Kovacs Caprios wrote:
The correct driving analogy would be using a toll road with ot paying for it. you are supposted to, but did not. Has someting been physically stolen? No. but you did not pay for it so it is depriving the owner of the Toll road his money, so Theft....
Or is that not correct?
No, because it is outrageous in the first place for someone to be able to insist that such a large piece of land is 'theirs' and charge you a toll to go over it. That land never used to belong to anyone, so surely the first person to claim it as their own is a thief to the rest of us? He probably took it with force as well, so if you want to start bringing 'morals' into this, property itself is something regularly used to behave in an immoral manner towards others.
But yes, as others have pointed out, it is not theft because there is no law which says it is theft, any more than me hugging my friends would be rape until the law says otherwise.
And let's be honest here - most people are more than happy to pirate. My parents, both in their mid-seventies, have begun ripping DVDs and posting them to all their friends. Piracy is normal, the majority do it and surely in a democratic country this should mean that we are voting with our torrent clients?
I've credits on things which are in the marketplace at the moment. I've no problem at all with them being pirated. I see it as inevitable and hold no grudge aganst anyone who does so. I prefer them to pay, as I prefer to pay - for anything I really like.
We've all got a certain amount of disposable income, all of mine goes on copyrighted this or that - books, games, music, DVD. I buy a lot. Probably >£200 a month on such things. And thereafter, I try everything else that catches my eye. It only makes me more likely to buy from that artist in the future.
Here's the thing, Kovacs - you don't like copying something, so don't do it. Others don't necessarily share your moral framework on this, even those being copied from. Secondly, you'll never stop it. Thirdly, arguing against a current law is not likely to get you much agreement. Fourthly, this argument happens over and over and over and nothing ever changes - what's the point?
Here's some quotes for you:
Trent Reznor: "Music is free now" (days before making a million out of lettng pepole choose whether to pay)
EA Bloke "Downloaded games are not equivalent to a sale lost" (Post-Spore honesty there)
Miles Jacobsen "We have no choice but to protect our investment" (Protect it by taking my £30 and not letting me play your game while my friends click away on their pirated versions)
...do you see where this is all going?