Overpackaging
Categories: [ Grumbling ]
HP ships a trial version of MS Office with Windows Vista Home Basic. If you want a full version, you have to purchase a full licence. The licence comes in a cardboard box (33×22×3.4 cm) sealed with a this-is-a-seal sticker. In the box is a bubble envelope (27.5×20×0.8 cm), sealed with a if-you-open-this-you-accept-the-licence sticker. In the envelope is a cardboard leaflet (19×12.5×0.2 cm) folded in three so as to form a small pouch, sealed with a holographic this-is-an-original-product sticker. In the pouch is a plastic card (8.5×5.4×0.1 cm). On the card is a sticker (4.4x1.5 cm), on which the registration code is printed (25 character in 5 pt font, a Data Matrix and some extra text). The whole package weighs 140 g.
Pirated registration codes can probably be found online, with no extra packaging.
Conclusion: pirated software is more ecological.
Additionally, free software is ecological and legal.
[ Posted on July 2nd, 2008 at 21:20 | 1 comment | permanent link ]
I don't know what it is with Europe and registration codes printed on little plastic cards. The European distributions of Guild Wars also have account codes printed on little plastic cards. I'd prefer this since it would mean that I could just get one of those trading card binder sheets and pop them all in there and then put it in a safe place.
Instead we get codes printed on little tear-open paper pouches or printed on a CD-case insert or on the back of the manual or on the sleeve the disc comes in... things that easily go missing or often get discarded because they take up space.
Pirated codes do get blocked more often nowadays anyway...