u/the_last_mustfa

The other day, it dawned on me just how much software I—and almost all Iraqis—use is pirated.

I know open-source alternatives exist, but schools here don't even teach you about open-source software. Even university professors often don't know about open-source alternatives. Virtually all software, across every level—from government offices and everyday social life to critical medical care—is built on pirated software. Iraq isn't alone in this; a lot of the developing world relies on pirated software just to function.

While I understand it might not seem fair to developers in first-world countries, we would literally be in a far worse state without pirated software. Think about the countless people who managed to build a better life because they learned media production on pirated software, or the poor mechanics who use cracked software to diagnose car problems. Even the skills taught at our universities are learned on pirated programs. Almost no one here can afford a legitimate Windows license, let alone expensive specialized software.

To all the brothers and sisters in the first world who take the risk to crack and provide this software: thank you. My gratitude is the only compensation I can offer.

Ultimately, I hope our broken system can eventually break this cycle by shifting toward teaching and adopting open-source software.