In 1992, the “software publisher’s association” released this video to educate youth on the “hazards” of software piracy. It’s so early 90′s it cracked me up. It tried to be hip with a rap theme… just watch it (the lyrics of the outrageous song are here.)
It contains all the basic arguments that we hear today about file-sharing:
1. Responsibility: Piracy will kill the industry because there will be no incentive for creativity (from the video: “welcome to the end of the computer age! booooha ha ha.”)
2. Sympathy: You are stealing from the nice artists/programmers who are working hard to produce a fine product for you (in the video there are 3 programmers and one lawyer interview.)
3. Threat: Piracy is illegal (video: “You can make one backup and install the software only on one PC.”)
4. Benefit: If you buy the product you get all the goodies (video: “you’ll get the manual and all…”)
Well guess what? The software industry is alive and is doing quite well. Music will also prevail.
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