What is your stance on illegal downloading??

evil-monkey

What are all your thoughts on illegal downloading of software??

Do you think that companies like Microsoft are OK with individuals torrenting their software etc, as these people, particularly students, are more likely to then go on and suggest use of these packages in work, where Microsoft will then make back their money??

Basically, what I'm trying to get going here is a discussion on how unethical is it to torrent commercial software etc...

Unregistered.

Do I think Microsoft are OK with people downloading their products for free......
No.

netwhizkid

Whatever about being unethical it is very unwise to torrent any software. Torrents are riddled with crap, however if you are looking for Trojans or Spam torrents are a good idea, plus they are exceptionally slow.

RAPIDSHARE FTW!

SuperSean11

This sounds like a trap:rolleyes:

snappieT

If Microsoft wanted to get students using their software, they'd give it to them for free. AND THEY DO.

While I don't agree from a ethical perspective for software etc, I think music warezing is acceptable. The media has changed. You don't need a big fancy company printing your vinyls and doing your promotion for you anymore. The internet happened. If I like an artist, I'll buy merchandise, go to gigs etc, not pay for the record executives who have become redundant as the new methods of distribution become available.

netwhizkid

SuperSean11 wrote: »

This sounds like a trap:rolleyes:

Please stay where you are and the the thought police will be around shortly where you will face a years hard enslavement at the FF workcamp in Inishvickillane.

SuperSean11

netwhizkid wrote: »

Please stay where you are and the the thought police will be around shortly where you will face a years hard enslavement at the FF workcamp in Inishvickillane.

It wouldnt surprise me:p

Creamy Goodness

netwhizkid wrote: »

Whatever about being unethical it is very unwise to torrent any software. Torrents are riddled with crap, however if you are looking for Trojans or Spam torrents are a good idea, plus they are exceptionally slow.

RAPIDSHARE FTW!

rapidshare is no different use a unix based operating system and you're less likely to get infected by the windows geared rubbish. torrents aren't slow either if you understand the technology that's behind them find a good tracker and you can get just as good speeds as http rapidshare.

tbh there's only two programs i use that i need to pay for...

photoshop.
lightroom.

everything else i have a open source or free alternative for.

netwhizkid

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

rapidshare is no different use a unix based operating system and you're less likely to get infected by the windows geared rubbish. torrents aren't slow either if you understand the technology that's behind them find a good tracker and you can get just as good speeds as http rapidshare.

tbh there's only two programs i use that i need to pay for...

photoshop.
lightroom.

everything else i have a open source or free alternative for.

Isn't The GIMP supposed to be a freeware alternative to photoshp? I have it but it is fierce complicated as is Photoshop which I used on a trial but decided not to buy. Finding good trackers for torrents is hard, I tried downloading a file of a torrent yesterday evening and was getting 10kbs while I found the same thing and downloaded it with Rapidshare premium at 12Mb/s instead.

Outkast_IRE

I am a massive downloader of movies i get a bit of music and some pc games.
I might be in a minority here but if i watch a film iv downloaded and its good i will pick it up on dvd, i also go to the cinema often so i dont feel guilty downloading movies. Same goes for music if its good i will purchase it either online or in a store.
Pc games if im unsure i might download it try it out and then buy it if its good.
I own hundereds of dvds ,lots of cds, and a tonne of pc games . So the way i feel is i dont feel guilty , if its a qualilty product i will purchase it and support the industry.:D

ColonelCarnage

IMO

Music and Films are illegal. Torrenting them is cool anyways though.
TV is a gray area anyways since most shows can be recorded or watched on the producers website anyways. I do torrentz them. Also games and apps vary. :pac:

Creamy Goodness

netwhizkid wrote: »

Isn't The GIMP supposed to be a freeware alternative to photoshp? I have it but it is fierce complicated as is Photoshop which I used on a trial but decided not to buy. Finding good trackers for torrents is hard, I tried downloading a file of a torrent yesterday evening and was getting 10kbs while I found the same thing and downloaded it with Rapidshare premium at 12Mb/s instead.

