I remember those good old days when I was still a student and I bought my first x86 PC. In those days, a 20MB hard disk was still a rarity and we were still using 5 1/4 inch floppies that constantly grew mouldy in our humid environment.
Original licensed software cost a bomb to a student and there was no Internet for us to download software even if we wanted to. For some, the BBS (Bulletin Boards) was the way to go. Thank goodness there were software pirates for the rest of us. I think a vast majority of those who grew up to eventually become IT professionals benefitted from the pirates. I have no doubt that the availability of pirated software back then accelerated our country’s growth and IT literacy rate.
Now fast forward to the Singapore today. No doubt there are still ways to get software via channels such as the Internet and P2P clients, gone are the shops that boldly hang packs of copies on the walls. Or at least it is hard to find them in Singapore. We go across the Causeway for our fix :-p
In Jakarta, I was amazed when I first visited the ITC malls (like our Sim Lim Square). I seemed to have been transported back in time. I was in Geek Heaven again! They sell all sorts of software from common utilities, games, graphic apps, music apps to the enterprise level apps. Some of them, I have not even heard of. Most of these are going at Rp 25,000 per piece, which translate to about S$4. No doubt it is bad for the companies that created the software and for the general IT industry, but like the Singapore of old, I think it does boost the IT literacy and usage in Indonesia.
That said, however, I think it will be a long time before you start seeing retail shops that can actually make a profit selling licensed consumer software in Jakarta. Not unless the government decides to clamp down hard on software piracy. That’s just half the story. They have DVD movies that sell for just over S$1 each! It is a question of ethics, but for some, in the face of global rise in food and oil prices, and a looming recession, letting your morals take a break may just be the ticket.
May 18th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
It will take long before nations like Indonesia to realize the full impact of privacy – channeling of the money of the mass market into the hands of the thieves just to name one. It stifles any grow of creativity because the alternative is so much easier to get. These illegal operators are usually connected to criminals and such business is not sustainable. What we observe today is how the mass market finance crime.
I personally may not agree that privacy accelerates a country’s growth nor IT literacy rate. At least not in this modern world whereby we can find alternatives for the common applications free-of-charge.
Just my humble thoughts.
May 18th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
Well it seems like a pretty creative way to make money to me!
Yes, in a country where the Internet is readily available, where almost every household can subscribe to broadband, free open-source software, freeware and shareware are available.
But not yet in a country where people are pondering between taking the bus or the train to commute, because of the price and time differences. People put money where their priorities like food and daily expenses are required.
There are other thieves in this world, but those are seen as legalised, grown and strengthened by capitalism. Basically I try to be the devil’s advocate and see the good in what’s viewed as bad. Nothing’s absolute and as we know, only the Sith deals in absolutes.
May 18th, 2008 at 5:59 pm
Hi Mark, you probably won’t be surprised to know that piracy is BIG time here in China too. I can pick up a DVD of one of the latest shows in the cinema for less than S$1 and it’s super clear at that! They also have huge IT malls like the one you’ve described in Jakarta. I think it’ll take a long long long time for piracy to be eradicated in this part of the world.
While I’ll say that I don’t support piracy, I’ll have to admit that in my situation now, being able to buy cheap DVDs to watch is great since I only have a 100plus freaking Chinese channels to watch at home.
When will you be back in Singapore by the way? I’m heading home on the 27th and will be home for a month, hope we can catch up!
May 20th, 2008 at 10:40 pm
Lorraine, yeah I remember the cheap DVDs when I was in Shanghai for a holiday. 100+ freakin Chinese channels and nothing else?! Hahaha. I only go back every 2 weekends, and currently not sure on the exact end date, although it is supposed to be 6 Jun.
May 21st, 2008 at 7:53 pm
Give me a call when you are back lah. We can meet together with Helen too. I’m still contactable on my Singapore mobile number, see you soon!