So true. That's why most commercial software is also shareware, just about 100% functioning.

Nobody every managed to stop or fine any private person recording songs of the radio, all those years now.
We still bought records, cassettes, and now disks.

Software is privately used, then if it is good, is promoted at one's company, or place of work. Most business pay for their computer software, for many reasons (tax concession as a start).

The internet is the 'information super highway' and we exchange information, knowledge and software, on it, just as it was thought of initially.
Notice however, that suddenly commerce and governments take 'responsibility' on? Now that they have come to use the internet more and more, now they regulate it.
Sad, isn't it.

Fortunately the structure of the internet is too diverse, too open, to really stuff it into one controlled pipeline.
It also goes completely against the 'freedom of expression' etc.

JD