Recently I was looking for an inexpensive copy of Dreamweaver Studio (website building software), and figured eBay was a great place to start looking. I found what I thought to be a fair price on a used copy of Dreamweaver Studio 8. The seller claimed the software disks were ‘lightly used’ with no visible signs of wear. They also stated that original packaging was not available, but the manual was included and the software was legal and was registered with Macromedia/Adobe. I went ahead and bid, and I ended up winning the auction.
A week later the package arrived. Upon opening, I was extremely disappionted. I was sent 2 cd rom discs that had “Studio 8 - Disc 1″ & “Studio 8 - Disc 2″ written with sharpie on the disc. A small slip of paper told me to install disc 1 and use the “registration generator” to unlock the software. It also stated the manual was in PDF format on disc 2. It was obvious that I had purchased a pirated copy of the software. The seller had used the terms “used” and “legal” to justify the lowered price, and I was enticed me to bid. I think that the buyer assumed that once I received the software, I would be able to install it without issue and therefore not question the sale. This was not the case with me. I immediately contacted the seller and demanded my money back and said he could send postage for his “legal software” to get it back. He refunded me for my purchase.
Personally, I feel that you are playing with fire if you are using pirated software. Manufacturers have the law on their side, and lawsuits can cripple you and your family - should you ever be found out.
Fortunately, there are alternatives for teachers and students. If you are not already aware, several places sell computer software at a HUGE discount for teachers. You can get Microsoft Office Professional 2007 for $99 (a $400 savings) - or how about Adobe Extended CS4 for $298 (a $700 savings) from places like www.acedemicsuperstore.com or www.campustech.com. These are full legal versions of the software that are discounted (by the manufacturer) for teachers and students. You will have to provide sufficient information to prove your education status, but once you do, the savings are significant.