How Many Units Does A Hit Synth Sell?

[WilliamK]

Another way to decrease warez is to make it easier to get the legit version than a warezed version.

+1

I see a lot of sites where its just too hard to order or deal with the company. If an easier system would be created, like iTunes did, I'm sure sales would increase.

Such as? What's difficult in ordering something, paying by paypal for example and downloading a .dll file? And I'm still waiting for your copy of Sylenth!!!

Sylenth? Are you talking to me or Kyran?

[Kriminal]

If my lawnmower gets stolen, sure, its not a lost sale either, just a simple crime.

true, but you are not a lawnmower shop, and a single lawnmower cannot be 'cracked' and used by millions of others

if you have a lawnmower stolen from you, its just theft


the only theft involed in the majority of cracked software, is the personal details of the person who's card the used.

[yellowfever]

Another way to decrease warez is to make it easier to get the legit version than a warezed version.

+1

I see a lot of sites where its just too hard to order or deal with the company. If an easier system would be created, like iTunes did, I'm sure sales would increase.

Such as? What's difficult in ordering something, paying by paypal for example and downloading a .dll file? And I'm still waiting for your copy of Sylenth!!!

Sylenth? Are you talking to me or Kyran?

Oops that was willit; 1000 apologies, my bad

[strav101]

ppl who DL and use cracked software are, in general, the type of person who would never buy it anyway, so its not a lost sale

I agree to some extent. Some people just download everything that come out - play around with it for 2 minutes then never open it again. It doesn't mean that they won't buy some synths, but lost sales to these people is smaller IMHO than most devs think - there is a limited captive market for plug-ins, people who pay plug-ins have some already, the main DAWs have plenty of plugs anyway - so I don't think there is a lot to be made out of it. Only the DAWs make the big money - but they will reach saturation point soon - just how many more features can you add?

[JMC]

I can't discuss the legality of sharing the data because there's no information on their website ...

Isn't it obvious that you don't 'share' anything (whether it's a marketing/sales report, music or software) that's not user without the permission of the author

Especially when the report states :

Confidential Use
MI SalesTrak data and reports are for the use of clients and participating retailers only, and may not be distributed or released without prior written permission.

If they wanted it public ... they'd put on the site, no ?

[dj! (112dB)]

One thing I do find interesting, are the companies (developers) who state the tyranny of piracy is everywhere, how everyhing is instantly cracked, and there's nothing to be done - and yet continue bothering with copy 'protection'.

IMHO an important factor is that copy protection makes a piece of software appear more valuable to the end customer. If even the developer isn't doing anything to prevent the software from being distributed freely, what kind of message does that send out? Not to mention that without any form of copy protection even legit buyers would probably have fewer reservations about handing out a copy to friends or online buddies--it wouldn't really give you the same guilty feeling.

That's why I don't think copy protection is going to go away in the foreseeable future--but why some companies need to make it as needlessly complicated, bothersome, or restrictive as it sometimes is is beyond me too.

For example, (hypothetically) if demos were unrestricted and lasted six (and only six) months, but there was no ability to crack software - would sales go up or down overall ? What do you think ?

That's basically the situation we're in with 112dB, although we restrict the demo period to two months. AFAIK none of our recent plugins have been cracked successfully--there are cracks out there but all either malfunction or time out after a while--so I suppose that right now most people who want our plugins are legit customers. And so far we're doing OK; like Ben and Urs we're not able to afford Jaguars yet but we can make a modest living of it.

$.02,

-- dj!

[WilliamK]

I think you should compute the numbers of hours and money a company puts into a product, expecting a number of sales. Them, they release it, one person buys with a fake credit-card, they receive a charge-back fee, and end up PAYING for the cracked version. (has happened to me several times) Yes, it sucks, and it does happen a lot. Lucky for me I only use PayPal now, which is more safe compared to previous solutions.

But now, you have put time and money into product X, a number of people ordered and tons have downloaded it for free. If your product is good and you keep updating it, people may feel like purchasing it. It all depends on how you treat your users.

Its a long conversion, and I think the main important thing is that, with time, people will have to acknowledge that piracy IS a crime. They do hurt someone, the same way stealing, lying and cheating does. Its a moral thing. People don't cheat on his companion, don't steal, don't kill, don't download warez products. Simple as that.

