Is it okay to pirate stuff you already own?

[poppabaggins]

Piracy is piracy. Just because you paid for something doesn't give you a legal or moral right to pirate another separate item.

Its like buying a car and it breaks down. Do you feel you then have the right to go into a car lot and steal another one because you had already shelled out the money? Its the same argument.

This argument doesn't really apply to software/music/movies. When you buy a car, you are paying for a physical object. When you are buying the software/music/movies, you are paying for the license (read those EULAs) to use an easily replicable string of bits. Taking another car would be taking money from the car lot owner. Buying a second license to use something when the first license still applies is just a waste of money. Furthermore, the legal backup of something one owns is generally accepted as being legal.

However, downloading via something that also uploads at the same time (i.e. torrents) is illegal, because you are then distributing copyrighted information.

 

[Sikachu]

Piracy is piracy. Just because you paid for something doesn't give you a legal or moral right to pirate another separate item.

Its like buying a car and it breaks down. Do you feel you then have the right to go into a car lot and steal another one because you had already shelled out the money? Its the same argument.

This argument doesn't really apply to software/music/movies. When you buy a car, you are paying for a physical object. When you are buying the software/music/movies, you are paying for the license (read those EULAs) to use an easily replicable string of bits. Taking another car would be taking money from the car lot owner. Buying a second license to use something when the first license still applies is just a waste of money. Furthermore, the legal backup of something one owns is generally accepted as being legal.

However, downloading via something that also uploads at the same time (i.e. torrents) is illegal, because you are then distributing copyrighted information.

Depends on how you configure your share settings.

 

[Thedayrecker]

I did it for a Bob Dylan song, because I was too lazy to get the CD out of the car.... so yes?

Is admitting piracy a bannable offence?

 

[Humble85]

I find it perfectly ok; most of the money I spend on a game is spent on a license anyway, as far as I understand it. I would feel entitled to a second/third copy, if my cd/dvd was broken, or just if it wasnt available right now (because I am on holiday, etc.).

What your more "extreme" friend does, on the other hand, is not okay, I think. Just because he could go over and ask for the game, doesnt mean hes entitled to a personal copy/download of a game.

 

[Zykon TheLich]

Yeah, I'd say it was fine, I've got copies of various books, games and music that I own. IIIRC if you bother to read the small print of various copyright agreements there is often a clause that says you can make a single copy for personal in case the original fucks up. I've never bothered to look for it properly though.

Yes it's fine. I'm not likely to pay for the game twice if it fucks up, don't see any harm in downloading it the second time. I play on PS3 and was forced to buy Borderlands 3 times because it kept fucking itself in the face. Given the option I would definitely have pirated it after the first time.

...did you lose the receipt or something ?

 

[Humble85]

Piracy is piracy. Just because you paid for something doesn't give you a legal or moral right to pirate another separate item.

Its like buying a car and it breaks down. Do you feel you then have the right to go into a car lot and steal another one because you had already shelled out the money? Its the same argument.

No, I dont think it is. With the car, it`s based on the principle of scarcity, there's a finite amount of resources (metal, etc.). That doesnt really apply to software. The resources of a car can not be duplicated; the code can. These two dont really compare that well, because different paradigms are at work here.

 

[Caspertjuhh]

yes. I had to buy FIFA 11 twice for xbox, just because my xbox scratched, and I want to play online

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

I believe that in Canada it is currently legal to have a single "Back Up Copy" of anything you own in any format attained by any means you see fit. However this ONLY extends to Music as far as I'm aware, it was a provision brought in when Cassette Tapes were just getting started, we basically "bribe" the Recording Industry with a "Reproduction Levy" on all Blank Media.

However Bill C-32 looks to be changing this.

 

[Necromancer1991]

IMO yes, they got the money from you already and for all intents and purposes you are entitled to the game even if the disc is no longer in your possession, really when you buy a used game from gamestop you are more or less pirating the game in a sense, you get to play the game, but do so without paying the publisher and/or developers. Case and point a friend of mine pirates games to have a solid demo of the game, if he likes what he sees he'll go out and buy the game, also I have no issue with people pirating soundtracks to games they own, because again you paid the developer when you bought the game.

Piracy is piracy. Just because you paid for something doesn't give you a legal or moral right to pirate another separate item.

Its like buying a car and it breaks down. Do you feel you then have the right to go into a car lot and steal another one because you had already shelled out the money? Its the same argument.

no offense but that's a bad example in this case, Let's say I buy a game on the PC game and copy the data to a Flash drive, I than promptly sell the flash drive to a friend of mine, THAT is legitimate piracy, but if you use that data to say, jump the game from your PC to your laptop again that's another matter entirely. As was stated early you're just buying both the EULA and a copy of the data when you get the disc, the EULA is more or less a contract that states that I have a right to quote "archive, re-sale, and backup", which in laymans terms means that I have the right to copy the data, not to sell it, but should I back-up the code through alternative means I am technically not breaking the EULA or by extension, the law, the one copying said data however is not so lucky.

 

[the_pleasure_is_mine]

Yes I believe so, if I have previously owned a game but lost/damaged it somehow, I have no problem with obtaining a back up copy through any possible means.

 

[flamingjimmy]

I wouldn't be surprised if it was illegal where I live (UK) but its definitely not immoral. Unless you pirate it for a different format that you had it for and there were significant extra costs to the publisher for porting it.

 

[KEM10]

Well sure, but who's going to download something they already possess?

My old laptop didn't have a CD drive, so when I did buy music it was easier and faster to find a torrent for it than to grab my external drive, plug it in, make sure it was on a flat surface, and then set up the ripping process.

 

[teebeeohh]

most of my games are still in a box somewhere at my parents(my apartment is really tiny). so i could take a two hour drive and search through those boxes or i just download them, from steam if at all possible

 

[Estarc]

Well, in your friend's case of downloading the games his friends own, I'd say it is more justification of the piracy than anything, even though I have no doubt he could just borrow the games. I mean, I could say "I am not going to buy this game anyway, because there are other games I like better, so me downloading it is not a lost sale." And while that may be true, technically, piracy is still piracy.

Anyway, I do think it is okay to download products you already own. I mean, you own them. Just because the industry is all draconian and shit about the fact you are just renting their game or whatever and have to use it how they say shouldn't overshadow the fact that you paid for and (should) now own that product. I mean, I don't see why anyone would prefer to read a book on the PC, but if they do, they should be allowed to get an e-book version for free.

 

[RollForInitiative]

If we are, in fact, paying for a license to use a specific piece of software on a specific platform, then you technically aren't doing anything illegal by re-downloading it. Technically. By this, I do not mean that you can buy Oblivion for the 360 and then download it for the PC for free. That's not the license you paid for. You paid for it on 360. End of story.

Personally, I repurchase anything that breaks down, one way or another. I've delved deep into eBay and Amazon sellers a number of times in order to dig up something archaic that got scratched or lost in a move. I'm more than happy to pay a second time if that money is going to go to the developers as a show of appreciation for their work.

 

[Jodah]

You can legally make a copy of any game you own in case the original is damaged so yes, it is okay. Some companies are actually going one step further and providing a download service for their games. Blizzard is the most notable one. Any game since SC1 can be downloaded for free once you have linked it to your account via the cd key.

 

[Sammi Costello]

Well sure, but who's going to download something they already possess?

Actually, I do it with D&D and nWoD books, since I store all my character sheets on my laptop. That way, I always have copies of the books I own with me. It's much easier to transport my laptop than it is to transport 10 or 15 books.