Personally I buy my software as its what i believe to be right thing to do, but i wouldnt give a friend a huge peice of mind if i found his PC full of warez either. Illegal copying has always been there since the dawn of copyright. People will use software/media and pay for it if they are honest people. Bringing more control in will just mean misery for everyone, slower connections and the pirates will just find another way like they always have.
(It kind of reminds me of one time at school the teacher kept the whole class from lunch until someone owned up to putting gum on her chair. Everyone suffered until someone pointed a finger, but the next kid who did it was simply more careful than his predecessor.)
People that use copies probably wouldnt use the product anyway if they had to pay, so not only does the company loose the sale, but also possible word of mouth endorsement as well. Its quite possible in the case of software like 3D studio, piracy has actually HELPED that software become industry standard. People who use it seriously and in the way it was designed (eg the movie/anim/game industries) would definetely have to purchase it. One reason that its attractive to them is the fact that theres an already trained workforce of talent out there who have used it since they passed around the "Mr Blobby" disks in the schoolyard.
Yes it is a nightmare for developers and its illegal etc, but i think a lot of it is propaganda on both sides, it cant all be bad or good. I think this depends on the product, its intended market and the kind of userbase it attracts as to exactly how much piracy hurts the industry.
As for me i will try it, and buy it if i use it, delete it if i dont.
it was technically his appointed Attorney General, John Ashcroft who let Microsoft off the hook.
The cogs of justice :$