Betty's shareware
Scenario 5 (Property)
Betty downloads a solitaire card game from the Internet that is “shareware.” It can be legally used for 30 days and then Betty must either delete it from her computer or send its author a fee. Betty has been using the game for 30 days.
Questions
Software falls into three main types: freeware (that which can be used without payment indefinitely); shareware (that which can be use for a trial period and then must either be erased or purchased); and commercial software (that which must be purchased before use).
Understanding the concept of shareware is a good way of helping students understand why purchasing software benefits them. The profits that software producers make are partially used to fund the development of more software. If the profit motive is lost from software creation, less software and fewer improvements are likely to be made.
One additional WIIFM (What’s In It For Me) is that a licensed version of the shareware product often contains additional features and/or it drops annoying reminders to register the shareware.
Students need to learn to read the licensing agreement of any piece of software.
Betty downloads a solitaire card game from the Internet that is “shareware.” It can be legally used for 30 days and then Betty must either delete it from her computer or send its author a fee. Betty has been using the game for 30 days.
Questions
- What is the property?
- Who is its owner?
- What danger or discomfort might the unethical action cause?
- What is the advantage to the user for paying for shareware?
- Is there a parallel in the physical world to this scenario?
- Can you think of other incidents that would fall into this category?
Software falls into three main types: freeware (that which can be used without payment indefinitely); shareware (that which can be use for a trial period and then must either be erased or purchased); and commercial software (that which must be purchased before use).
Understanding the concept of shareware is a good way of helping students understand why purchasing software benefits them. The profits that software producers make are partially used to fund the development of more software. If the profit motive is lost from software creation, less software and fewer improvements are likely to be made.
One additional WIIFM (What’s In It For Me) is that a licensed version of the shareware product often contains additional features and/or it drops annoying reminders to register the shareware.
Students need to learn to read the licensing agreement of any piece of software.
Doug Johnson
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Reader Comments (5)
All to often students will download a game thinking that it is ok to play this game even after the free trial offer. Many people are ok with the constant reminders to register and pay the fee for the product, This is when consumers that will actually pay the fee suffer the most. The costs of the software or game will become higher and thus cause the vicious cycle to continue. I think a better way to handle the "free-loaders" is to some how make the game or software unusable once the free trial period is over. It will make for more individuals doing the right thing and prehaps this will be one area of the copyright law that will become a thing of the past and no longer an issue.
Some companies have already started protecting thier products by requiring you register with a credit card on file. Once the trial offer is over it will automatically charge your card.
Other conpanies have already started protecting their products from being shared from one user to another by only allowing it to be installed once.
We all need to respect the owner and producer of the product, and familiarize ourselves with the copyright law before we download any thing.
In a society of "I need it now", students are tempted to download games from the internet because they want to play it right now or their friends want to play it. I have used programs for a trial period before and was reminded a few days before my trial ended that I need to pay for it or it would no longer work. I agree that a system should be set up to make the program unusable after the trial period ends if the program is not purchased.
Students need to be aware of the copyright laws and know that the program was written by someone who deserves to be paid for their hard work.
Share ware programs are great if someone wants to test the program before they buy it. I have downloaded programs for a trial and when my trial period ended, I had the choice of deleting it or purchasing it. Some of the programs I have tried were very good and I purchaced them, others I hated, so I deleted. For the consumer, this is cost effective. For the owner, it is also a good way to advertise their product.
As teachers, students need to understand that these programs need to be paid for if they plan to keep them. The person who created it needs to be paid for their work, just like anyone else who goes to work deserves a paycheck.
Perhaps the best approach to this dilemma is to present this situation to students as if they were the victims of the copyright infringement themselves. We could attempt to place students in the software creator's shoes by asking them, "How would you feel if you invented a game that everyone is downloading but no one is caring to pay you for its price? I am positive that many students would realize the value of the intellectual property they are trying to get a hold of and would probably agree that paying a fee for its use would be the right thing to do.
Either way, placing students in the victim's shoes or not, it is still our responsibility to make sure each and every one of our students know the importance of paying for a service. As it was stated previously, this will not only keep the cost low for those purchasing the material, but will surely make the experience more enjoyable for all.
Often free trials allow the users to play the game or use the software afterwards without penalty but without all the tools that the paid version has. I think that these trail periods are great to get people to purchase the software but they can become risky when students feel that they have the right to continue to use the game even with the annoying reminders.
The economy suffers and the costs of songs even on itunes has increased from .99 to $1.29 probably due to more and more individuals sharing songs without rightfully paying for them. Choose wisely and make better decisions when it comes to fair use and ethics.