For context, I want to run a small personal gig (offering stuff on Patreon). Nothing too fancy.
In order to do that, I would need to use the Adobe suite, Windows, some audio and video effects, all requiring a commercial license.
In theory, I start to make money. How would Microsoft and Adobe know that I don't pay for their software?
If I use some audio effects, how would their owners even be able to tell / find my work? We're talking about basic sound effect, like rain, door knocks etc.
I've always been confused by this
You really shouldn’t answer questions you clearly don’t know the answer to. There a dozens of ways for apps to report your license status. Most people just don’t know about it.
You can look at a MS Word doc someone sends you and detect the license. Apps can phone home all the time to report your status. Just because you’ve never noticed ot or no one ever caught you doesn’t mean there’s ‘no way’.
I honestly am baffled when people take time to type this type of crap out and post it. You clearly do not know, but you posted it anyway AS IF IT WAS FACT, despite it being provably false.
Don’t be angry now friend. It’s all good. I’ve written the pragmatic answer, you’ve written the theoretical one. We all have our ways. I respect you.