also to be believed when they claim that “here in India, the developers and designers alike are way poorer than their counterparts in the countries like the US, UK and have to really think before buying legal copies of the same.” Another true part is that many ended up using cracked versions of the softwares (don’t ask me much because I don’t have the statistics myself). Many have happily claimed to have in possession of “cracked” versions and few have even laughed at me for advocating on the usage of legal copies of softwares.
Unlike Book Publications, softwares cannot have a low-priced Indian Edition, so I am not sure how things can change, if it had to, about that “poorer” excuse(reason) put up by the software users here. The topic piracy is something that will go on and on through the world and not just here in India, will keep popping up again and again and will never end.
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Brajeshwar posted this article
on Thu, Mar 18th, 2004 at 7:40 am
Categorized under Technology
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Macromedia needs as you said cheaper Indian version of their products, as most cannot afford them right now and also with people paying in peanuts , one cannot go for a legal license even if one wanted
Stop whining, it is thanks to you Indians and Pakis offering cut throat services that us folks in the US and UK have been made bankrupt because we can’t work for $5 an hour like you can.
I hope you get pushed down in price even further until it is not worth you working like you have done to us.
Stop cracking your software and start buying it, your excuses are just that, excuses.
I think I’ll move to India so I can live the nice life while charging $5 an hour.
Not sure about Macromedia Products as they are for commercial but Microsoft should come up with Indian home edition of Windows operating system may be around 600 to 800 bucks i think that will surely help them to make profit as people will like to purchase registered version with Books of tutorials from company itself.
I am a free lancer and somehow I also got a mail from Macromedia to buy there license. And you might be knowing that being in India, i really cant afford that much money to buy a license.
Can you please suggest something.
Is there any way to get rid of this thing.
Hi, read your posting about Macromedia India and piracy. There is a solution for countries like India with lower buying power — make available older product versions for less than the current pricing. Then aggressively market their availability
Sure its dumping of a sort. But a company can dispose of old stock (instead of into land fills creating pollution) and make money to keep stock holder happy. And ensure that incidence of piracy is reduced.
In the mid-1990s while working for a tech magazine I remember Corel advertising a similar program where 2-3 version older products of the CoreDraw suite were being sold at a third of the latest version’s pricing. Not everyone needs all the bells and whistles.
Or try the free alternate — opnen-source. There’s something for everyone
I am a free lancer and somehow I also got a mail from Macromedia to buy there license. And you might be knowing that being in India, i really cant afford that much money to buy a license.
Can you please suggest something & Received call that if i will not purchase the software then they will send legal notice. Please suggest me what they can do regarding the same.
Post yours