Internet Piracy : Your Views

[MaxwellIreland]

I was wondering what people think about Internet Piracy and illegal downloads (movies,tv shows,music etc)

Seems like theres is a hell of a lot of people doing this nowaday.
Can it be stopped?,should fines be enforced?

 

[Pachang]

It basically cannot be stopped due to the nature of the internet and encryption.
Industry will have to adapt.

 

[0007776]

It can't be stopped, the only way to lower the ammount of piracy is for content producers to make it easy and convenient to legally download the content. But even then some people will still pirate.

 

[Tower-Union]

I agree with the first two responses. I think its grossly unreasonable to try and force me to buy a cable package, just so I can watch my three shows a year I actually enjoy. Give me a way to rent them legally (ie $0.99 iTunes rentals) and I'll gladly pay for them! Until then the greedy leeches can kiss my peg leg! ARRR!

 

[Jessica Lares]

It can be stopped and will be stopped. The day that the computer loses the hard drive for the second time and focuses on a ROM based system. Lose the USB drive, DVD, and push the device to be the thinnest ever, focusing on the Internet only, with ISPs managing the cloud locally among multiple servers. Storage packages of 120GB-1TB starting at $10/mo.

 

[0007776]

It can be stopped and will be stopped. The day that the computer loses the hard drive for the second time and focuses on a ROM based system. Lose the USB drive, DVD, and push the device to be the thinnest ever, focusing on the Internet only, with ISPs managing the cloud locally among multiple servers. Storage packages of 120GB-1TB starting at $10/mo.

the day computer makers force me to use the cloud for storage is the day computers die. It would stop piracy, but it would also kill the usefulness of computers, and if that happened I would never buy another new computer.

 

[Jessica Lares]

the day computer makers force me to use the cloud for storage is the day computers die. It would stop piracy, but it would also kill the usefulness of computers, and if that happened I would never buy another new computer.

Even if it meant you had the BEST specs, minus the hard drive and extra hardware? And it included a SIM insert? And by this time you would get 1gbps speeds?

 

[0007776]

Even if it meant you had the BEST specs, minus the hard drive and extra hardware? And it included a SIM insert? And by this time you would get 1gbps speeds?

yep, I want my data on my computer, plus I use my computer in places that don't have an internet connection or at best have a very poor one so the cloud wouldn't work for me even if I did trust a company not to misuse my data.

 

[Hellhammer]

Maybe it's time for producers to realize that they can't overcharge us anymore. 20€ for an album or 30€ for Blu-Ray is ridiculous. It should be so cheap that people wouldn't bother downloading it.

 

[liquidsuns]

I can't really comment on the technicalities of Internet piracy, but I can comment on the morals of it. For me personally, I have no problem paying for something that I think is reasonably priced. I have no problem paying for Netflix to get movies, because I think it's a good deal and worth it. I have no problem paying for iPhone apps that I want because I feel they too, for the most part, are worth the asking price.

There are several things though that I think are utterly ridiculous. Music, for one, is stupid expensive and I only pay for it if I can't find it for free. I'd be totally cool with paying like $15 a month and getting to download (not just stream) all the music I want and be able to put it on all my iDevices. But $10-$15 an album and $1.26 a song just can't compete with free.

Movies, also are stupid expensive to buy. I say a DVD at the store the other for $20. WTF? Seriously? Rentals are even to expensive. So I get Netflix and I rip the films I want. I might pay like $10 for a blu-ray or iTunes HD download.

Same for tv shows. I only watch a few things so cable/satellite is a rip off. 99 cent rentals are acceptable for hour long weekly shows but not sitcoms and not nightly shows like the Daily Show and stuff. It's just too much money.

And I never feel bad when I get stuff for free. I feel entertainers and the execs are way way way way way overpaid, and they value themselves too highly, and that is why all this crap costs so much. Most of these people make more money then they know what to do with and it's absurd. Utterly absurd. If actors, musicians, execs, and whoever else, weren't all so greedy and didn't have such inflated egos, then we could all just get this ENTERTAINMENT for a much more reasonable price. I mean, some actors get $20 million dollars a movie....what can you possibly need that much money for in your entire life? And WHAT could possibly make you think you deserve that much? You're a freakin' actor....

So, no, I don't feel it's wrong at all that people pirate.