Whilst GIMP is excellent for day to day image manipulation it just doesn't have the same power as photoshop imo.

bignose3838

I know that movies and Music are a grey area ethically, but as regards software there is enough open source programs out there that are way better than Microsoft programs. I download a few movies a month and half of the crap that I've watched I'm glad I didn't see them in the cinema or on DVD. If a film is worth seeing then I will go to the cinema, though sometimes going to the cinema you have muppets talkin, giggling or kicking the back of your chair. The choice is yours, I have no consience anyway. If your looking for an insight into the future yheres a book called "the software wars" by some guy who is an ex Microsoft employee. Check it out its free to download as an E-book.

evil-monkey

Some interesting points here. I think a lot of people are confusing legal and ethical. Downloading commercial software for free is illegal, there is no question about that. But how unethical is it? As regards my point about Microsoft not caring. I really don't think they could be arsed coming after the small time torrenters...if they were, they would. As regards supporting industries. Do you think that, say, game companies, should lower the crazy costs of their titles if they want to curtail illegal downloading? Or is it a question of, it's their product, they can charge what they like for it...

Creamy Goodness

games i think are totally different. it depends on the game and the developer.

i have close ties to some developers and games so for example:

i'd easily pay over the odds for a game that i know is pushing the boundaries not just in the graphics department but the gameplay, story and dynamics departments, so the likes of half life series i'll buy because i know the developers actually work their asses off.

i wouldn't pay for a silly upgrade to a game ala EA sports games cause what's the point some players change teams but that's about it and they expect to get 50/60 euro for that?

i think i should look into catching the steam off my piss and sell that for 50/60 euros cause it's pretty much what some companies are doing only they package it better

ColonelCarnage

Is it just me or did anyone else download Spore just because they put sooo much god damn stupid restrictions on it!

Mr. Frost

My stance (for all it's worth and I'm not talking about software):

I download movies.
I don't usually dl movies I want to see in the cinema.
If I do (Wolverine), I intend to go to see it in the cinema anyway.
If I dl a movie, and I really like it, I'll most likely buy the dvd.

I sometimes dl music for free. I'd be more inclined to pay for smaller bands starting out though.

Torrents suck!
RS all the way...waaaaay quicker for a start.

It's in no way relevant but I use a mac, for obvious reasons.

TGi666

my stance is :dont hate the player hate the game, file sharing softwear is easily available i.e limewire, its like leaving your car running in the street while your having dinner. Your asking for trouble

Overheal

netwhizkid wrote: »

Whatever about being unethical it is very unwise to torrent any software. Torrents are riddled with crap, however if you are looking for Trojans or Spam torrents are a good idea, plus they are exceptionally slow.

RAPIDSHARE FTW!

*facepalm

It doesnt matter HOW you got the illegal software, you have just as much chance of picking up something nasty. Torrenting doesnt suddenly make it clean or dirty - a lot of torrents are the exact same files used on rapidshare: your typical torrent is broken into rar files the exact same way, for no apparent reason, unless they came from RS, or were intended for redistribution over RS.

As for download speeds, totally depends on where you are. the P2P cloud in the US is going very strong, driven by no caps high speed internet:



And thats just wireless - on the wire I can push past 18. Giggity. The going upload per user in the region is anywhere from 100-300kbps, and thats what fuels the P2P storm. Lots of such seeders means fast download times, downloading movies and shows in under 10 minutes. Anime episodes I've seen download as fast as 2 minutes over bittorrent.

I download games, movies, music, software.. I will buy something if the price is fair, affordable, or push-to-shove, theres no better thing than the legit route, like games on Steam (which also usualy fall under the category of fair and affordable pricing for me in $; plus the multiplayer thing) I am also not obviously beyond going to the cinema to see a flick, but at $8 a sit, I can not afford in my unemployed state to see everything I would like to.

Software presents another thing. I pay for software which needs to be kept up to date regularly - my operating system, and my internet security, (and my steam games which are frequently updated) are bought and paid for. I have a bought for version of Corel Paint X, but have since torrented X2, since it seems ludicrous to pay what they are asking to upgrade - its priced for professionals, clearly. Everything else I use is free - browser, openoffice... yeah thats pretty much it. I steal very little software.

In short, if I can afford it, and its fair, I will buy it. If not, I resort to available means. buying is preferable, especially for liked things. For example I want that new Tom Clancy game, HAWX, to get a sequel, so I plan on buying it when the price drops from the silly $50 new release price point down to what I think its really worth - about $35 is a fairer price point for many titles in my opinion.

On a side note, its smart to protect yourself when doing anything like piracy, but at the same time the number of viruses I have picked up while doing so in the last few years has been >1% of what I download - about 4 or 5 attacks in 2 years, which were all intercepted by my AV, usually its a crack or keygen that does it. And more often than not its picked up by the AV before it even gets the chance to be extracted from its .rar and start executing code.

