It’s a problem, always has been in the software industry. As a kid I pirated all my software, because I felt like these were giant, faceless corporations that didn’t need my money, and I had no money to give them anyway. I pirated operating systems, I pirated apps, I pirated games. Then one day I got a job, and learnt just how hard it is to make good software, and a switch went off in my head. Now I pay for every piece of software I have, sometimes I buy apps I don’t even need, just because I appreciate the level of crafts(wo)manship and care that went into them. If it’s too expensive and I can’t afford it, I just don’t use it.
via Shifty Jelly’s blog of mystery – You Guys Are Millionaires Right? Pretty much exactly my answer when someone asks about pirating software. Formally pirated software when I didn’t really have money or a job, today I wouldn’t dream of it. The rest of the post is a good read into what the life of an independent software developer is like.