How do you feel about Piracy and DRM

[nakedsnake]

Before I start I would like to say I am pro piracy to a extent.
The way I feel about piracy is if I own or have access to something If I decide to download it the is nothing wrong with that. For example lets say I have ABC family and I can't watch a show on Monday. I think it is Okay to download the show later. Yes I know alot of shows are can be watched online but I not a fan of watching a full length show on the webs.

Now this brings the problem of piracy means lost sells. And in some causes it does mean lost sells. But It also can be used for good. Like for example if networks were to allow downloads of the shows piracy wouldn't happen and they could put in ads in the show in the beginning and end. But instead networks decide to put a bunch of restrictions on the content so no one can get it unless they have X device. This is exactly what the music industry went through a couple of years ago. now that they have learned their lesson and music is can be bought for so cheap. No one is in the business of pirating music. But video is still being restricted on one the web and watching it on tv is not always easy

This is in my opinion why TV shows are pirated so much. According to torrentfreak they are the most pirated things on the web. This shows a movement in the kind of pirates they're are some yes are cheap people who don't want to pay for anything. But alot now are convince pirates as in they download things because its easier and fits better into the schedule then waiting for it to come on TV. Because no one wants to wait for a show to come on TV. It much easier for most people just to download it off the internet.

Piracy is regarded as one of the things that is supposedly destroying the gaming industry. And this is one area I think piracy is bad. Yes I know music, TV, and games should be considered the same. But that is not the way I think of things when it comes to piracy. A game is already play when ever you want when you buy it so why pirate it. Now yes their is one situation where I think it is okay If you have lost the game and want to play it. But just downloading it off the internet isn't going to help anybody I guess If your downloading it just to try it that is okay but most people just download the game and never buy it which means less games are made and the same people complain when this happens.

PC games are incredibly easy to pirate alot easier then console games. One way is to put very strong DRM its logical if the protection is strong enough no one will Pirate it but this is not true. This makes people want to pirate more "I just bought a game and now I can only download it on 3 computers okay fine but I downloading it off the internet. Instead of putting invasive restrictions instead A PC company could give people reasons to buy the game instead of pirate it. I will give two examples. The first being the sims on their website If you buy the game and register "online" you can download high quality downloads from maxis this gives people a incentive to buy the game instead of pirating it. If a game has online features it makes it much harder to pirate and most people have no idea how to make a pirated server for a game. Anyways the second example is valve were a game can be played from anywhere as long as the account owner has bought the game. Most people If given these things like extra content and being able to transfer games easily without restrictions would never look at Piracy

Piracy is not something "I want to do" its something "I am forced to do". Companies feel as like if they restrict their content no one will pirate it. The total opposite happens more and more people start to download it. This something that the music industry has learned and past this is why music torrents have no Downloaders. And now it is the Movie industries turn. The movie industry does have some advantages to music like for example theaters during this time most people would rather pay to watch in the theater the download a cam from the internet this includes pirates to. But how about the time after the DVD is released. DVD are huge files to download so most files on torrent sites only have the feature film. Alot of times If the DVD has something special about it. It makes getting the Movie so much better. IF a movie has nothing special in the case or like extras. I think it has a way higher chance of getting pirated. But I think this is a area where piracy should not happen because movies can be bought from any store and can be watched from anywhere. If movie makers can provide extras that make getting the physical movie more beneficial I think piracy would go down.


Okay to conclude I would like to say that piracy is something that will always be going on. And is okay in certain situations that the user can not help. But piracy should not be a means of getting something free. The best way for Companys to stop piracy is not restrictions and DRM or other things. The best way to stop piracy is to provide things that make having the physical Item better then the pirated. And lifting restrictions so no one feels as if they're forced to pirate. That is how I feel about piracy and DRM

 

[nakedsnake]

In my opinion emulators are not piracy. By the Time videogames can actually be pirated they are past the time companies can actually make money from the game. They have stopped being produced so sometime emulators and Roms are the only means of getting the game. And this is one area where Roms could potentially be good someone gets emulator plays a game likes it and is like " I wonder If the are any current generation games for this series" then that game company has just gain a fan. As long as a game has gone past the point where it is actually being sold then I think downloading it off the internet is not something bad.

 

[OmegaXXII]

hmm.. I see where you're getting at, Piracy like you mentioned doesn't have to be bad in some situations, though if companies even find ways to restrict or forbid DRM or copyrighted material to be downloaded, I still believe there WILL be ways to get ahold of those.