 

[roadbloc]

Used to do it. Don't anymore, unless it's on trial basis. I don't think it can be stopped, however I think the majority of pirates are greasy kids downloading music on limewire, and as they grow up, the have more of a responsibility about them and buy music and whatever else they may pirate. That's exactly what happened to myself. I realised I was killing the industry and the ability to pirate was kinda spoiling me.

I'd rather pay cash.

 

[belvdr]

I can't really comment on the technicalities of Internet piracy, but I can comment on the morals of it. For me personally, I have no problem paying for something that I think is reasonably priced. I have no problem paying for Netflix to get movies, because I think it's a good deal and worth it. I have no problem paying for iPhone apps that I want because I feel they too, for the most part, are worth the asking price.

Yeah, you only think Netflix is a good deal because you're ripping all the movies you get. The market calls for a $20 movie, so pay it or stop stealing/ripping others off.

There are several things though that I think are utterly ridiculous. Music, for one, is stupid expensive and I only pay for it if I can't find it for free. I'd be totally cool with paying like $15 a month and getting to download (not just stream) all the music I want and be able to put it on all my iDevices. But $10-$15 an album and $1.26 a song just can't compete with free.

Movies, also are stupid expensive to buy. I say a DVD at the store the other for $20. WTF? Seriously? Rentals are even to expensive. So I get Netflix and I rip the films I want. I might pay like $10 for a blu-ray or iTunes HD download.

Same for tv shows. I only watch a few things so cable/satellite is a rip off. 99 cent rentals are acceptable for hour long weekly shows but not sitcoms and not nightly shows like the Daily Show and stuff. It's just too much money.

I don't find it all that expensive, but then again, I don't see the need to have all this media in my collection.

And I never feel bad when I get stuff for free. I feel entertainers and the execs are way way way way way overpaid, and they value themselves too highly, and that is why all this crap costs so much.

They aren't making up their own salary. There is something called the "Board of Directors" that sets this.

Most of these people make more money then they know what to do with and it's absurd. Utterly absurd. If actors, musicians, execs, and whoever else, weren't all so greedy and didn't have such inflated egos, then we could all just get this ENTERTAINMENT for a much more reasonable price. I mean, some actors get $20 million dollars a movie....what can you possibly need that much money for in your entire life? And WHAT could possibly make you think you deserve that much? You're a freakin' actor....

So, no, I don't feel it's wrong at all that people pirate.

Acting isn't a simple job at all and they aren't just shooting a movie in a few days either. There's a reason why everyone is not an actor/actress.

If you feel it costs too much, how about living within your means and stop stealing things? Purchasing a NetFlix subscription does not give you the right to copy and retain ownership of the media.

 

[BlackViper]

User experience

I think a lot of piracy is done for convenience, and a better experience, not nesesarily financial concerns. DVD/blu-ray buyers are subject to advertising(previews), stern legal warnings and possibly limited playback options(HDCP). Pirates are able to watch whatever they can find on as many devices as they like. Some software has exessivly strict DRM, requiring an Internet connection just to run the program, so long as the DRM servers are also running properly. CDs have been known to install rootkits in order to listen to your purchased music on your PC.

 

[spinnerlys]

It can be stopped and will be stopped. The day that the computer loses the hard drive for the second time and focuses on a ROM based system. Lose the USB drive, DVD, and push the device to be the thinnest ever, focusing on the Internet only, with ISPs managing the cloud locally among multiple servers. Storage packages of 120GB-1TB starting at $10/mo.

There will be always some local storage, as many people need to work with TBs of data (science labs, video editing, music production, ...), unless we get down- and upload speeds of several hundred MB/s (MB as in MegaBytes) to actually work with such an amount of data.

Normal consumers might be okay with some kind of cloud storage, but I will definitely not use it for every file I have, I have invested too much in external HDDs .

 

[yg17]

It can be stopped and will be stopped. The day that the computer loses the hard drive for the second time and focuses on a ROM based system. Lose the USB drive, DVD, and push the device to be the thinnest ever, focusing on the Internet only, with ISPs managing the cloud locally among multiple servers. Storage packages of 120GB-1TB starting at $10/mo.

Keep dreaming. Piracy isn't going anywhere, and hard drives, USB drives and optical media aren't going anywhere either.

 

[thejadedmonkey]

I believe that piracy arose as a response to the outrageous prices of music. The music industry was slow on the uptake. However, now there's a culture of piracy that needs to be combated. The culture of piracy is different from piracy. The culture of piracy relates to people, like my roommate, who will download gobs of movies, just because he can. it appeals to hoarders, freeloaders, etc. That, in my opinion, is more important to fight than simple piracy.

