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A recent survey found that more computers than copies of computer prog
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vanam52923
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A recent survey found that more computers than copies of computer prog [#permalink] New post  01 Oct 2019, 05:50
VeritasKarishma wrote:
krishrads wrote:
A recent survey found that more computers than copies of computer programs were purchased by Germans last year. The best interpretation of this finding is that the practice of illegally duplicating commercial computer programs is widespread among Germans.

Each of the following, if true, would counter some reasonable objection to the interpretation advanced above EXCEPT:

(A) Few German computer users write their own computer programs.
(B) There are few free noncommercial computer programs available in Germany.
(C) Some Germans purchase computers outside of Germany for use in Germany, and such purchases were counted in the survey.
(D) The typical German computer user has several commercially written computer programs on his or her computer.
(E) Many Germans legally make duplicates of commercial computer programs, but such duplicates were counted as purchased copies in the survey.


Responding to a pm:

Premises:
More computers than computer programs are sold.

Conclusion:
Illegally duplicating commercial computer programs is widespread.

The trickiest thing about this question is its question stem:
Each of the following, if true, would counter some reasonable objection to the interpretation advanced above EXCEPT

Interpretation advanced above - Illegally duplicating commercial computer programs is widespread.

Reasonable objections to this could be many - there are sources of legal duplication, some popular brands sell computers with pre-loaded softwares as incentive which are not counted, many Germans write their own softwares and do not use the commercial ones etc

Each of the following would counter - So we need each option to counter one of the reasonable objections. Mind you, we are not given the reasonable objections. We will need to judge whether an option could be used to counter an objection. There will be one option which will not counter a reasonable objection.

(A) Few German computer users write their own computer programs.
Counters the objection - Germans write their own programs. Hence, illegal duplication is not widespread.
Note that "few" means "almost none"

(B) There are few free noncommercial computer programs available in Germany.
Counters the objection - In Germany, free non commercial programs are available. Hence, illegal duplication is not widespread.
Again, "few" means "almost none"

(C) Some Germans purchase computers outside of Germany for use in Germany, and such purchases were counted in the survey.
Some computers are purchased outside Germany and these are counted. From where do these people purchase programs, we don't know. If from outside Germany, are they counted in the number of programs purchased too, we don't know.
This does not clarify anything and is not a counter to any objection.

(D) The typical German computer user has several commercially written computer programs on his or her computer.
Counters the objection - typical German computer user has few, if any commercially written programs on his computer. Hence, illegal duplication is not widespread.

(E) Many Germans legally make duplicates of commercial computer programs, but such duplicates were counted as purchased copies in the survey.
Counters the objection - Legal duplicates can be made in Germany and they are not counted. Hence illegal duplication is not widespread.

Answer (C)

VeritasKarishma
conclusion delas with illegally duplicating commerical programs
B) deals with non commerical programs
so if there are few non commerical progreams ,we have no idea of how many commerical proagrams are free.
say if lots of commerical are free then we cannt say they are illegally duplicating ,they are legal then .
Why we are ignoring commercial vs non commercial here ?
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VeritasKarishma
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Re: A recent survey found that more computers than copies of computer prog [#permalink] New post  01 Oct 2019, 22:18
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vanam52923 wrote:
VeritasKarishma wrote:
krishrads wrote:
A recent survey found that more computers than copies of computer programs were purchased by Germans last year. The best interpretation of this finding is that the practice of illegally duplicating commercial computer programs is widespread among Germans.

Each of the following, if true, would counter some reasonable objection to the interpretation advanced above EXCEPT:

(A) Few German computer users write their own computer programs.
(B) There are few free noncommercial computer programs available in Germany.
(C) Some Germans purchase computers outside of Germany for use in Germany, and such purchases were counted in the survey.
(D) The typical German computer user has several commercially written computer programs on his or her computer.
(E) Many Germans legally make duplicates of commercial computer programs, but such duplicates were counted as purchased copies in the survey.


Responding to a pm:

Premises:
More computers than computer programs are sold.

Conclusion:
Illegally duplicating commercial computer programs is widespread.

The trickiest thing about this question is its question stem:
Each of the following, if true, would counter some reasonable objection to the interpretation advanced above EXCEPT

Interpretation advanced above - Illegally duplicating commercial computer programs is widespread.

Reasonable objections to this could be many - there are sources of legal duplication, some popular brands sell computers with pre-loaded softwares as incentive which are not counted, many Germans write their own softwares and do not use the commercial ones etc

Each of the following would counter - So we need each option to counter one of the reasonable objections. Mind you, we are not given the reasonable objections. We will need to judge whether an option could be used to counter an objection. There will be one option which will not counter a reasonable objection.

(A) Few German computer users write their own computer programs.
Counters the objection - Germans write their own programs. Hence, illegal duplication is not widespread.
Note that "few" means "almost none"

(B) There are few free noncommercial computer programs available in Germany.
Counters the objection - In Germany, free non commercial programs are available. Hence, illegal duplication is not widespread.
Again, "few" means "almost none"

(C) Some Germans purchase computers outside of Germany for use in Germany, and such purchases were counted in the survey.
Some computers are purchased outside Germany and these are counted. From where do these people purchase programs, we don't know. If from outside Germany, are they counted in the number of programs purchased too, we don't know.
This does not clarify anything and is not a counter to any objection.