 

[nakedsnake]

hmm.. I see where you're getting at, Piracy like you mentioned doesn't have to be bad in some situations, though if companies even find ways to restrict or forbid DRM or copyrighted material to be downloaded, I still believe there WILL be ways to get ahold of those.

This is why companies need to stop putting in DRM stop piracy because as soon as a new protection comes out their is already a way to pirate it. They have to be more creative in finding ways to stop it instead of just brute force. And if everything was available online for free or a reasonable price most people would never pirate a anything. And DRM really pisses off pirates it makes them want to pirate the game even more.

 

[Omis]

Yah I personally have no problem against emulators, because like you said the game are near impossible to obtain. However I do have a beef with people that watch full lenght pirated movies while the movie is still in theaters.

 

[notftomearth7]

I believe piracy is only called for when you cannot find the game after 6 months-1 year search.

 

[nakedsnake]

Yah I personally have no problem against emulators, because like you said the game are near impossible to obtain. However I do have a beef with people that watch full lenght pirated movies while the movie is still in theaters.

One of my rules with downloading is I will never get a Cam movie. They are so low quality expecially when compared to the actual movie in the theater. I would rather pay the money the spoil the movie. And some movies have to be watched in theaters like the Dark Knight watching a Cam on the Computer would have ruined the whole movie.

 

[Omis]

One of my rules with downloading is I will never get a Cam movie. They are so low quality expecially when compared to the actual movie in the theater. I would rather pay the money the spoil the movie. And some movies have to be watched in theaters like the Dark Knight watching that on the computer would have ruined the whole movie

Actually the movie in question had the enitre thing leaked before it was released in full non-cam form.

 

[OmegaXXII]

One of my rules with downloading is I will never get a Cam movie. They are so low quality expecially when compared to the actual movie in the theater. I would rather pay the money the spoil the movie. And some movies have to be watched in theaters like the Dark Knight watching a Cam on the Computer would have ruined the whole movie.

cam movie? what exactly are you referring to?

but yea, watching movie's especially some as Epic as Dark Knight don't deserve to be even seen low-quality, but unfortunetly alot of these so-called "cheaplies" could care-less how the quality is.

 

[nakedsnake]

cam movie? what exactly are you referring to?

but yea, watching movie's especially some as Epic as Dark Knight don't deserve to be even seen low-quality, but unfortunetly alot of these so-called "cheaplies" could care-less how the quality is.

To my understanding A cam movie is basically a movie where a person sneaks in a video recorder into the theater to record the movie. Its usually very low quality and sometimes has extras like background noises from the audience and parts of the movie might be lost because the recorder is trying to not get caught.

 

[OmegaXXII]

^^if that's the case, why would anybody even want to watch this horrifying, low-quality, noise distraction junk..

 

[nakedsnake]

I was looking at the sales on the game sins of a solar empire and It has sold over 500,000 units. But that is not what is important what I find to be very interesting is the fact that this game has been been sold without DRM. This game also cost about 1 million to sell. (40$*500000)-1000,000= $$$$$$$$$$. Sins has shown if a game has no DRM it can still sell well it will not lose all the potential sells. Now compare that to Cysis that game was like a pirate machine

 

[Oracle]

Piracy of full length movies that are still in theaters is wrong. Why? You're basically taking money away from these people by pirating. How would you like it if at your job, you earned $10,000 less a year simply because people decide to pirate what you make?

Of course, you're taking the selfish point of view, where it's not bad because it has no bad effect on you.

This is going to get moved to the debate hall, but then I can't post in it.

 

[SkylerOcon]

In my opinion emulators are not piracy. By the Time videogames can actually be pirated they are past the time companies can actually make money from the game. They have stopped being produced so sometime emulators and Roms are the only means of getting the game. And this is one area where Roms could potentially be good someone gets emulator plays a game likes it and is like " I wonder If the are any current generation games for this series" then that game company has just gain a fan. As long as a game has gone past the point where it is actually being sold then I think downloading it off the internet is not something bad.

You apparently know nothing of game emulation. Pokemon Platinum was on the net a week after its Japanese release, I believe.

 

[Crimson King]

To my understanding A cam movie is basically a movie where a person sneaks in a video recorder into the theater to record the movie. Its usually very low quality and sometimes has extras like background noises from the audience and parts of the movie might be lost because the recorder is trying to not get caught.

