movies??

[NightStorm]

Actually, you downloading it from a torrent site is a ripoff ... after all, you are ripping off and stealing from the movie studios ... good job.

But the movie studios are giant faceless corporations who won't miss the money. Sure they may employ thousands and thousands of working class people, but I don't care as long as I still have my job.

Seriously, I've heard that as an excuse for condoning piracy.

 

[The General]

Most pirates wouldn't buy movies anyway, so really, the MAFIAA aren't losing money when said pirate downloads a movie.

It's not stealing, though... The person I get it from gives it to me, and they still have their movie. No one is losing anything.

It's like if I find a big chunk of gold in a river, duplicate it with a Star Trek replicator, and put it back in the river.

What if we found a way to duplicate food? Let's say I buy a carton of milk and a loaf of bread from CVS. Then, I take it home to my Star Trek replicator, make a few dozen copies, and then go to the homeless shelter and feed the poor. Do you think CVS should get money for that? They end up 1 loaf of bread fewer, and 1 carton of milk fewer. They got paid for it too. So what's the big deal?

The big deal is that "omg sales drop due to piracy" which has still yet to be proven, and can't be proven.

 

[madagi]

Most pirates wouldn't buy movies anyway, so really, the MAFIAA aren't losing money when said pirate downloads a movie.

It's not stealing, though... The person I get it from gives it to me, and they still have their movie. No one is losing anything.

It's like if I find a big chunk of gold in a river, duplicate it with a Star Trek replicator, and put it back in the river.

What if we found a way to duplicate food? Let's say I buy a carton of milk and a loaf of bread from CVS. Then, I take it home to my Star Trek replicator, make a few dozen copies, and then go to the homeless shelter and feed the poor. Do you think CVS should get money for that? They end up 1 loaf of bread fewer, and 1 carton of milk fewer. They got paid for it too. So what's the big deal?

The big deal is that "omg sales drop due to piracy" which has still yet to be proven, and can't be proven.

I'm sorry but that is the most effed up logic I have ever heard. How is it stealing? Because you're using/watching a DVD that you did not pay for. Yes, they did not lose any money from your friend's DVD but they did lose money from the DVD you "borrowed" instead of buying. So what are they losing? They're losing the money that you should have paid to watch the movie but instead decided to just copy it from someone else. Lame.

If the whole wold worked that way (lets take your example with food being graciously "replicated" to give to the poor) then 1 hamburger would be sold for the rest of eternity. 1 gallon of milk. 1 loaf of bread etc. etc. etc. After that initial purchase, there would be no more market for those goods because they can now be "replicated" and distributed around the world for free. Are you kidding me? Our whole economy would crash!

 

[diabolic]

How is it stealing? Because you're using/watching a DVD that you did not pay for. Yes, they did not lose any money from your friend's DVD but they did lose money from the DVD you "borrowed" instead of buying. So what are they losing? They're losing the money that you should have paid to watch the movie but instead decided to just copy it from someone else. Lame.

Unfortunately that's the standard line from the "intellectual property isn't the same as tangible property" people. They try to pretend that since actual property hasn't changed hands, there isn't anyone feeling harm from it.

Software pirates try the same "I wouldn't have bought it anyway" line as well. They are usually the ones whining the loudest about DRM and copy protection even though they "wouldn't buy it anyway".

And for the record, I am against DRM that restricts my fair use of what I buy, but as a software developer, I understand why people feel the need for copy protection.

 

[The General]

steal /stil/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[steel] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation, verb, stole, sto·len, steal·ing, noun
–verb (used with object)
1. to take (the property of another or others) without permission or right, esp. secretly or by force: A pickpocket stole his watch.
2. to appropriate (ideas, credit, words, etc.) without right or acknowledgment.
3. to take, get, or win insidiously, surreptitiously, subtly, or by chance: He stole my girlfriend.
4. to move, bring, convey, or put secretly or quietly; smuggle (usually fol. by away, from, in, into, etc.): They stole the bicycle into the bedroom to surprise the child.

1. The owner of the DVD gave me a copy willingly. I didn't "hack" into his computer and take it without his permission.
2. The person with the DVD allowed me to have a copy. He knows I have it, and acknowledges that it was not theft.
3. It was given to me willingly.
4. It was fairly obvious when he handed it to me over the internet, when our IP's were logged by the tracker.

The original owner still has their movie. It was not stolen.

Was it copyright infringement? Hell yes.

But was it theft? No.

There is a huge difference between [downloading a pirate movie] and [walking into Best Buy and stealing a DVD.]

Duplicating a DVD is not stealing. Even Jesus duplicated stuff:

 

[diabolic]

The original owner still has their movie. It was not stolen.

Yes. I have heard it all before, many, many times.

It's usually followed by some claim that copyright infringement shouldn't really be illegal anyway. And then sometimes it even strays further into the idea that creative works are really intended for the public good and people shouldn't profit off them (musicians should sell shirts and mugs at their shows instead of getting paid for their music and other nonsense like that).

 

[The General]

Yes. I have heard it all before, many, many times.

It's usually followed by some claim that copyright infringement shouldn't really be illegal anyway. And then sometimes it even strays further into the idea that creative works are really intended for the public good and people shouldn't profit off them (musicians should sell shirts and mugs at their shows instead of getting paid for their music and other nonsense like that).

You won't hear anything like that out of me ... I'm not that psycho about this stuff. I am really anti-DRM, and I hold the stance that copyright infringement is not theft, just as stealing a DVD from Best Buy is not copyright infringement.

Do I break the law? Yes.

Do I care that I break the law? No.

There are crimes that are immoral (rape, murder, theft, etc.) and there are crimes that aren't (piracy, traffic violations, etc.). You must admit, though, that there is a major difference between downloading a movie and actually stealing a DVD from Best Buy.

 

[Sobe]

You won't hear anything like that out of me ... I'm not that psycho about this stuff. I am really anti-DRM, and I hold the stance that copyright infringement is not theft, just as stealing a DVD from Best Buy is not copyright infringement.

Do I break the law? Yes.

Do I care that I break the law? No.

There are crimes that are immoral (rape, murder, theft, etc.) and there are crimes that aren't (piracy, traffic violations, etc.). You must admit, though, that there is a major difference between downloading a movie and actually stealing a DVD from Best Buy.

Spoken like someone who never made anything worth stealing.

 

[devilot]

And I think we've had enough fun, no?