Piracy will be around forever, the challenge is making it less convenient than buying the item, which the music industry still has yet to do.

 

[notjustjay]

There will always be piracy, just like there will always be shoplifting and theft.

I think the best ways to combat piracy is to make it worthwhile to purchase. Your average person is basically honest and is willing to pay, as long as they believe that they are getting good value for their money.

For music and movies that means things like DRM-free and no restrictions on playback, as well as a reasonable price (for example, iTunes has shown that 99 cents/track seems to be a sweet spot).

A company can also work at developing brand loyalty, which I think might help. Look at companies like Microsoft: We perceive them as big, uncaring, clueless, faceless corporations, reaping multi-millions in sales selling bloated, buggy software. And when you do buy it, you have to go through Activation schemes and other hoops just to get it going. What incentive do I have NOT to pirate a copy, like everyone else does? Or the big media execs, who have made it abundantly clear that they feel the current prices "do not reflect the value of the product" and demand more and more restrictions?

Compare that to Rovio Software, makers of Angry Birds, or the Omni Group (Omni Graffle, Omni Outliner, etc.) or Delicious Software, as a few examples. These people work hard and obviously put a lot of care into the high-quality products they make. Using their software makes me smile. They're not necessarily inexpensive, but there's value for money and so I have no problem paying to support the development work. I might consider the idea of pirating their software, sure, but in the end I want to pay them so I can support their work.

Now it could very well be that the difference is all in my head, but that's still where you want to be. Give your customers a product that they like at a price that they're willing to pay, and don't treat them like thieves, make them feel good about it, and they'll pay. Try to rip them off, make it clear that you're greedy for more, treat them like they're already thieves, and they'll say "well, if you think I'm a thief, I might as well fulfil that expectation".

 

[Heilage]

I pirate somewhat. But here's a few examples:

I used to download any game I wanted to play illegally. Then I started using Steam. Now I even buy games I have already pirated on Steam, so I can play with a clean concience.

I used to download any album I wanted to listen to. Then I started using Spotify. Now I just listen to it there.

I still pirate movies and TV shows, but I buy them on DVD/Blu-Ray if I like them.

 

[R94N]

I don't really pirate because I can go without the content. I watch TV and the occasional film sometimes, and stream my music via Spotify/buy it on iTunes, but other than that, I have my podcasts instead

 

[MacRy]

I love the argument that because something is deemed to be too expensive then it's ok to steal it. Would you apply that to other material items? I really want a Porsche but they are very expensive and I can't afford one. It doesn't mean that I go and steal one though! But the car industry makes so much money and the MD's are earning millions of dollars a year so why shouldn't I steal it? I have a right to it surely?

Just because it's easy to download/steal something doesn't mean you should. My neighbour has a really nice motorcycle and his garage is rarely locked so maybe I should just take it because he hasn't secured it properly. Hey, he earns plenty of cash and his insurance will pay up so why shouldn't I have it because after all I deserve it for free don't I?

Seriously! There is no defending piracy.

 

[notjustjay]

If your post is targeted at me, MacRy, please know that I'm just expressing what appears to be the popular sentiment. I am not defending piracy.

 

[C. Alan]

I think piracy will always be a problem. As a consumer that doesn't mind paying for content, it annoys the hell out of me that I have put put up with nonsense like DRM.

I dumped cable six months ago for netflix and AppleTV. So far we have made it work, even with 4 kids in the house.

 

[NoSmokingBandit]

I love the argument that because something is deemed to be too expensive then it's ok to steal it. Would you apply that to other material items? I really want a Porsche but they are very expensive and I can't afford one. It doesn't mean that I go and steal one though! But the car industry makes so much money and the MD's are earning millions of dollars a year so why shouldn't I steal it? I have a right to it surely?

Stealing a Porsche is not comparable to making a copy of a cd. Try again.

 

[belvdr]

Stealing a Porsche is not comparable to making a copy of a cd. Try again.

Physically no, but technically yes. Both are items that cost money and you obtained for free by not purchasing.

 

[Unspeaked]

Physically no, but technically yes. Both are items that cost money and you obtained for free by not purchasing.

All your argument will prove is that a lot more people would be driving Porches if you could duplicate one with Toast...