The real term is called "Bootlegging."

Piracy in any form, whether required, as you put it, or not, is wrong. You are stealing something that isn't yours for your own gain, and it's wrong. Don't try to justify theft because you do it a lot. That's a stupid argument. If you download a game, movie, show, song, anything that costs money normally, and you didn't pay a thing, you are a thief. Period.

 

[nakedsnake]

You apparently know nothing of game emulation. Pokemon Platinum was on the net a week after its Japanese release, I believe.

The DS can be emulated but with crappy sound and slow game play. And the newest system that can be emulated with good frame rates and sound on most computers the Gameboy has been overtaken by the DS and is at the point where it is Dead.

The real term is called "Bootlegging."

Piracy in any form, whether required, as you put it, or not, is wrong. You are stealing something that isn't yours for your own gain, and it's wrong. Don't try to justify theft because you do it a lot. That's a stupid argument. If you download a game, movie, show, song, anything that costs money normally, and you didn't pay a thing, you are a thief. Period.

How about TV shows these things are already pretty much already free. And pirating them is alot of the times alot easier then trying to wait for them to come on TV. And most of the shows I download I could watch whenever on TV. But I decide not to because downloading them and watching whenever is way better for me. And how about things like windows Xp that aren't being sold and are being discontined Microsoft. If someone wants something like this and they have tried to look for it on sale and their is no other way to get it is it okay to download it after making a effect to find it?

 

[Crimson King]

TV shows aren't free. Anytime a show is aired, the network has to pay for it. They are usually reimbursed via advertising money.

 

[Oracle]

The DS can be emulated but with crappy sound and slow game play. And the newest system that can be emulated with good frame rates and sound on most computers the Gameboy has been overtaken by the DS and is at the point where it is Dead.

How about TV shows these things are already pretty much already free. And pirating them is alot of the times alot easier then trying to wait for them to come on TV. And most of the shows I download I could watch whenever on TV. But I decide not to because downloading them and watching whenever is way better for me. And how about things like windows Xp that aren't being sold and are being discontined Microsoft. If someone wants something like this and they have tried to look for it on sale and their is no other way to get it is it okay to download it after making a effect to find it?

No one cares how easy it is. Its easy to kill your parents, frame it as suicide, and get all the inheritence early, but that doesn't make it right.

Besides, it still costs the TV station money, regardless of how "free" you think it is.

 

[Goldberg]

Regarding videogames:

Great games will always sell enough to make a substantial profit to the developers and publishers, I think the main problem is the kind of service that is being offered to the paying customers, usually we have to take leaps of faith for products that do not guarantee we get our money's worth, and with PC games, we add the install limits, that forbid you to use the product you legally payed for pretty much when the company arbitrarily decides that you have lost your rights as a consumer.

Some things I consider to help avoid piracy:
-Demos that portrait the entire feel of a game but that leave you always wanting for more.
-Quality customer services, that change according to people's needs.
-Rewarding, compelling online content available only to legal users.
-Availability of games, piracy occurs when a new game has separate release dates or an old game is no longer available for purchase.

So, I guess treating customers like pirates only makes more pirates.

 

[Mic_128]

In my opinion emulators are not piracy. By the Time videogames can actually be pirated they are past the time companies can actually make money from the game.

*Points at virtual console*

*Points at remakes and re-releases on handhelds*

The only DRM I don't like ar eones that limit installs. Steam is far and away the best type of DRM. Limits piracy (a bit) and actually enhances the gaming experience (Friend lists, free movies/demos, ect)

 

[nakedsnake]

*Points at virtual console*

*Points at remakes and re-releases on handhelds*

The only DRM I don't like are cones that limit installs. Steam is far and away the best type of DRM. Limits piracy (a bit) and actually enhances the gaming experience (Friend lists, free movies/demos, ect)

Their was this one time where I had bought the Sims 2 and I'd f*** up the game with hacks and downloads so I pretty much had to reinstall it again. I had the original and the university extension. But the base installed perfectly no problem then when I got to university it didn't install. I called the Customer service and they said it would cost like like 20 dollars to replace which I didn't get. So instead of buying the game again I went to a torrent site and downloaded the Sims again. I'm sure alot of pirates have downloaded something because of reasons like this. Anyways DRM never works their will always be people how find ways around it. And putting DRM in just aggravates people. Especially when you limit it to just 5 or so PC.(spore)

 

[The Boss of God]

The real term is called "Bootlegging."

