A lot of my friends think I am crazy when I pay for software, apps, content, and music (even if I know how to use them for free).
Indians love to not pay for software, art or content, for most people here if it can be used for free, why pay?
I think of it as paying it forward to the industry for their work and art, the artist needs to be rewarded for his time, effort and skill or we run out of creativity from this world (and good software to use).
I feel very content that I have not watched any pirated movie, nor used any pirated or counterfeit product or software since almost two years now, I think of it as paying it forward to the community of geeks and artists, I always try to pay something at the least if not in full, I make small donations to websites that I enjoy reading and have improved my thought process, websites which are donations supported, I try to pay every year, (Wikipedia — 3 year donor), I love to pay for quality journalism, artists and software. Plain and simple.
Broke people don’t go on to become Mozart’s or Musk’s of the world, please, pay it forward, donate bits to all chrome extensions, phone apps and plugins you use.
Steve Jobs and Bill Gates are rich enough, but with the 2$ donation, you make to that Chrome extension developer for using his software for free he puts food on the table for his family or else he will be forced to sell your data.