[jobeyonekenobi]

I put myself through university and gained extensive skills using pirated software. At the time I decided I would do what needed to be done and because I could. I resolved however to get licensed copies once I was working.

7 years later I have an annual budget of £2.3 million and am responsible for buying decisions relating to the software we use. Autodesk, Macromedia (until a while ago) and Adobe have all been represented largely.

All I can say is that at the time, I used software piracy to my advantage - now I am trying to repay my debt.

[bigtoga]

Reminds me of this: http://www.learnitfirst.com/AboutUs/CorporatePhilosophy.aspx

"...many of us thirty-somethings wouldn't be where we are today if we hadn't coughfoundcough a copy of Windows NT4 somewhere. Don't steal our stuff, please. We try to make it inexpensive enough so that anyone can afford it."

disclaimer: I founded LearnItFirst.com :)

[popat]

i think almost every s/w professional from BRIC have used pirated s/w - in fact i read this somewhere that we would have huge skills shortage if there were no pirated s/w available to these smart people of 3rd world countries ... and if the s/w professional were in shortage then prices of tons of products (from air line tickets to chocolate bars) would be much higher than what it is right now ... so in a sense pirated product did created jobs and revenue and economy .... it gave an opportunity to smart people to learn new skills and get employment.

[hollywoodcole]

Amen do that! I would have never learned Photoshop or Dreamweaver without pirated software. This was me in college. Doing that under your own company would be a bad thing to do. Don't risk it unless your using the software for personal education gain.

[silencio]

The upside to buying software as a student is that these companies sell them with a massive discount..or give them away for free. The downside being it's usually only for noncommercial usage.

[popat]

like bigtoga said We wouldn't be here where we are today - and this is same with almost all s/w creator ...

[PI]

agreed I've pirated s/w which would have been to expensive to buy purely to learn new skills, however I suppose, I was lucky when I was taking my first steps with Photoshop my uncle bought me a copy.