Piracy in any form, whether required, as you put it, or not, is wrong. You are stealing something that isn't yours for your own gain, and it's wrong. Don't try to justify theft because you do it a lot. That's a stupid argument. If you download a game, movie, show, song, anything that costs money normally, and you didn't pay a thing, you are a thief. Period.

Piracy isn't wrong.
It's true that anybody who is caught will face penalties, but if they wish to benefit by "stealing", more power to them.

 

[Mic_128]

And putting DRM in just aggravates people.

Only if the DRM restricts legal buyers. For example, a lot of people, myself included hated Steam, mainly because it's needed to activate offline games for the first time, such as Half-Life 2. So people with net access aren't too happy, and no one was happy when steam was flooded for the first week of HL2's launch and there was a slow trickle of people managing to get authenticated. Now that Steam is ironed out and bug free, it's actually pretty handy and actually enjoyable. That's when DRM is done properly.

Limited installs and constant every time you play verification is ******** and horrible.

EDIT:

Piracy isn't wrong.
It's true that anybody who is caught will face penalties, but if they wish to benefit by "stealing", more power to them.

So you don't think stealing is wrong?

 

[Crimson King]

Piracy isn't wrong.
It's true that anybody who is caught will face penalties, but if they wish to benefit by "stealing", more power to them.

See, you are just in denial. By downloading a movie, game, or song off the internet, you are essentially going to the store, yelling "I am going to try this one, and if I like it, I'll buy it (which you nor many people won't do)," and then you walk out.

Stealing IS wrong. Just because it's easy, and you convince yourself it's ok doesn't make it less wrong. With Spore, I pirated it two days before it came out, despite buying it because I wanted it. Once it came out, I deleted my pirated copy. Even though I bought the game, I still committed a crime because I was fostering the piracy community. Now, I have stated to a few people online, if EA ever made me pay again for Spore after my 3 installs, I'd pirate it. Is that right of me? Nope. I am still stealing.

 

[Pluvia's other account]

The DS can be emulated but with crappy sound and slow game play. And the newest system that can be emulated with good frame rates and sound on most computers the Gameboy has been overtaken by the DS and is at the point where it is Dead.

That's not true, my DS emulator works fine.

Anyway pirating happens all the time, so instead of trying to restrict it, they should try to make non-pirated versions more appealing. This'll only work for games though I think, so the film, tv and music companies are going to need to do something absolutely amazing.

 

[Tom]

Anyway pirating happens all the time, so instead of trying to restrict it, they should try to make non-pirated versions more appealing.

You could tighten restrictions and dole out harsher punishments for those caught.

This post brought to you by Dole Orange Juice.

 

[Pluvia's other account]

You could tighten restrictions and dole out harsher punishments for those caught.

Which is almost impossible to do due to this thing called the Internet. It would just be a waste of time and money to try.

 

[Omis]

One problem that often occurs with piracy is that not that many people see it as a crime for some reason. For example one of my 8th grade teachers wanted to give herself and the class a day off so she brought in a film for the class to watch. During parts of the movie the sound would randomly distort and sometimes go black and white. When asked why this happened the teacher plainly and blantantly said that she pirated it off the internet. No one cared. A few did ask what website though.

 

[SkylerOcon]

The DS can be emulated but with crappy sound and slow game play. And the newest system that can be emulated with good frame rates and sound on most computers the Gameboy has been overtaken by the DS and is at the point where it is Dead.

No, the DS can be emulated very well. I make R4 backups of all my games and have tested them out on the computer. They work fine.

 

[Oracle]

I love how all the random people are like "Piracy is not wrong" and then the mods are like "Yeah it is", but they use real facts instead of opinions.

Pirating=Stealing=Wrong. Someone somewhere just lost $50 because you pirated a game, wether it be Sigeru Miyamoto or the impovershed man who has to make CD's in a sweatshop for a living.

As for dealing with piracy, the best way is to deal out harsh punishments to make examples of some people. A bit cruel, but it works.

 

[Tom]

Which is almost impossible to do due to this thing called the Internet. It would just be a waste of time and money to try.

The internet makes it impossible to raise the amount of money you fine someone for piracy? I think not.

 

[Pluvia's other account]

The internet makes it impossible to raise the amount of money you fine someone for piracy? I think not.

Punishing people is easy.

Catching people and dealing with problems is hard.

 

[The Boss of God]

So you don't think stealing is wrong?