These two posts on Gizmodo outline some great guidelines on piracy, covering Safety while performing piracy, and the ethics surrounding said piracy. I agree with a lot of it.

http://i.gizmodo.com/5187630/how-to-use-bittorrent-like-a-pro

http://i.gizmodo.com/5202399/a-pirates-code-of-conduct-for-bittorrent

Torrenting TV is technically, a victimless crime (until the boxset is released). TV revenues are generated based on nielsen ratings. Unless you are a nielsen viewer (if you dont know what that means - youre definitely not, and neither is your mother) it wont matter what you watch or don't.

Mr. Frost

Overheal wrote: »

*facepalm

It doesnt matter HOW you got the illegal software, you have just as much chance of picking up something nasty. Torrenting doesnt suddenly make it clean or dirty - a lot of torrents are the exact same files used on rapidshare: your typical torrent is broken into rar files the exact same way, for no apparent reason, unless they came from RS, or were intended for redistribution over RS.

Yeah but from what I've seen the RS host sites are waaaaay better 'policed'. I've never had an issue with any RS files I've downloaded in the last couple of years, not one. Same can't be said for Torrents before that. Limewire is frankly pathetic.

Overheal

uTorrent is my trusted client, i have heard things about limewire alright.

hashbandit

A somebody who works in the industry and develops software for a living my view is as expected and your STEALING PLAIN AND SIMPLE. ITS NO DIFFERENT TO WALKING INTO A SHOP A STEALING OFF THE SHELVES. As far as I'm concerned if you get a virus good for you, you got what you deserved.

eamon234

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

i wouldn't pay for a silly upgrade to a game ala EA sports games cause what's the point some players change teams but that's about it and they expect to get 50/60 euro for that?

i think i should look into catching the steam off my piss and sell that for 50/60 euros cause it's pretty much what some companies are doing only they package it better

Absolutely - which is why I've never paid for a Nintendo DS game for my kid - they are some of the worst, most overpriced games I have ever seen for a console with useless capabilities. I'm even getting a bit pissed off with the Wii there's an awful lot of sh1te available for it Nintendo have no problem licensing useless games alongside good ones which is why they suffer so much from illegal downloading IMO and I have absolutely no sympathy for them or the developers of the crap shelf filler games.

On the flip side I think Apple have got it right with the iPhone to a certain extent - OK the games aren't exactly groundbreaking either but a least in most cases you can get to try out a lot apps and games free first and make an informed decision, which is probably why the App Store is heading for it's billionth download.

The games industry needs a good kick up the arse if you ask me.

**Timbuk2**

eamon234 wrote: »

On the flip side I think Apple have got it right with the iPhone to a certain extent - OK the games aren't exactly groundbreaking either but a least in most cases you can get to try out a lot apps and games free first and make an informed decision.

I agree - I think Apple have got the iPod Touch/iPhone right in terms of apps. You can get good games for free, and the ones that aren't are not that expensive anyway (with the exception of Crash Team Racing and other games that are nearly a fiver)

However, I do think it was a bit unfair for Apple to charge people with the old firmware on their iPod Touch (1.1.x) to upgrade to the new firmware (2.2), instead of offering it as a free upgrade. It's things like that which cause people to jailbreak their iPods

Cianos

hashbandit wrote: »

A somebody who works in the industry and develops software for a living my view is as expected and your STEALING PLAIN AND SIMPLE. ITS NO DIFFERENT TO WALKING INTO A SHOP A STEALING OFF THE SHELVES. As far as I'm concerned if you get a virus good for you, you got what you deserved.

If you do work in the industry, you need to start thinking of other ways of monetising your products. The internet gives software companies an easy and cost effective way to distribute their products, but if you expected it to always be so easy and painless, you only have yourselves to blame.

Piracy will always be there and the methods will no doubt continue to grow in popularity. I'm not saying piracy is ethical or not, but the ethical side of it doesn't have any place in this argument anyway. It's there to stay and that's that. Every industry that depends on online distribution is simply going to have to be more creative with their methods of monetisation and engaging their markets.

evil-monkey

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

i'd easily pay over the odds for a game that i know is pushing the boundaries not just in the graphics department but the gameplay, story and dynamics departments, so the likes of half life series i'll buy because i know the developers actually work their asses off.

i wouldn't pay for a silly upgrade to a game ala EA sports games cause what's the point some players change teams but that's about it and they expect to get 50/60 euro for that?

