Poll: Internet Piracy (need input from community for exam)

[Demons_Bane]

What kind of stuff do you download?
Do you think its wrong?
What would have to happen to make you stop?
Or make you pirate more?

1.The only thing that i could be accounted for is one or two old roms i have downloaded for games that are around 13 years old and i still own just can't play cause i don't have their consoles etc.

2.Yes i think piracy in general is wrong

3.Getting caught but thats unlikely since i am not really doing anything wrong.

4.I refrain from piracy and i don't think i will be pirating any time soon.

Also if anyone read this can you tell me if what i did is illegal? JW

 

[Gindil]

I am doing a 8 minute presentation for an exam and I want to throw in some research.

How often do you pirate stuff, Never, sometimes, alot or everthing.

What kind of stuff do you download?
Do you think its wrong?
What would have to happen to make you stop?
Or make you pirate more?

I believe your poll is skewed. People usually don't pirate a LOT of things at one time. True there will always be small amounts of piracy (usually related to) but I doubt anyone will admit to downloading more than a few songs or a game or two.

 

[lwm3398]

This is some dangerous territory. Revealing that you pirate stuff can get you on probation or worse, right?

I might visit a shady sight to watch episodes of some shows for free, but I'm not sure if that counts as pirating. I've only gotten a pirated one game once because my friend wouldn't get off my back until I got it. Couldn't pay for it, and he knew how to get it, so he gave me a copy I found out was pirated.

 

[Reboare]

I download anime and sometimes music and I sometimes stream TV shows but rarely anything else.
Yes it is wrong to a certain extent but the reactions by the companies is completely out of proportion. Downloading one album and being sued for thousands of pounds is unbelievably ridiculous.
A reduction in price, as I can't afford most of what I download or being caught.
DRM would make me pirate more, otherwise unless I really want it and the copyright holder has put unfair restrictions on the product, I just won't pirate it

 

[deth2munkies]

I am doing a 8 minute presentation for an exam and I want to throw in some research.

How often do you pirate stuff, Never, sometimes, alot or everthing.

What kind of stuff do you download? Older games I can't get in stores (Alpha Centauri for example, I had it when I was a kid but gave it away and couldn't find another copy) and games I lost the discs to (example: Starcraft: Brood War, had the box with the CD key, lost the disc) mostly. And DLC for newer games because I'm not paying that much for an extra level or 2 (ex. Return to Ostagar)
Do you think its wrong? I try not to blatantly rip off companies unless I feel like I'm getting ripped off in return (see DLC), but I acknowledge that what I'm doing is technically illegal
What would have to happen to make you stop? A more steady revenue stream (currently unemployed) plus game companies not doing stupid shit (see launch day DLC). Also a Steam-like setup for older games (Like Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri, old HoMM games, old King's Quest games, etc) would help.
Or make you pirate more? If the gaming industry keeps going in its current direction, releasing 75% finished games with 25% of the game locked away until you give up more money, I will just start pirating everything. There's no reason for us as a consumer base to pay for things that we think are shit, and sales should influence how the industry responds.

Answers in bold.

 

[ma55ter_fett]

I download rulebooks for tabletop games, I have a full libary of warhammer 40k stuff (on my computer) right now.

 

[hamster mk 4]

Q)How often do you pirate stuff?
A)I used to pirate when I was in high school and college, but stopped when I got a job. During my misspent youth I would pirate very rarely since my internet connection was slow and I did not want that much media.

Q)What kind of stuff do you download?
A)Usually games that I was interested in but did not think would be classics. I am very proud of my legally purchased game collection. I occasionally reinstall a game I purchased five years ago because it was such a classic. The games I pirated during that time were games I would play for a few minutes to realize what the big deal was then quit and uninstall.

Q)Do you think its wrong?
A)I was less concerned with right and wrong back then, but now I defiantly think it is wrong. I always believed paying for something is the best way to compliment and reward effort. Piracy in a way is the polar opposite, it insults and punishes the creators.

Q)What would have to happen to make you stop?
A)I got a day job making software. Aside from possible getting fired for something stupid like pirating, it would be very hypocritical making a living from people buying software and not buying software my self. Also I can now afford the things I want, which was not the case when I was younger.

Q)Or make you pirate more?
A)Loss of income, or unavailability of software through legal channels.

 

[ZippyDSMlee]

This is some dangerous territory. Revealing that you pirate stuff can get you on probation or worse, right?

I might visit a shady sight to watch episodes of some shows for free, but I'm not sure if that counts as pirating. I've only gotten a pirated one game once because my friend wouldn't get off my back until I got it. Couldn't pay for it, and he knew how to get it, so he gave me a copy I found out was pirated.