(D) The typical German computer user has several commercially written computer programs on his or her computer.
Counters the objection - typical German computer user has few, if any commercially written programs on his computer. Hence, illegal duplication is not widespread.

(E) Many Germans legally make duplicates of commercial computer programs, but such duplicates were counted as purchased copies in the survey.
Counters the objection - Legal duplicates can be made in Germany and they are not counted. Hence illegal duplication is not widespread.

Answer (C)

VeritasKarishma
conclusion delas with illegally duplicating commerical programs
B) deals with non commerical programs
so if there are few non commerical progreams ,we have no idea of how many commerical proagrams are free.
say if lots of commerical are free then we cannt say they are illegally duplicating ,they are legal then .
Why we are ignoring commercial vs non commercial here ?


Commercial, by definition, implies for-profit. Hence, commercial programs implies paid programs.
Option (B) says that there aren't free programs in Germany. That counters the objection that Germans install free programs instead of commercial ones (paid one) and hence illegal duplication is not rampant.
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KritiG
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A recent survey found that more computers than copies of computer prog [#permalink] New post  13 Jun 2020, 10:09
GMATNinja wrote:
adkikani wrote:
GMATNinja VeritasPrepKarishma DAVEexamPAL

Please help me with correct reasoning and PoE:

Each of the following, if true, would counter some reasonable objection to the interpretation advanced above EXCEPT:

In an EXCEPT question, CROSS OUT anything that ___(counters reasonable objection/ STRENGTHEN) the interpretation of author. What is the interpretation?
the practice of illegally duplicating commercial computer programs is widespread among Germans.

Why does author interpret this?
A recent survey found that more computers than copies of computer programs were purchased by Germans last year.

Let me break down the question stem once again to avoid confusion:
Each of the following, if true, (Assume each of below answer choices to be true to
determine .. . )

would counter (would go against)

some reasonable objection (weaken)

to the interpretation advanced above EXCEPT: (Key word except)



I can weaken the interpretation by suggesting an alternate cause for survey results.

Quote:
(A) Few German computer users write their own computer programs.

Irrelevant to argument in hand.

Quote:
(B) There are few free noncommercial computer programs available in Germany.

If there are few noncommercial computer programs that are available in Germany
then copying will be more. STRENGTHENS the conclusion.

Quote:
(C) Some Germans purchase computers outside of Germany for use in Germany, and such purchases were counted in the survey

Correct. Presents alternate cause - Purchase outside of Germany.
Further these purchases are also counted in survey, hence instead of duplication
it is purchase that leads to interpretation.
Quote:
(D) The typical German computer user has several commercially written computer programs on his or her computer.

Irrelevant to argument at hand.

Quote:
(E) Many Germans legally make duplicates of commercial computer programs, but such duplicates were counted as purchased copies in the survey.

The first clause presents an alternate cause for author's interpretation.

adkikani, this looks good! I'll add a few points:

I wouldn't say that (A) is "irrelevant". If MANY computer users write their own programs, that could explain why computer sales exceed computer program sales. That would weakens the author's interpretation (the data could be explained even if the practice of illegally duplicating commercial computer programs is NOT widespread). (A) counters that objection.

The explanation for (B) is similar. If there were MANY free noncommercial computer programs, then computer users would not need to buy commercial programs. This would explain why the number of computers purchased is greater than the number of commercial programs purchased. This alternate explanation would weaken the author's interpretation, but (B) counters that objection.

Similarly, what if many computer users do NOT have commercially written programs on their computers? In that case, there is no reason to expect that the number of programs purchased should equal the number of computers purchased. This would weaken the author's interpretation, but (D) counters that objection.



Does this question say all of the following options weaken the argument except? Because I have read explanations on Strengthen Except questions and am confused. Can GMATNinja confirm?
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shanks2020
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Re: A recent survey found that more computers than copies of computer prog [#permalink] New post  27 Nov 2020, 09:01
VeritasKarishma wrote:
krishrads wrote:
A recent survey found that more computers than copies of computer programs were purchased by Germans last year. The best interpretation of this finding is that the practice of illegally duplicating commercial computer programs is widespread among Germans.

Each of the following, if true, would counter some reasonable objection to the interpretation advanced above EXCEPT:

(A) Few German computer users write their own computer programs.
(B) There are few free noncommercial computer programs available in Germany.
(C) Some Germans purchase computers outside of Germany for use in Germany, and such purchases were counted in the survey.
(D) The typical German computer user has several commercially written computer programs on his or her computer.
(E) Many Germans legally make duplicates of commercial computer programs, but such duplicates were counted as purchased copies in the survey.


Responding to a pm:

Premises:
More computers than computer programs are sold.

Conclusion:
Illegally duplicating commercial computer programs is widespread.

The trickiest thing about this question is its question stem:
Each of the following, if true, would counter some reasonable objection to the interpretation advanced above EXCEPT

Interpretation advanced above - Illegally duplicating commercial computer programs is widespread.