So, you think it's OK to torrent stuff that isn't worth paying for?? I think this is the key point here. There are a few things I'd always pay for. Other things I wouldn't even consider forking out the dosh for...

Overheal wrote: »

*facepalm

It doesnt matter HOW you got the illegal software

This is a very good point. We're not talking about how you download stuff illegally, we're talking about the ethical considerations of it...

eamon234 wrote: »

Absolutely - which is why I've never paid for a Nintendo DS game for my kid - they are some of the worst, most overpriced games I have ever seen for a console with useless capabilities.

I think that this is the main argument for the "unauthorized acquisition" of games and software. The DS games are what, 40 bucks a pop?? And you're getting a ROM that's only a handful of MBs in most cases. The Java games on some phones are better quality and they cost a few euro.

But once again this raises the developer defence - it's our product, we can charge what we want. If you don't like it, fine.

Creamy Goodness

evil-monkey wrote: »

So, you think it's OK to torrent stuff that isn't worth paying for?? I think this is the key point here. There are a few things I'd always pay for. Other things I wouldn't even consider forking out the dosh for...

no i just don't buy crap games my time is limited enough without the need to play **** games

the above point was only about games,

my view on software above was i paid for photoshop and lightroom my two most used programs, everything else i have a free or open source alternative available to me.

i download the odd movie, if i like, i'll buy the dvd or the blu-ray.
i download tv shows as i believe it's the same as recording it off the tv.


*EDIT* i can see why people download software illegally, the likes of photoshop is hugely expensive but it has become THE TOOL. for example someone goes ohh i want to edit out red eye in my photos someone else suggests photoshop cause it's the dogs bollocks. said person looks at the price of photoshop and goes **** that, but i need it cause it's THE TOOL and then seeks out a way to get it illegally, rather than do a little bit more research and notice that there are alternatives like the GIMP and picasa that are free and that's just to name two.

Dartz

It's illegal.

So is underage drinking.

Has that stopped any of us? Certainly never stopped me when I was that age. Certainly never stopped 90% of teenagers out there. Doesn't matter what the law says, people will do it if they can get away with it.

Spon Farmer

it's stealing

markfla

I'd be similar to a lot of people here, if there's a film worth seeing in the cinema I'd go and see it but so many times I've downloaded movies and was relieved not to have went to the cinema....after all a trip to Vue in liffey valley with the Missus costs the guts of 40 quid with popcorn etc.....rip off. I also prefer to download my TV shows for example I download a HD copy of Lost every thursday morning...it's on sky til sunday...not that bothers me as sometimes I mightened watch my downloaded copy until after it airs over here but what annoys me is that it's a roughly 40 minute show stretched over an hour with so many goddamn adds.....totally ruins it. I used to download loads of music but not so much now....I end up downloading crap for the sake of it....now I just buy the odd cd for the car....at the end of the day I pay a fee for software to download this stuff....graboid

Creamy Goodness

you can't really justify popcorn and concessions into the price of a movie, they are luxuries and extra at that, the movies should cost less than a tenner, you judge it by one single ticket nothing else as the rest you don't need. if you really need them, buy them before you go in and put them in your missus' bag .

Sabre0001

The pirates are always going to be one step ahead - in some foreign countries, there are DVD shops that are pirate only! Also, the new trend will be to just share (portable) hard drives.

Commercial software I wouldn't torrent but I do expect to get a good trial version that has a lot of the full package features so I know exactly what I'm getting, how complicated it is and so on. However, the price of some of them would put people off buying and of course directs them towards the nearest metaphorical man in a trenchcoat (i.e. the torrent sites).

Music I think is ok to download sparingly. The artists make little to nothing off cds (although I recognise that they are only a cog in a bigger wheel - but I'm not too pushed about inlets or boxes unless they are very impressive) so I would prefer that people get the music and then support the band through tours and merchandise. I would tend to buy most-all of my music though (odd singles may be downloaded or music from bands that are practically impossible to buy legit).

Don't download films but then there is the way around that of using a streaming site. I do stream some American TV programs because they aren't shown here.

Games I buy but I'm a bit torn here - I shouldn't have to pay extortionate prices for a game that is very very old and unsupported....but yet hasn't been made freeware. And unfortunately these games are often difficult to track down (and yet, remain some of the best). Some companies are a little slow to release demos (if at all) so I can see why games are torrented (though whether that converts to sales later is unclear).

snappieT

Overheal wrote: »

your typical torrent is broken into rar files the exact same way, for no apparent reason

The rar files that are that all 14.4MB have been done so for a genuine reason (apart from rapidshare). Before torrents, gnutella, or even the www existed, Usenet existed. And it was the way to pirate. And it still is.

