[-Fabez-]

So whats your opinion on illegal downloads, piracy, the digital rights movements and other copyright related issues ? Do you believe in paying for software ? Feel free to share your opinion in this thread

[valis]

haven't voted yourself yet, fabez?

[-Fabez-]

I knew there was something I missed thanks I personally think piracy is wrong as people spend hours upon hours devoloping software and people just download it for free, instead of paying for the devolopers wages.

[dunc453]

when it comes to the big companies i dont care about illegal downloads, what difference will a few thousand downloads of software without paying make. However, with the big co.'s security is better.
I dont download illegaly, i have a firend who lets me borrow his software.

THERE YA GO

[valis]

fabez, you should make this a public poll so others can view who voted for what......but then again, that would require honesty from the pollsters, so I dunno.....

[valis]

Originally Posted by -Fabez-

I knew there was something I missed thanks I personally think piracy is wrong as people spend hours upon hours devoloping software and people just download it for free, instead of paying for the devolopers wages.

as someone who works in the IT industry, and while not being a coder monkey, I've spent enough time creating rather complex macros in my day to understand the pride that goes with it. If I can, I help out for free, but there are definitely times when I charge.

also having been a free-lance writer for several years, I understand the entire concept of 'intellectual copyright', and would be highly ticked off if some of my writing showed up under somebody else's moniker.

Think it all boils down to ethics and morals, IMO. At the end of the day, no matter how it's rationalized, stealing IS illegal.

[iltos]

i confess...when i first bought this xp laptop, i did some pretty major downloading illegally...mostly because it was my first PC (crossed over from macs) and was i pretty ticked off because what had come bundled with this machine was a/ virtually unreadable by anyone else with a PC, and /b severely limited in the graphics department.

took me a few years to realize that it wasn't the PC's fault....it was me whose needs had changed. (yeah...well...don't ever accuse me of being SMART )

wasn't too long after the purchase that i discovered TSG....i don't know a whole lot more about computers than when i joined, but i've learned a lot about software....

so when this pup threatened to die on me, i bought a new vista laptop...thankfully it didn't come bundled with any mickey mouse wanna be programs.....so i downloaded open office and called up adobe and convinced them i was worthy of the education version of CS3.

affordable quality....and legal

[pelokwin]

Here is were I split, I hate Big money grubbing companies so at the end of the day if they loose $$$ I do not care, GO THE COMMON MAN!! but one, if it happens too much the will just pass along the pain down so I end up paying more, and two I donot want the folks who put their time into it not to get what they deserve.
So I guess that from a moral side and a law side illegal downloads are wrong. But there is a side of me who thinks, "yea, go get em!!"
Kind of like "it is wrong to steal from a person but if you work for J&J and lift so band aids, cool because they up sale the heck out of those things".

[Blackmirror]

An interesting read here


Why is it 'OK' to nick software?

By Stephen Tomkins

What's the difference between ripping software and shoplifting? None. Yet millions of us twist the arguments and kid ourselves we are not hardened criminals.

[pelokwin]

Hello Blackmirror,
You are right I liked that read very much
I agree about some of his reasons to why we(the ones who do steal) don't feel bad about stealing software.

[rob.rice]

pay for software ????
like tack money out of your pocket and give it to some one in exchange for software
(what a strange concept)
why on earth would anyone have to steal software
I have 150 Gb of FOSS I haven't gotten around to even looking at let alone installing
I haven't even downloaded sharware since I can't remember when
(I haven't paid for software in about as long ether not even my O/S)

as far as music I can barrow just about any thing I don't have
rent what ever movies and copy them if I really like them

[RootbeaR]

Originally Posted by rob.rice

pay for software ????
like tack money out of your pocket and give it to some one in exchange for software
(what a strange concept)
why on earth would anyone have to steal software
I have 150 Gb of FOSS I haven't gotten around to even looking at let alone installing
I haven't even downloaded sharware since I can't remember when
(I haven't paid for software in about as long ether not even my O/S)

as far as music I can barrow just about any thing I don't have
rent what ever movies and copy them if I really like them

[pelokwin]

Originally Posted by rob.rice

pay for software ????
like tack money out of your pocket and give it to some one in exchange for software
(what a strange concept)
why on earth would anyone have to steal software
I have 150 Gb of FOSS I haven't gotten around to even looking at let alone installing
I haven't even downloaded sharware since I can't remember when
(I haven't paid for software in about as long ether not even my O/S)

as far as music I can barrow just about any thing I don't have
rent what ever movies and copy them if I really like them

A point I just thought of is, how many folks that "steal" software, or in other words get it with out paying, are as rob.rice and a lot of folks here "Experience: Advanced"?
I, like others here, can find a way to get a computer that someone is putting in the trash, throw an O/S on it, fill it with cool programs and also programs that are compatible with what I will need for work and play, for free and with out stealing.
Can the same be said for the "average computer user"?
What can be said for the ACU is that it is very easy to find folks who will give you copies of software, P2P, or find site to download everything from the latest song or movie to my mom's shopping list.
58.33% of us who answered "No, I never plan to. " in a group that is made up of folks in the software/computer field, or have a big enough intrest to come here and try to learn something insted of watching the latest season of Heroes, I see the poll a little one sided.
IMO take this poll to like Myspace or Facebook, and you will see the ball roll the other way fast

[Stoner]

No. Never been involved in illegal downloads.

Several reasons.
First and foremost, it's stealing.
There are many good freeware and opensource apps available and commercial apps offered up free for promotions.......that all one has to do is keep a look out for them.....(TSG is such a place to watch)
Illegal downloads are known to contain spyware.

As far as music.......I have a radio and listen mostly to the oldies when it's turned on.
As far as movies........my library keeps a good selection of recent and old movies.....and Hollywood video is less than a mile away.

[valis]

Originally Posted by rob.rice

pay for software ????
like tack money out of your pocket and give it to some one in exchange for software

yup. Just like taking money out of your pocket and paying for food. Odd concept, to be sure, but one that sorta makes the world go round.