Now, if someone likes to cheat, steal, kill, ... downloading software is just an extension of his/hers life style.

Just the way I see things.

[dj! (112dB)]

You ever tried downloading a lawnmower?

-- dj!

[Bastiaan from Tone2.com]

the only theft involed in the majority of cracked software, is the personal details of the person who's card the used.

Perhaps, but after that person has his money refunded (often by credit card charge back), the company still has to pay his e-commerce partner for services rendered during that fraudulent order.

There's also a good amount of time lost on those who use cracks and try to get support. About 30% of the support that I handle, has to do with people who did not pay for their product(s).

[koalaboy]

I can't discuss the legality of sharing the data because there's no information on their website ...

Isn't it obvious that you don't 'share' anything (whether it's a marketing/sales report, music or software) that's not user without the permission of the author

Data of any sort isn't obviously not to be 'shared'. That's half of the problem these days, because some people assume that data is private unless otherwise stated, whereas others assume it's public unless otherwise stated.

Data isn't a tangible ojbect (hence why it's not theft) and needs additional context. If I was to email they 'bytes' that make up some software, one at a time, to somebody, over a period of six months... and then at the end they assemble them and run the result - at what point is copyright breached ?

Is copyright breached if the person 'breaching' it isn't aware it's copyright ?

(Another reason software patents are pointless and greedy, but that's another discussion)

If someone comes and looks at my hard disk, and finds an MP3 by a small-time artist, who put the track up for free download on their webpage last year, when I downloaded it, but has since removed it and now charges for the track.... where is the proof that I am (or am not) breaching copyright ?

It's just not that simple, and in no way 'obvious' either way unless stated

Especially when the report states :

Confidential Use
MI SalesTrak data and reports are for the use of clients and participating retailers only, and may not be distributed or released without prior written permission.

If they wanted it public ... they'd put on the site, no ?

If the report states it's not to be distributed or released, then it shouldn't be. As I said, I hadn't seen the report. My point still stands that they're promoting as useful for marketing purposes, which it's not if it can't be disseminated.

[JMC]

The only way to increase sales is either lower the price until it's a no-brainer ...

Since they even cracked our freeware Autogun :

http://cmagk.com/2009/10/imageline-auto ... ll-tested/

... we'll have to go for negative prices

DL and use cracked software are, in general, the type of person who would never buy it anyway, so its not a lost sale

It's a little less innocent than that:

It's usually those people that spend their life online, making fun of people that DO pay for software and/or spend a lot of time & effort offering their cracks online ... just to be part of the 'music community' they don't have a place in.

[JMC]

Is copyright breached if the person 'breaching' it isn't aware it's copyright ?

If someone comes and looks at my hard disk, and finds an MP3 by a small-time artist, who put the track up for free download on their webpage last year, when I downloaded it, but has since removed it and now charges for the track.... where is the proof that I am (or am not) breaching copyright ?

It's just not that simple, and in no way 'obvious' either way unless stated

It IS obvious but your entire reasoning shows how much work there still is in that area

[koalaboy]

Is copyright breached if the person 'breaching' it isn't aware it's copyright ?

If someone comes and looks at my hard disk, and finds an MP3 by a small-time artist, who put the track up for free download on their webpage last year, when I downloaded it, but has since removed it and now charges for the track.... where is the proof that I am (or am not) breaching copyright ?

It's just not that simple, and in no way 'obvious' either way unless stated

It IS obvious but your entire reasoning shows how much work there still is in that area

Okay.

Is this copyright ?

I wanted to write
a Haiku. Inspiration.
Such satisfaction.

How about this ?

The year 2010 comes after the year 2009.
The following year will be 2011.

Still 'obvious' ?

[Meffy]

I actually get the MI Sales Trak via a friend who shall remain nameless, and I don't mind sharing it here.

I hope you realize that the MI Sales Trak is a very expensive marketing tool and sharing it with anyone that didn't pay for is ... is piracy as well :?

Truth. Thread locked. Further discussions of this sort will almost certainly be locked too, since they invariably go downhill. Though rarely to this extent.

A reminder:

Members are asked to respect the copyright of other users, sites, media, etc. Users linking to, asking for information about, or blatantly bragging about using, warez, crackz, pirated sample content, re-printing material without permission, etc. will result in your post being edited / deleted, and you may be issued with a warning and / or a ban.

Chris, this is that warning.