Beyond the economics, there’s an ethics angle. When you use software that touches the integrity of your data, trust matters. Buying a legitimate key is an investment in security and continuity. The alternative — cobbling together cracked keys labeled “642” — might save a buck today and expose you to risk tomorrow. Developers, too, bear responsibility: design licensing systems that are user-friendly and respect privacy, and avoid heavy-handed DRM that punishes legitimate users more than pirates.