Stealing is just a means of gaining without losing anything. It may be parasitic, but in terms of morality, it isn't wrong at all.

If a huge load of stolen iPods were to be discovered at your house, you would most likely be imprisoned for an unrealistically long time. But it would have been your choice to steal them in the first place.

"Wrongness" and "Righteousness" cannot be measured.
Let's say you suddenly donated two million dollars to a poor nation's starving citizens. Sure, you'd be helping them to survive, but that isn't right or wrong. It might make you feel good about yourself though.

 

[AltF4]

I reject entirely the notion of Intellectual Property. Needless to say I'm decidedly against the MPAA and the RIAA.

But the issue isn't quite so black-and-white and "for or against piracy".


First off, "piracy" is a loaded term concocted by those who have their hands in the pockets of the recording industries to demonize those who feel that information wants to be free. It has since, though, been embraced by those in the Warez crowd, who rather like thinking of themselves as outlaws.

The problem is with an industry not being able to adapt. And we all know what happens when you fail to evolve: You become extinct.

The recording industries used to have a simple business model: The produced and sold records. Records are physical things which can be bought and sold, they can be stolen and they can be broken. For a while, this business model worked. Current technology was not advanced enough to allow (widespread) copying of records.

Until it did.

Today, the record companies are trying to buy and sell not records, but the information on them. And their fatal mistake is in keeping their old business model while trying to sell a different kind of product.You cannot buy and sell information like you can a car. If I sell you information, you cannot ever un-learn it, you cannot return it, you cannot prove that you do or do not possess the information. In short: All of the old rules no longer apply.

The new business model is not one of buying and selling a product, but rather selling experiences and services. For example: No amount of "piracy" will ever shut the movie theaters down. A movie theater simply offers an experience that cannot be downloaded. You cannot pirate the experience of going to the movies on a Friday night with a group of friends and sitting in front of the big screen.

Price and quality are also a big issue.

If the pirated version of your product is of better quality than the original, you are doing something seriously wrong. Take Spore for example. The DRM sucks. Big time. It limits how you can play the game, and in many cases prevents you from playing completely. But not if you pirate it! You can find a completely DRM-free version of Spore online, which is superior to the real game. In fact, I would very much like to pay $50, buy the game, and then download the pirated version and play that because it's better than the "real" one.

 

[nakedsnake]

If the pirated version of your product is of better quality than the original, you are doing something seriously wrong. Take Spore for example. The DRM sucks. Big time. It limits how you can play the game, and in many cases prevents you from playing completely. But not if you pirate it! You can find a completely DRM-free version of Spore online, which is superior to the real game. In fact, I would very much like to pay $50, buy the game, and then download the pirated version and play that because it's better than the "real" one.

Another option for those who don't want to pirate the game and still own it is keygens and no cd cracks. Yes they can be used for piracy but if you own the game they can make things alot easier by allow you to use the game with no cd and being able to redownload if you lose the CD key. You can also use it to share the game with your friends and family. Theirs even Keygen for spore with a no cd crack to.

 

[Oracle]

I reject entirely the notion of Intellectual Property. Needless to say I'm decidedly against the MPAA and the RIAA.

But the issue isn't quite so black-and-white and "for or against piracy".


First off, "piracy" is a loaded term concocted by those who have their hands in the pockets of the recording industries to demonize those who feel that information wants to be free. It has since, though, been embraced by those in the Warez crowd, who rather like thinking of themselves as outlaws.

The problem is with an industry not being able to adapt. And we all know what happens when you fail to evolve: You become extinct.

The recording industries used to have a simple business model: The produced and sold records. Records are physical things which can be bought and sold, they can be stolen and they can be broken. For a while, this business model worked. Current technology was not advanced enough to allow (widespread) copying of records.

Until it did.

Today, the record companies are trying to buy and sell not records, but the information on them. And their fatal mistake is in keeping their old business model while trying to sell a different kind of product.You cannot buy and sell information like you can a car. If I sell you information, you cannot ever un-learn it, you cannot return it, you cannot prove that you do or do not possess the information. In short: All of the old rules no longer apply.

The new business model is not one of buying and selling a product, but rather selling experiences and services. For example: No amount of "piracy" will ever shut the movie theaters down. A movie theater simply offers an experience that cannot be downloaded. You cannot pirate the experience of going to the movies on a Friday night with a group of friends and sitting in front of the big screen.

Price and quality are also a big issue.