Reasonable objections to this could be many - there are sources of legal duplication, some popular brands sell computers with pre-loaded softwares as incentive which are not counted, many Germans write their own softwares and do not use the commercial ones etc

Each of the following would counter - So we need each option to counter one of the reasonable objections. Mind you, we are not given the reasonable objections. We will need to judge whether an option could be used to counter an objection. There will be one option which will not counter a reasonable objection.

(A) Few German computer users write their own computer programs.
Counters the objection - Germans write their own programs. Hence, illegal duplication is not widespread.
Note that "few" means "almost none"

(B) There are few free noncommercial computer programs available in Germany.
Counters the objection - In Germany, free non commercial programs are available. Hence, illegal duplication is not widespread.
Again, "few" means "almost none"

(C) Some Germans purchase computers outside of Germany for use in Germany, and such purchases were counted in the survey.
Some computers are purchased outside Germany and these are counted. From where do these people purchase programs, we don't know. If from outside Germany, are they counted in the number of programs purchased too, we don't know.
This does not clarify anything and is not a counter to any objection.

(D) The typical German computer user has several commercially written computer programs on his or her computer.
Counters the objection - typical German computer user has few, if any commercially written programs on his computer. Hence, illegal duplication is not widespread.

(E) Many Germans legally make duplicates of commercial computer programs, but such duplicates were counted as purchased copies in the survey.
Counters the objection - Legal duplicates can be made in Germany and they are not counted. Hence illegal duplication is not widespread.

Answer (C)


Hi VeritasKarishma AndrewN CrackVerbal

How does option B act as a counter. Few(almost no) free non-commercial programs don't mean remaining there are only paid commercial programs. There could be paid non-commercial programs, hence in that case illegal duplicating of commercial programs is not correct.
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AndrewN
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Re: A recent survey found that more computers than copies of computer prog [#permalink] New post  27 Nov 2020, 14:45
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shanks2020 wrote:
Hi VeritasKarishma AndrewN CrackVerbal

How does option B act as a counter. Few(almost no) free non-commercial programs don't mean remaining there are only paid commercial programs. There could be paid non-commercial programs, hence in that case illegal duplicating of commercial programs is not correct.

Hello, shanks2020. A paid non-commercial program is like saying free parking fees. Either something is commercial—sold for money—or non-commercial in the context of this question. You may find this earlier explanation by VeritasKarishma useful.

Thank you for thinking to ask me about this old nightmare of a question. (I hate double negatives—counter an objection... [grumble]... [grumble].)

- Andrew
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sbsbs
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Re: A recent survey found that more computers than copies of computer prog [#permalink] New post  09 Jan 2021, 00:53
(C) Some Germans purchase computers outside of Germany for use in Germany, and such purchases were counted in the survey.
(E) Many Germans legally make duplicates of commercial computer programs, but such duplicates were counted as purchased copies in the survey.

Why is the right answer about Germany while the Survey is about Germans, which means not necessarily in Germany ?
E slightly strenghtens but it does

Can someone please help me on that ?
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GMATNinja
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Re: A recent survey found that more computers than copies of computer prog [#permalink] New post  18 Jan 2021, 19:22
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sbsbs wrote:
(C) Some Germans purchase computers outside of Germany for use in Germany, and such purchases were counted in the survey.
(E) Many Germans legally make duplicates of commercial computer programs, but such duplicates were counted as purchased copies in the survey.

Why is the right answer about Germany while the Survey is about Germans, which means not necessarily in Germany ?
E slightly strenghtens but it does

Can someone please help me on that ?

This particular question is worded in a way that can easily be confusing. So, a good first step would be to reword the question in a way that is easier to follow. Because we always want to look to eliminate answers, we could say “cross out everything that counters a reasonable objection to the interpretation that German illegally duplicate computer programs.”

With that in mind, here’s (E):

Quote:
(E) Many Germans legally make duplicates of commercial computer programs, but such duplicates were counted as purchased copies in the survey.

Someone could object to the author’s interpretation and claim that the Germans are copying computer programs, but the copying is legal. However, (E) counters that objection by indicating that legal copies were included as purchased copies. So, legal copies would not explain the discrepancy between the number of computers and the number of programs purchased. Eliminate (E).

Quote:
(C) Some Germans purchase computers outside of Germany for use in Germany, and such purchases were counted in the survey.

The argument described a discrepancy in which too many computers were purchased and too few programs were purchased. (C) begins by detailing that some Germans purchased computers outside of Germany, and then it goes on to explain that even these purchases were counted in the survey.

But would the fact that Germans purchased computers outside of Germany be reason to object to the conclusion in the first place? Not really. If anything, we would think that maybe the computers weren’t counted in the survey, and we would have reason to believe that the discrepancy between the number of computers purchased and the number of programs purchased was even greater.

So when (C) indicates that “such purchases were counted in the survey,” it does not counter a reasonable objection because the fact that computers were UNDER-counted would not be a reasonable objection. For that reason, we cannot cross out (C), and it is correct.

I hope that helps!
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