Ethics question...

[MC Hammered]

I traded a guy for a Palm handheld setup that allows me to diagnose my car. I find out later from the guy that the software I am running is cracked but it works so I'm OK with it.

I few weeks later another guy PMs me asking for information on this Palm unit he bought.. supposedly the originated from me as well. It turns out that the guy I bought it from made another and sold it to this guy we'll call 'Joe'

Well today I see a classified ad from Joe stating he has these Palm setups for sale for $225!!! I know the hardware cost like $40 and the software costs him nothing.

I don't have a problem with a guy making a buck off people but I think this is a bit excessive.

So the question I pose is this... do I turn a blind eye or do I have an obligation to blow the whistle on Joe to the people that are potential customers?

[Jonny Dubbs]

how much does the software cost retail?

[Pussy*Kat]

How would you feel if you bought that product for 225 and later found out it was 40 bucks or something?

Bad? Probally

Why not save somone that feeling and let the world know Joe is a liar.

[Hot Karl]

yup, there's making money and then there's gouging.

[decypher]

Well if they are getting the utilty out of these things then what is the problem?

[Jonny Dubbs]

if its still less than the retail, the question of ethics has to do with the software manufacture not the buyer, and I doubt that’s of concern to you as you already stated you have no issue with that

[MC Hammered]

A real retail setup with the latest software is $287.

He's asking $225 for a much older software revision which is a cracked program.

[wishbone]

ehh, let him be a capitalist.

[MC Hammered]

Originally Posted by Jonny Dubbs

if its still less than the retail, the question of ethics has to do with the software manufacture not the buyer, and I doubt that’s of concern to you as you already stated you have no issue with that

I didn't have an issue with the setup I received because the trade was made and I couldn't reverse the transaction. I was just happy that the setup I got worked as advertised.

I wasn't too happy about finding out afterwards that I had a cracked version of the software.

[esoter1c]

A wise man once said "Don't be a fuckin' rat." :kam:

[b0ld]

I think the real question is... what will you do if you want to sell it down the road????

[sNyx]

Originally Posted by MC Hammered

I traded a guy for a Palm handheld setup that allows me to diagnose my car. I find out later from the guy that the software I am running is cracked but it works so I'm OK with it.

I few weeks later another guy PMs me asking for information on this Palm unit he bought.. supposedly the originated from me as well. It turns out that the guy I bought it from made another and sold it to this guy we'll call 'Joe'

Well today I see a classified ad from Joe stating he has these Palm setups for sale for $225!!! I know the hardware cost like $40 and the software costs him nothing.

I don't have a problem with a guy making a buck off people but I think this is a bit excessive.

So the question I pose is this... do I turn a blind eye or do I have an obligation to blow the whistle on Joe to the people that are potential customers?

have you ever flipped a coin on its side? dollers talk shit walk (or somthing like that). is it good karma to front him or stay back. does karma work both ways?

[nabs]

i think its very wrong. let people know what their paying for.

[MC Hammered]

I thought about the Karmic reprocussions and that is what worries me most.

[sNyx]

Originally Posted by nabs

i think its very wrong. let people know what their paying for.

thats good business, but whats the cost of doing business? 15% finders fee.... maybe 20%!

[sNyx]

Originally Posted by MC Hammered

I thought about the Karmic reprocussions and that is what worries me most.

maybe an immediate passive eye is a better bday gift then a month long argument.

[Revolver]

sounds to me like hes being a greedy prick.

he should wise up and reduce his price a little. its his karma on the line.

what you should do, is just jokingly mention something like "ummm dude, a litlle high for cracked software huh?".....real subtle just to put the thought into his head.

that way,youve brought it out to the open without completely sticking your neck out and the karmic laws of the universe will be on his plate instead of yours.

[Sgt. Monocle]

300%+ markup is not unheard of.

Originally Posted by mchammered

So the question I pose is this... do I turn a blind eye or do I have an obligation to blow the whistle on Joe to the people that are potential customers?

Have fun blowing your whistle to also every retail outlet in the world

[sNyx]

Originally Posted by Sgt. Monocle

Have fun blowing your whistle to also every retail outlet in the world

z33k x2

[mekim]

if someone is stupid enough to pay $225 why should you be saving them from that? kinda sounds like a natural selection type thing to me.

[wishbone]

Originally Posted by mekim

if someone is stupid enough to pay $225 why should you be saving them from that? kinda sounds like a natural selection type thing to me.

I like you!

[Antenna_Boy]

Originally Posted by 3507321C

A wise man once said "Don't be a fuckin' rat." :kam:

"forgiveness is divine, but never pay full price for cracked pizza"~ :)

Well, you should have gotten all receipts to legitify the products. Now that you found yourself shafted...do one of two things: suck it up and move on...2, bust the guy's ass and report him to the 5-0. You're call man...but what can you do? The world is full of black market command economy :( You should go sleep with Joe's girlfriend :)

[thebobman]

1. where'd the cracked software come from?
2. is the seller claiming the software is licensed and authentic?
3. is the seller claiming its the latest version of the software?

Basically the bottom line here is do you think the people that buy his product will care that the software isn't legit or the latest version. Further more, do you think they will care that they are hampering the development of the software by buying pirated copies of the software.

I know a lot of us don't really think twice about where our copy of Windows XP or Photoshop came from, but when you're talking about something as niche market as tuning software you probably not talking about a huge corporate empire like M$ or Adobe; its far more likely you're talking about 4 guys in a garage. You said you were okay with the cracked verion for yourself, but what if the makers of the software were on the verge of squeezing an extra 20hp out of your engine with new code that won't get written since they've taken jobs at M$. Food for thought.

P.S. Don't Copy that Floppy
P.P.S. Unless its Windows, then make lots and lots of Copies

[MC Hammered]

Originally Posted by Antenna_Boy

"forgiveness is divine, but never pay full price for cracked pizza"~ :)

Well, you should have gotten all receipts to legitify the products. Now that you found yourself shafted...do one of two things: suck it up and move on...2, bust the guy's ass and report him to the 5-0. You're call man...but what can you do? The world is full of black market command economy :( You should go sleep with Joe's girlfriend :)

Who ever said I got shafted?

[P.A.R.T.Y]

Don`t sweat it. At least you got something that works and he`s trying to make a business by off-loading pirated software, that`s his business. Maybe you paid too much, it`s not really his software to sell. If he came across like the software was legit, then that`s shady, but it you knew or suspected it was cracked, then you have no right to complain.
It seems he was greedy and didn`t bother to tell you, that`s shady.
Still, let him know that he should tell people in the future.
Kesera sera..