If you're so keen on copyright law being respected, I presume you completely erase the ECUs you work on and don't plagiarize the processor code and majority of the calibration data??

I refer back to my point that if you claim to have never used/dowloaded pirate software and/or music, you're a liar.

You're definitely in a minority, but it's not for the reasons that you claim. It's for unadulterated hypocrisy.

because i use the tools these people provide to support myself. i respect the service and product they provide.
they earned the money. i feel they 100% deserve it. these companies provide support when i need it, they provide updates for new protocols, they provide pin out documentation, etc.

if no one paid, and everyone used a "clone", there would be no more tools. give credit where credit is due is my point.

i am not saying people should go to jail for using clones or anything of the like.

my point is you are hurting the very people that provided you the product in the first place.
without paying customers (aka everyone using clones or a serial # generator), there is no more $ to continue to provide or support a product.

to have such a blatant disregard for actually supporting the developer and just saying "well, i dont really use it, so im not going to pay for the part i do use" is disrespectful and you are stealing from the person who provided the original genuine product.

- Judge John T. Noonan, to lawyer Russell Frackman, MGM vs. Grokster, 9th Circuit Court of Appeals

Also, see http://nyet.org/ for a compendium of related quotes

I believe the key factor involved with the flood of clones or other types of licencing defeats for  software tools is the excessive cost to obtain genuine software. I cannot believe the actual cost of developing the applications useful for ECU tuning justify the very high prices these software products demand. If the pricing structure was aligned according to the affordability factor for the typical guy starting out in tuning with licensing costs for individual owner/enthusiasts associated with functionality tiers. Software tool applications  that are affordable for beginners, not just priced such that only established businesses can afford to acquire, would for the most part eliminate the  clones and licensing hacks, while increasing sales for software tool developers. If the pricing was more realistic, the market would determine the best tools with the best quality and practical  application features  vs purchase pricing being the focus of real competition in the market that does not exist now. The only justification for the excessively high pricing of most software applications tools, is to limit the availability to a select few, with the per license profit margin supported by low volume sales. The widespread existence of clones and license hacks is the fault of software developers demanding excessive prices, distorting the price/demand open market rules, IMO.

I'm all in support, if they actually made it available for us to purchase and not hoard it.. ie: Volvo me7 shit.