Quote:
Originally Posted by whitearrow
Even if they were talking about illegal downloading, the numbers are still fantastical. The industry reaches its estimates by doing something like taking the total estimated number of downloads in a given category, and multiplying by an average retail price for the item. So, if there were 100 movie downloads (keeping the numbers low for simplicity), and the average DVD has an MSRP of $24.99, they would say they've lost $2500 due to piracy.
Never mind the fact that each download does not represent a lost sale, as many people would not buy if they couldn't download, but rent, wait until the movie's on free TV, borrow it from the library, or whatever. Nor does it take into account that only morons pay full retail price for DVDs and music CDs. That's the way they calculate their "losses" and end up with the ridiculous numbers they whine about.
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The issue is not really a lost sale, the issue is consuming without paying. People who don't pay for it (a) are avoiding the assumed risk of liking/disliking something after you've already paid for it and (b)should be perfectly fine with simply waiting for it as you say. Early adoption, or paying for it so you can see it way before people who wait to see it for free on TV, has good and bad sides for whichever group you fall into.