Usenet is an old technology based on text-only messages. A bit of hackery brought binary data (see UUencoding), but there was a limit on the message length. That limit was 14.4MBs of binary data encoded in ASCII. So everything was split into 14.4MB archives, encoded, and posted as a message. The messages linked together so one could download each part.

This chart explains it best:


BitTorrent and Rapidshare just share the standard release, which is in this format.

evil-monkey

So, the question I suppose now is; is piracy the fault of the developers and publishers for the rediculous pricing??

TPD

If your friend had a brand new Mercedes and a cloning machine, and made a duplicate of the Mercedes, would you accept it for free?

That's why piracy isn't like walking into a shop and taking something - nobody loses anything.

snappieT

TPD wrote: »

nobody loses anything.

You have got to be kidding me. The publisher (be it music, film or software) loses the revenue they would have gained from the sale that would otherwise have happened.

I'm not saying that everyone who pirates <<insert CD name here>> would buy it in the shop if music piracy didn't exist, but some of them would. There's the loss.

evil-monkey

TPD wrote: »

nobody loses anything.

That's a joke right??

TPD

Potential revenue isn't revenue though. Ok - saying nobody loses anything is a bit harsh. But it's not as if the record company is left without the song because you've taken it, as a shop would be with a product.

ethernet

TPD wrote: »

Potential revenue isn't revenue though. Ok - saying nobody loses anything is a bit harsh. But it's not as if the record company is left without the song because you've taken it, as a shop would be with a product.

So, in a similar light, are you saying a professional photographer wouldn't be affected by having his/her digital pictures torrented illegally?

Furthermore, this would mean you would have no issue with sharing an essay, novel, or anything else in digital format, with others without your explicit permission because they haven't taken a physical (printed) copy from you?

PogMoThoin

I know it might sound stupid but piracy can also help sales, take for instance Nero, its an only average program, but since its notorious for being easy to get it also has seen increases in sales as the software became popular and got a name. Piracy has made Nero.

You think if the music industry offered songs for 10c each instead of crushing Napster, would there be the music piracy we see today?

Nick_oliveri

I like piracy, its great. I dislike people who just say "its steeling!!one".
They bring nothing to the discussion. ""Loike, ya wouldn't steal a car, would you?".
STFU.

The desperation of these middlemen to hold on to their monopolies is laughable. Films take in huge box office profits, and Wolverine whines that a ****ty workprint without CGI was leaked, oh my heart bleeds.

The big music companies come and they dicatate the artists looks and style. Spoonfeeding ****e into the pop scene. Barely anyone has a chance with them unless they are gorgeous, skinny, unable to write their own songs and willing to whore themselves for a miniscule slice of the pie, with few exceptions.

Jah bless the Internet.

snappieT

TPD wrote: »

Potential revenue isn't revenue though.

(Potential Revenue) * (Potential) = Revenue

QED.

NullZer0

Having worked as a Network Admin at a software company ... I don't agree with it in some cases.

On the other hand, take Adobe Photoshop for Example (the most popular piece of software on bittorrent as Adobe are well aware). Nothing has been done about this yet to the best of my knowledge.

NullZer0

Nick_oliveri wrote: »

I like piracy, its great. I dislike people who just say "its steeling!!one".
They bring nothing to the discussion. ""Loike, ya wouldn't steal a car, would you?".
STFU.

The desperation of these middlemen to hold on to their monopolies is laughable. Films take in huge box office profits, and Wolverine whines that a ****ty workprint without CGI was leaked, oh my heart bleeds.

The big music companies come and they dicatate the artists looks and style. Spoonfeeding ****e into the pop scene. Barely anyone has a chance with them unless they are gorgeous, skinny, unable to write their own songs and willing to whore themselves for a miniscule slice of the pie, with few exceptions.

Jah bless the Internet.

I like piracy too... however, I dont like people like you.
People that want to make a statement simple because they can (I mean, all the cool kids are doing it aren't they?)

Purple Gorilla

I don't like piracy but I'm completely against any measures to counter it.