If the pirated version of your product is of better quality than the original, you are doing something seriously wrong. Take Spore for example. The DRM sucks. Big time. It limits how you can play the game, and in many cases prevents you from playing completely. But not if you pirate it! You can find a completely DRM-free version of Spore online, which is superior to the real game. In fact, I would very much like to pay $50, buy the game, and then download the pirated version and play that because it's better than the "real" one.

We're not arguing on how bad of a buisness strategy it is to make games available for pirating. We're pointing out that it's wrong because it's stealing and causing other people to lose money. It's almost inevitable because of the capabilities of media distribution.

 

[GoldShadow]

Wrong or not, AltF4 brings up all very valid points.

Piracy is inevitable if companies continue to apply old business models (ie, pre-internet and globalization) to a modern, tech-savvy audience. Rather than adapting their paradigms around the information age and the internet, they're trying to enforce archaic rules; the sooner they realize this will no longer work, the sooner everybody will be happy.

I was seriously considering buying Spore when I first heard about it many months ago. Then I heard about the DRM and anti-piracy BS. That was an instant turn-off and it took me no more than a split second to decide that I'd rather not waste my money. I haven't downloaded it (yet), but pirating it is certainly the route I'll take if I ever decide I want to play it.

If companies don't want to lose money to internet piracy and theft, they need to provide incentives for consumers to buy it, like several others have pointed out in this thread.

And I would argue that that makes it right. These same companies which, by their very existence, exemplify the idea of a "free market" or "free enterprise", will be beaten by their competition if the invisible hand of the market dictates it. In other words, if companies lose money because they refuse to adapt to the internet, then they deserve it. They will be beaten out by companies that choose to adapt to the internet, companies that cater to their customers and sell more product.

 

[Oracle]

Wrong or not, AltF4 brings up all very valid points.

Piracy is inevitable if companies continue to apply old business models (ie, pre-internet and globalization) to a modern, tech-savvy audience. Rather than adapting their paradigms around the information age and the internet, they're trying to enforce archaic rules; the sooner they realize this will no longer work, the sooner everybody will be happy.

I was seriously considering buying Spore when I first heard about it many months ago. Then I heard about the DRM and anti-piracy BS. That was an instant turn-off and it took me no more than a split second to decide that I'd rather not waste my money. I haven't downloaded it (yet), but pirating it is certainly the route I'll take if I ever decide I want to play it.

If companies don't want to lose money to internet piracy and theft, they need to provide incentives for consumers to buy it, like several others have pointed out in this thread.

And I would argue that that makes it right. These same companies which, by their very existence, exemplify the idea of a "free market" or "free enterprise", will be beaten by their competition if the invisible hand of the market dictates it. In other words, if companies lose money because they refuse to adapt to the internet, then they deserve it. They will be beaten out by companies that choose to adapt to the internet, companies that cater to their customers and sell more product.

It's still stealing. It's still wrong.

And what other alternatives do we have to prevent pirating? Inevitably, no matter what format media is distributed in, the ability to pirate will be there.

Spoiler

noob question, what have other companies done to take incentive away from pirating?

 

[nakedsnake]

It's still stealing. It's still wrong.

And what other alternatives do we have to prevent pirating? Inevitably, no matter what format media is distributed in, the ability to pirate will be there.

Spoiler

noob question, what have other companies done to take incentive away from pirating?

This is why They shouldnt try to stop it. It just pisses off people and makes them want to pirate it more. Their will always be ways to pirate. And instead of trying to stop it. Companies should find ways to reward customers and make sure the digital versions can do everything the hard copies can do. This is exactually what the music industry went though (napster) now Its the movie industries turn, Personally I think they are being stupid instead of opening their movies to download most are limiting them to only certain devices, And unlike the music industry movies can even be copied easily without certain software .And a example of what not to do is media defender you shouldnt try to stop piracy with fake files and bring down sites that offer torrents(even legal ones)

 

[GoldShadow]

Out of curiosity, where do we draw the line between "right" and "wrong"?

Not too long ago, people copied VHS tapes and audiocassettes for friends and family all the time, yet nobody ever made a fuss about it being illegal (even though it was).

Nowadays, people do the same via internet and CD. And because the potential audience is anybody with an internet connection (rather than being limited to friends and family), it is a huge controversy.

Even though both acts were and are equally illegal, at what point do you draw the line and say "it's wrong"? When there are a certain number of people sharing these things?