should we be concerned about getting caught......

[Trotter]

As the old saying goes... "You play, you pay."

The main problem is the enforcement of it. On one hand, you have people who are ripping and distributing the original stuff (be it music, software, movies, whatever), yet these are not the ones who are pursued. It seems that the RIAA and the authorities are content to hunt down any who download the illegal content that someone else has put up on the Net.

That equates to law enforcement arresting any business owner who receives money that was stolen in a bank robbery. Many who download this stuff doesn't even realize that it is illegal (no one here falls into THAT category).

 

[macombaland]

Many who download this stuff doesn't even realize that it is illegal

I agree. However, ignorance is no defence.

 

[Ste]

Many who download this stuff doesn't even realize that it is illegal (no one here falls into THAT category).

WTF!!!

ITS ILLEGAL!!

NO SMURFING WAY!








Yea, Im definitly one of those People.

 

[The General]

First:

Yes, P2P and bittorrent are legal, but what you share/download may not be.

Quit stealing, start buying to support the production of new ideas. If it were left up to the software thieves we would be stuck with Pong and Apple II.

What you, apparently, don't realize is that some people develop software for the sake of making a good/useful/fun application, not for making money. If Microsoft or [insert big software company] had gone out of business in the 80's or 90's from people stealing their software instead of buying it, someone else would have taken their place. It's not like without Microsoft the world would come to an end. Someone else would take their place, be that Linux and open source software, or Apple, or IBM it doesn't matter.

And just like with software, some people write music to create good music, not to make money. If the record industry goes out of business because of people stealing music, then that would be great because then all the real artists would come out and music would actually be good music again, instead of just some marketing tool to make money and rip people off.

Unlike software, hardware actually costs money to reproduce. Fabs, parts, labor, etc. You seem to think that because of people stealing software, somehow the advance of hardware technology is affected? How is that again? Well, for one, stolen or not, free or not, people want their software to run faster, so the hardware companies will continue to advance because people are willing to pay for hardware. To say that software companies losing money, no wait scratch that. To say that software companies not making money on some of the people using their software directly affects hardware companies in any way is just lunacy.

I will pay for hardware, but I'll be damned if I'm going to pay for a program that costs $0 to reproduce, or a song that costs $0 to reproduce, or a movie that costs $0 to reproduce. CD's and DVD's cost something to reproduce, but they still overcharge. So, until they lower the price of CDs and DVDs to something 20% above their cost of production, I'll stick with bittorrent and save my money for something worth while.

Which would you choose?

10,000 songs for $10,000, or 10,000 songs for $0.

I rest my case.

 

[macombaland]

Oh man. Its economics! Software companies dont make great games and software only because people want it. Its not just a bunch of people making a bunch of cool stuff for a bunch of nothing. They make em because people are willing to PAY . Im not looking at XP on my screen right now because Bill Gates thought it would be niiiice to develop it from windows 95 or something. There was backing. If only 1 person bought it and the rest got it from him then there would be a problem. All of those people would be leeches. LEECHES I SAY!!!!! The software wouldnt be able to keep up with the hardware.

You say that someone will take their place? Of course someone will. Thats because its a free market. Consumer money drives the free market and while you decide you can get something for $0, the price will be driven up for the people who are willing to pay.

And about the music industry you cant be further off. Maybe the music on MTV sucks but what about all the indie record labels who are struggling to get by? There are real people in the industry trying to earn a living. Recording engineers, producers, studio musicians, studio techs, on and on and on. . .
Yes besides all the crap on the top 40 people are writing music to make good music, BUT there are costs to produce and distribute. If I write good music then I want people to hear it...maybe a few more people than I can reach playing a show at a coffee shop.
its it to much to ask for $1 a song? that sounds pretty cheap to me
the bands I listen to dont make any more money than me. The record companies that back them arent rich...they just like good music. Do you think joe downloader cares if its a poor record company or a loaded record company??? no






Oh and by the way....I would choose 0 songs for $0.

I rest my case/

 

[Shumway]

Everyone can moan and complain that it's wrong but hey i bet if we searched your drive's we would sure as heck come up with something you got illegally

 

[KBlair]

Originally posted by The General Someone else would take their place, be that Linux and open source software

If all software were under the GPL, the world would be a much, much better place.

Anyway, I'm half and half on the subject. I do have a legal license for this copy of Windows, I do have a legal license on all the games I own, but that's because there is restrictions if I didn't.

WGA would go mad if I didn't have a legal license (In some cases, it goes mad even if you do, but that's not important...), and I wouldn't be able play some games online if I didn't have a unique key.

However, I am NOT about to dish out $600 for Photoshop. That's just madness and a get-rich-quick scheme by Adobe. However, I did pay for my copy of Paint Shop Pro 8 ($15 on eBay).

If the price is reasonable ($100 or less), I'll pay for that piece of software if I really need it and/or if I want to see the company prosper, however, I am not paying a ridiculous amount of tender for a piece of software that I need but the price tag is enough for something worth the money and better.

 

[Harper]

I do know a few people that have had a subpenia issued for their IP Address. However these people were types that would be downloading heaps. Like about 100Gb plus on a monthly basis.
I have also found that if you seed alot of copywrighted materail, that also races a few eyebrows as they can also get you on distribution.

Over all, if you get your subpenia issued for your IP Address, my advice is this. Buy a wireless router, turn on the access point, and remove all WEP security. And then replace, not format, your hard drive.
Then claim that it you did not realise that your some one else was using your Wireless Access Point to download movies.
And then just pray that they do not hit you with that "You, as the ISP Account Holder,are responible for your downloads" clause that you normally agree to when joining an ISP.

 

[j12]

i agree with harper^^

 

[Keadonen]

Well... i live in canada and the rules are different here (not as harsh) so