Ya know they can jail me but they can't stop me from doing something that is questionably right or wrong. It comes down to random sniping and that will not put the fear in me. I'll stuff using my rights and freedoms until the MP3 police merge with tax revenuers....... then I will become an anarchist.....

 

[StriderShinryu]

How often do you pirate stuff, Never, sometimes, alot or everthing.
Never. I did some disc passing when I was an immature kid and didn't know any better, but even then that was before the Internet was a big thing (nevermind P2P and Torrents)

What kind of stuff do you download?
I don't.

Do you think its wrong?
Definitely. While it may or may not technically be stealing, it is still getting an experience that someone worked very hard on, and with an assigned monetary value, for nothing.

What would have to happen to make you stop?
I don't do it as is, but I think the only thing that would truly make pirates stop is if there was absolutely no way to get a full and functional game via pirating, and I doubt this is possible.

Or make you pirate more?
Honestly, I do think some form of DRM is important but the more harsh and draconian the DRM is, the more likely it is to be targeted and broken, and the more likely the game is to be pirated.

 

[Doitpow]

What kind of stuff do you download?
Anything
Do you think its wrong?
Not in the least. People would charge you for the air you breathe is they could. If you know a way to get hold of something at no cost to anyone, you should do it.
What would have to happen to make you stop?
Arrest, which of course is now all the more likely.
Or make you pirate more?
Anything

 

[Agema]

I think you should always pay for good quality material and stuff you like.

Consumerism requires that producers get feedback on the stuff they produce so they know what sort of stuff to produce. The ultimate act of consumer feedback is purchasing. Pirating stuff you like is therefore ultimately self-defeating as it increases the likelihood things you enjoy will not be made.

The big exception I would have to pirating is if you do it to see what's something is like, assuming you wouldn't buy something if you were unsure. In this sense, it's simply enhancing the likelihood of sales.

A minor exception would be rare cases where you effectively don't have access to something - say a TV program from another country which is not available in your own country and not released on DVD. It's still wrong (and definitely still illegal) to pirate it, but not particularly wrong considering the producer loses nothing as they won't make money on it by not making it available anyway.

 

[thenumberthirteen]

I don't kid myself into thinking its OK, but I must morally rationalise it as I don't think people ever do things purely because it's wrong.

I download the new Episodes of Stargate Universe. I'm deputy head of the Escapist Stargate Fan Club, and the UK is 2 1/2 weeks behind the US.

 

[4484448444844484]

I might pirate something I can't possibly legally get i.e. out-of-print limited edition Japanese import soundtrack.

But really, if you can, you should buy it.

 

[Darkstorm091]

What kind of stuff do you download? I download mostly the music I listen to, since it comes from Japanese artists and thus isn't worth the extra money I'd have spend to get the CD's and the region-specific equipment to listen to it.

Do you think its wrong? In most cases yes, such as pirating a movie/game that you can just go to the store to buy, but in the case of something you can't find around here/anymore, it's perfectly understandable to me.

What would have to happen to make you stop? If companies stopped region locking products I would happily take the time to import my Japanese CD's.

Or make you pirate more? Increased restrictions on region specific products.

 

[Cid Silverwing]

I pirate everything that's not commercially available.

 

[wordsmith]

What kind of stuff do you download?

Movies, games, music, TV shows.

Do you think its wrong?

Legally? Yes. Morally? Yes. Financially? No.

What would have to happen to make you stop?

Er... Moving out of an island that has a dynamic IP and an ISP with such strict privacy protocol that the police aren't allowed to look at it without your permission?

Actual, practical advice: If you can provide me the content that I want, quickly, at a price that is less than the highstreet or buying physically online, I'll go for it. Until you can do that (all in one place), there's little incentive for me to stop.

Or make you pirate more?

Nothing really. If I can be bothered to wait for it to download, I'll go for it. A few months back I bought Saints Row 2 because the waiting time for it was 7 days. 3 hours on Steam.

 

[EHKOS]

i used to pirate more, but what made me stop? limited video card capabilities.
ill dl a movie occasionally, i just got black sabbath after reading I am Ozzy.
I have next to nothing so i only buy tangible things.

 

[Soxafloppin]

I used to download music, i don't now though.

 

[Uncreation]

I notice that there are a ton of threads about this lately. What's going on? Hm, well, on to the questions:

Games, music, some programs. Whatever i need/want.

Maybe it is, maybe it isn't, the bottom line is: I DON'T CARE.

A couple of thing, most of them not very likely. For example, my salary would have to reach a level even remotely comparable to the one people receive in a half-way decent country, for the work that i do.

I don't know. I already pirate as much as i want.