Quote:
Originally Posted by Shaggy
Most of those people probably wouldn't have paid for it in the first place.
|
So what? Yes, if pirates never intended to buy whatever they pirate, the creator of the pirated content hasn't lost any sales. But as far as I'm concerned, that's not the point.
The point is that if someone hasn't paid for something I have created, I don't want them enjoying the fruits of my labour. Period.
It doesn't matter if they never intended to buy it. It doesn't matter if they tell other people about it, who may then end up buying it. It doesn't matter if they end up buying other things I've made because they like what they pirated. Hell, it doesn't even matter if they end up buying the exact thing they pirated after pirating it.
As long as the creator (or owner) isn't giving what they created away for free, nobody should be enjoying that product for free. I've never heard a reason, motivation or excuse that have even come close to altering my views on this.
People have called this attitude obstinate and counter productive to the interest of creators, I've even heard it called mean and egotistical. I call it a principled stance against freeloaders.
I'm well aware that a world with no piracy will never come to pass, but that doesn't alter my opinion about it, or my opinion of the "but they'd never buy it anyway" defense of piracy and pirates.