See link - Big IT names should be in Australia having a "chat" about why they enjoy taking Australian money so much. Apparently we can't work it out for ourselves. I'm pretty sure the answer is "Just because. Because we *can* and we *want to*"

Free enterprise or capitalism (or whatever it is) shouldn't give 'them' the right to arbitrarily rip entire nations off. It's probably the opposite of the actual definitions.

At the moment I've only heard "it's mine, I made it, I can charge you whatever I want up to whatever you will pay" as the reasoning...when they start being honest about it.

A good and usual suggestion might be "well you don't have to buy it, and maybe that would make them lower the prices".

But we don't really have that option - there are *not* enough alternatives that are international standards/established.
Even freeware often has commercial/government restrictions on its use.

People do resort to pirating - isn't that a key indicator that maybe they are asking too much?
I've bought software I've needed and wanted since early high-school - I've tried exercising the 'don't buy if it's too much' - lots of us would by default, because:

1. we actually can't afford it in Australia and 
2. we don't want to do the wrong thing by pirating.

But I've never seen any change in attitude of pricing.

And as for hardware - "holy religious icon!", I think loudly daily. How do these people and toddlers around me all have iPhones! Multiple iPhones!
I don't have a mobile phone of any sort as I've never been able to warrant the expense of it plus the monthly rates they charge over here.

One argument used to be that it was all due to physical media/transport/taxes etc. But these costs have been maximally minimised in today's IT world.

Even when we've had dollar value well in excess of the U.S. still the prices can be 2-3 times the equivalent price in the US.

Not everyone takes advantage. And sometimes I feel even the increased price is still worth the software product.
Maybe I am just conditioned so much that when I see a 'reasonable' price I get heart palpitations.

Now, I am not sure whether there is going to be a response like "do you know how much we pay for UGG boots over here?".
I'm not even sure of Australia's exports. Maybe booze, minerals, and gits with big knives are all there is.

Actually, the Uggies were nicked - they are as Australian as Vegemite now. In a fit of extreme emotional exaggeration  I'd say almost every intellectual property/product ever developed in Australia (shrug - not really what I was looking for) has been bought or nicked or died of stingray.

Our major food/product outlets screw our farmers while outsourcing and price warring destroys any attempt to start a boutique or competitive business - but then I reckon citizens of the US would be familiar enough with this kind of thing already in their own backyards.

It all just adds to our consumerism misery. We truly are seen as just "those suckers" to be exploited.

Australians tend to bag the US for its self-aware precocious progeny and an outward reputation of worldwide over-bearance - but it's just cultural sh*t stirring - the sometimes uglier part of our multi-cultural larrikinism.

But in the world of Ozzie IT technology lovers, this whole price thing, actually *does* incur real resentment and disdain.

P.S. Is all the linking silly?