bbs bs

[JOHN WAGER]

I too have downloaded some commercial software from bbs's. And I have
either bought a registered copy later, or decided I didn't need the
package. Doubledisk was on a board, I think innocently as far as the
Sysop was concerned. I downloaded it, looked at it, tried it just a
bit and decided the whole idea of disk compression was worth looking
into more, so I researched a bit and bought Stacker. Without the
"illegal" copy I doubt I would have bought the legal one, or even
considered buying it. But there's a difference about someone carefully
and consciously "trying" software and some sysops who seem to be
omnivorous in their software hunger, trying to get for "free" whatever
they can however they can. I think such a sysop might benefit by a
gentle comment or message about the seriousness of what they are doing.
I'd never myself "turn in" a board like that, but a comment to the
sysop does seem to be a friendly gesture aimed at helping an immature
person grow up a bit and consider the consequences of his actions.
The REAL reason I think most people should avoid pirate BBS's: Someone
who doesn't mind wholesale, blatant piracy sounds like the same person
(or a friend of the person) who would not mind "trying out" a virus
"just to see if it can be done." Immaturity like that I DON'T need.