I have been a firm believer in purchasing software that I like. I really like the shareware concept and support $.$$ a lot of software developers. Generally I have experienced 2 things. I have purchased some over priced software that was never updated and was abandoned at version 1 and made me feel like I wasted my money. I have also had superior support in getting functions added so you have to expect the good with the bad. I suppose piracy causes a lot of
software developers go out of business. But many do not support their code by making simple bug fixes. Those developers that do clean and improve there product earn my loyalty and my money.

Piracy is definitely a bad thing for both the consumer and the vendor as it discourages vendors in making improvements to the code which results in abandon ware.

Regardless Nick Bradbury has a very good 2 part Essay on what Piracy has cost him and his software business. [Part 1] [Part 2]