"If the prices weren't so high, people wouldn't be downloading it."

Then again, if people would not be downloading it, the prices would not be so high. Think about it. Since more people are downloading illegal software, companies are not making as much of a profit. In order to get the maximum amount of profit possible, the companies need to squeeze out more money from consumers that do legal business trades. Price is the one thing you certainly should not be complaining of, no matter what you think. Developers make software for money; money that feeds his or her family. You might be saying to yourself, "eh, I think they are making too much money." Fine; when everyone who uses the software starts thinking like that and acting upon it, there will be no company; that developer that was making "too much money" has lost his or her job and is possibly making less money than is necessary. Of course, this might be an extreme application, but it is true nonetheless. It is comparable to theft mainly because that is just what it is: Theft. The bottom line is, price is a reason for illegal practices, and like just about every other reason there is for being involved in such practices, is by no means a valid one.

As for the twenty-four hour rule; I do not know much about the legal topic of emulation, but I can make a strong assumption that it was completely made up.