IE- In France, blocking people from the internet for doing so. Because it will always be used against innocent people and will just serve to destroy Net neutrality

Overheal

hashbandit wrote: »

A somebody who works in the industry and develops software for a living my view is as expected and your STEALING PLAIN AND SIMPLE. ITS NO DIFFERENT TO WALKING INTO A SHOP A STEALING OFF THE SHELVES. As far as I'm concerned if you get a virus good for you, you got what you deserved.

We're talking about data, which can be replicated infinitely for no cost. Not a loaf of bread. One of which I am baking in my maker right now. Honey Walnut. Yum.

evil-monkey wrote: »

So, the question I suppose now is; is piracy the fault of the developers and publishers for the rediculous pricing??

Yes.

Maybe a marketer in the industry can shed some light on this but as far as I can figure the price point of 50/60 is meant to get you to think Its Worth It. Seriously. You see a game for 4.99 and the first thing you think is "wtf is wrong with it?"

Its not really the piracy factor ("We sold one but we lost 2 cos of piracy, therefore we are going to charge our honest customers 3 times as much") Though some companies seem to think that way, like EA. A sizeable chunk of their sticker price goes to continuing developments in anti-piracy software, which last - oh, sometimes a month or two on average. In other cases its been cracked within a few hours of launch. And why sell Each year of FIFA at a full 50/60, when really, those should be going for way less - closer to 30/25. It would be like paying for a new version of Windows everytime they launched a new service pack. (Incidentally, they're fools not to sell Win7 at a discount to vista users)

Now a game that gets a name for itself, and becomes largely popular, like Teamfortress, can afford to bring the price down, or set it lower. Even before release, there was Huge hype over that title (hype 10 years in the making mind you) and the price? a mere $30 US. Now $20 even though they are constantly adding new content. Where do I sign. Its a prime example of fair priced software that evidently makes a Killing for Valve Software.

With the games, only time really tells what the title is really worth. You can still see Mario RPG (SNES) closing on eBay for excesses of $60, despite the wide availability of the ROM and Emulator on the internet for the last 10+ years. And I still want to buy it

PogMoThoin wrote: »

You think if the music industry offered songs for 10c each instead of crushing Napster, would there be the music piracy we see today?

And you know that would make a lot of sense, given the average collection is thousands of songs, thats hundreds of dollars the record industry could have gotten from me. But no, less than 20% of my collection is paid for.

Nick_oliveri

iRock wrote: »

People that want to make a statement simple because they can (I mean, all the cool kids are doing it aren't they?)

What? Care to counter any of my ramblings? Or are the cool kids vague where you come from?

Spon Farmer

Nick_oliveri wrote: »

I like piracy, its great. I dislike people who just say "its steeling!!one".
They bring nothing to the discussion. ""Loike, ya wouldn't steal a car, would you?".
STFU.

The desperation of these middlemen to hold on to their monopolies is laughable. Films take in huge box office profits, and Wolverine whines that a ****ty workprint without CGI was leaked, oh my heart bleeds.

The big music companies come and they dicatate the artists looks and style. Spoonfeeding ****e into the pop scene. Barely anyone has a chance with them unless they are gorgeous, skinny, unable to write their own songs and willing to whore themselves for a miniscule slice of the pie, with few exceptions.

Jah bless the Internet.

then stop watching and listening

Nick_oliveri

You have missed the point Spon.

doolox

I hate the ads they have on the cinema calling movies piracy theft etc. As if I care about the preserving of the lifestyles of the likes of Tom Cruise, Madonna etc and the other crazies who inhabit tinseltown, a dose of poverty would do them no harm at all.
On the other hand Piracy makes money for arm dealers, drug dealers, child sex traffickers and other much more harmful denizens of parts of the world where the rule of GATT and WTO does not operate.
Also on the same vein I think the music industry is begging to be defrauded by airing such programmes as Cribs, showing the houses,wealth and lifestyles of often mediocre "singers" and "songwriters" and other one-hit wonders, lifestyles and wealth their fans can only dream of.
Both film and music need new monetising models as the old ways are becoming increasingly difficult to police and secure.
I like the direction the internet is going with the likes of old folkies like Dick Gaughan and others putting their songs directly onto the net for download, the money going directly to the artist without the marketing people taking their cut.
Often they have more freedom of artistic expression than allowed by the major music companies.

AARRRGH

evil-monkey wrote: »

What are all your thoughts on illegal downloading of software??

Downloading copyright material (software, music, etc.) is legal in Ireland. Uploading copyright material may not be legal -- it has yet to be tested in our courts.