WOF: What software are you willing to pay for?

[Julio Franco]

[Weekend Open Forum] Earlier this week I was talking to one of our web developers about the software tools we use on a regular basis and were also discussing the kind of software we usually feel compelled to buy and the reasoning for doing so or not.

I think it was relevant to the discussion that he's a Mac user. I suggested that Mac users in general seem to be more willing to pay for software than the average Windows user and as result there are a variety of utilities, even the most simplistic of them, that go for a few bucks on the Mac while on the PC there appears to be a wider array of freeware and open source titles that can cater to one's needs.

Now we know for a fact that Windows users represent a majority of TechSpot readers. So here's the question: What kind of software have you bought in the past, and what type of software or services you are more willing to spend money on?

We have opened a poll to make your collective opinion easier to follow, you can choose up to five software categories. Please also comment on the specific titles you like the most and the ones you have actually bought, so that the discussion becomes more interesting as more of you drop in to voice your preferences.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/41642-wof-what-software-are-you-willing-to-pay-for.html

 

[Guest]

Cheap software, with prices like on iPhone...

 

[PanicX]

Important software, like data recovery or business applications.

 

[killamoves]

I agree with the cheap app store software. There's a lot of good software for just about anything most of which are $0.99. Games I buy from steam when they're on sale or the rare console game but other than that I think most software is overpriced. You can find most of the same features of the most expensive programs for free on a freeware version.

 

[HaMsTeYr]

Antivirus Software, and yes, cheap software. Basically anything which has a deeper use instead of just "Encoding Media" or "Chatting with friends". I have excellent free software to do that.

 

[Guest]

Willing to pay for :
OS
Security, Data Protection
PC optimization
Development Tools (since I earn a living out of them)

Definitely NOT wiling to pay for:
Games

 

[Archean]

OS (obviously you can't go anywhere without it)
Productivity + Office Applications, because I need them.
Games ........ there is no need to give a reason here right?

 

[St1ckM4n]

OS - because I don't want to be cheating on the backbone of the computer. It's like making your own fuel for an expensive car.

Games - at a reasonable prices, AKA 50-90% sales.

Office - only because there was a student discount. Like OS, this is high-priority and I just don't want the hassles.

For the rest, there's a billion free alternatives.

 

[Decimae]

Guest said:
Wiling to pay for :
OS
Security, Data Protection
PC optimization
Development Tools (since I earn a living out of them)

Definitely NOT wiling to pay for:

Games

Pretty much reverse here. Using mostly FOSS alternatives, and the occasional pirated software (most of the times my dual boot has an illegal Windows copy though I own XP and Vista OEM licenses) further more I won't use much.

 

[Jesse]

For years I pirated Adobe's creative suite. I couldn't have bought it if I wanted to with such a high price tag. Last year I got a job doing web development & design and they bought the master suite for me. Feels pretty good to finally own it!

There really isn't very much software I'll pay for unless there is no alternative.

 

[Nima304]

Piracy for the win. Who pays for software anymore?

 

[Benny26]

I'm a sucker for paying for games. My local shop has a wall dedicated to both old and new PC games and as a teenager I'd always come out with something. I do admit though that most of them were crap...

I think it came up to about £500 after 4 years which still shocks me today

 

[Cota]

My Win 7 OS, Office, Nod32, Visual Studio, Tuneup Utilities (the only one I trust), PCanywhere, some misc apps for editing media and that's all. *cough* a ************ ton of games =)

 

[ET3D]

I'm willing to pay small sums of money for most types of software. Over the years I bought art, productivity, OS, development tools, partition management, office applications, and of course games. I even paid for some apps that don't require payment, like Irfanview.

I must say that these days there are a lot more free options, so it's possible to stay away from paying for most things. I mostly buy just games these days.

 

[Benny26]

I'm willing to pay small sums of money for most types of software. Over the years I bought art, productivity, OS, development tools, partition management, office applications, and of course games. I even paid for some apps that don't require payment, like Irfanview.

I must say that these days there are a lot more free options, so it's possible to stay away from paying for most things. I mostly buy just games these days.

Wow, kudos for paying for Irfanview. I think yeah, the flip side to this thread has to be that there are some fantastic people out there making great stuff for free...Free games, photo editors, utilities and loads more stuff.

All off their own back...

 

[Renegeek]

I'm a freeware junkie, i probably have like 10gigs of freeware... I hate paying for software... only if i have to.

 

[Guest]

Why should I pay for software? Everything I use is free, including my OS.

 

[BabyFaceLee]

Software that I always install on my PCs:

OS: Windows 7
Backup: ShadowProtect by StorageCraft and MozyHome (paid for version)
Encryption: Best Crypt Volume Encryption by Jetico (I use my PC for work so don't want info to get into the wrong hands)
Office: Microsoft Office Professional 2007 - but I hate the ribbon toolbar thingy and how difficult it is to customise anything
Web browser: Firefox (love being able to customise everything about it)
Music manager: iTunes (love having gazillions of great value apps to choose from)
Utility: True Launch Bar by Tordex (replacement for the quick launch bar)

 

[BabyFaceLee]

I love utilities and will always buy the 'paid for' versions rather than go for freebies. I strongly believe that you should pay for what you get/use and that goes for music too. Why do so many people think that they are entitled to get stuff without paying for it....ever.

 

[yRaz]

I bought a copy of Windows 7 Ultimate but I use the pirated version on all my computers. It isn't that I'm trying to get stuff for free, i just think the price is unreasonable. They will get some of my money, but I'm not spending close to a grand to put that stuff on all my computers.

There are a lot of things like that that I eventually buy. I get most of my games on Steam when they go on sale for less than $10. It's not that I want everything for free, i just want more reasonably priced software. Games should not be $60 and the OS should not be $200. I think $100 is a reasonable price for both an OS and stuff like Photoshop with games being $30 (at release) or under.

 

[Archean]

That is because people think it is their 'right' to get things for free, however, crux of the matter is even 'freeware' is not entirely free, as they to get paid through various means e.g. donations etc.

 

[ColdPreacher]

I pay for my development software like Visual studio, Maya, and most recently CS5. I also pay for games as I believe in supporting the developers.

 

[gwailo247]

I never paid for development tools and suites like Maya or Adobe, but then I really just played around with them. But while I won't impose my morality on others, I think that if you're actually getting money from using any software to create something, you should be using a paid version of the software.

But looking back at downloading software over the last decade I do have to say that its much more of a hassle to download and run software than it was in 2002. The DRM takes a lot more work to crack, there are a lot more viruses and trojans sprinkled around, fake copies with limited functionality, virus writers hijacking "legitimate" releases and infect them, etc etc. Even running a pirated version of windows becomes a hassle, you have to find workarounds for WGA, updating becomes a problem.

 

[Guest]

Why would you pay for an operating system? Linux is free, and before you start hating on it, you can now use microsoft word on it as well as photoshop on some distros.

 

[St1ckM4n]

Microsoft Dreamspark gave me Visual Studio Professional (along with a ton of other programs), for free.