Quote:
Originally Posted by Moejoe
This argument is circular. I've been having it with people on here since I joined. Doesn't matter what you say, doesn't matter how logical you are, how obvious your point is, what the actual reailty is, they're still going to think that copying a file is the equivalent of stealing a baby from the cot of a starving mother . 
Thankfully their ideas on copyright are about as real as a belief in a flat earth, creationism and a talented Dan Brown. 
Share on, you crazy diamonds!! |
I really just wanted to say, great comments - especially the "Dan Brown" tagged on the end!!!
I shouldn't get involved in debating the details - it's lose-lose. Those who agree with one position are already convinced, and those poor misguided souls who support more aggressive and invasive measures will never get it...
But just to stir the pot some more...
Quoting corporate losses due to illegal copying is pretty lame, since it's been shown time and again that the RIAA and their ilk have been quoting false dollar losses for years to sustain their position. Linking loss of sales directly to pirate copies is tenuous at best - many who download the copy use it as a sample to decide if they wish to buy, and those that only grab it to take a look more than likely would not have bought the thing anyway.
Removing DRM to ease customer use and having fair pricing schemes (i.e. not tying eBook prices to hardcover prices, etc.) would go a long way to making mass piracy a waste of time. If customers feel they're getting screwed over by the current outrageous prices and ridiculously complex DRM schemes, one way of opposing is not buying. Another way is not buying and downloading via torrent. Ultimately, all revolutions begin with an illegal act, and the poor consumer has very little else he/she can do to fight the situation - there's no power lobby for the mass consumer because there's no big bucks in it for the scumbag lawyers and lawmakers.
Many artists themselves believe the torrent network has actually helped them get wider publicity for their works. Look at authors like Paulo Coelho who openly support bittorent.