These days it is almost safe to say that everyone i know has had their share of splurging on fake items in general. Sometimes it seems that the overall attraction of getting something for a fraction of the original value outweighs our ethics. Despite so many laws in this country, the theft we know as piracy is already imprinted on our society. As discussed in class, pirated software in the digital age is identical to the original products, giving more appeal to consumers. When the people who so solemnly swear to uphold the law are also part of this form of unorganized crime, it is almost impossible to solve this serious matter
Although I myselft am in no position to vilify those who purchase pirated products, there are numerous ignored advantages in buying the real thing. My first point is, you get your money's worth. If you don't, then why would you want that product in the first place? A good practice before spending good money is to research on what you are about to buy. This way, we can avoid the hassle of sulking over money gone down the drain. From experience, another big advantage original products have over their counterparts is customer service. Although sometimes tiring and tedious, the result can be surprisingly good.
In purchasing a Symantec product license online a few months ago, I encountered what could be every online shoppers' nightmare. The price was charged to the credit card i used, but my subscription was not renewed. I immediately contacted their customer support, which was in the form of a one-on-one online chatroom. My situation was escalated from technician to technician until it was finally solved. Though frustrating, the trouble I had to endure was not left unrewarded. The package I was supposed to get was upgraded to the latest and most complete version available, and I was given a 1 year subscription as opposed to a few months for a lousy bundle. You may think it still wasn't worth it, but before deciding to purchase the real thing I had to drive a few kilometers back and forth to the nearest tiangge to ask for a different CD key which always turned out to be expired. In the end, its still a matter of preference and conscience. We are all hypocrites when it comes to piracy issues.
Although I myselft am in no position to vilify those who purchase pirated products, there are numerous ignored advantages in buying the real thing. My first point is, you get your money's worth. If you don't, then why would you want that product in the first place? A good practice before spending good money is to research on what you are about to buy. This way, we can avoid the hassle of sulking over money gone down the drain. From experience, another big advantage original products have over their counterparts is customer service. Although sometimes tiring and tedious, the result can be surprisingly good.
In purchasing a Symantec product license online a few months ago, I encountered what could be every online shoppers' nightmare. The price was charged to the credit card i used, but my subscription was not renewed. I immediately contacted their customer support, which was in the form of a one-on-one online chatroom. My situation was escalated from technician to technician until it was finally solved. Though frustrating, the trouble I had to endure was not left unrewarded. The package I was supposed to get was upgraded to the latest and most complete version available, and I was given a 1 year subscription as opposed to a few months for a lousy bundle. You may think it still wasn't worth it, but before deciding to purchase the real thing I had to drive a few kilometers back and forth to the nearest tiangge to ask for a different CD key which always turned out to be expired. In the end, its still a matter of preference and conscience. We are all hypocrites when it comes to piracy issues.
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