Is file-sharing right?

[littleman]

What's your stance?

 

[vajradhara]

What's your stance?

as a maker of software, i think my opinion is a bit biased....

the fact of the matter is that, since the software becomes pirated, the vendor has to raise the price of the software in the channel, thus ensuring a higher price for the end user.

for cheaper software not pirating it is the way to go.

music, however, is altogether different, in my view, as the "theft" is against the record company rather than the artist themselves. this doesn't make it right, mind you, simply changes the victim of this crime.

in truth, though, you are allowed to make copies of the software or music for archive purposes and so forth... we are prohibited, however, from sharing that with others.

 

[littleman]

as a maker of software, i think my opinion is a bit biased....

the fact of the matter is that, since the software becomes pirated, the vendor has to raise the price of the software in the channel, thus ensuring a higher price for the end user.

for cheaper software not pirating it is the way to go.

music, however, is altogether different, in my view, as the "theft" is against the record company rather than the artist themselves. this doesn't make it right, mind you, simply changes the victim of this crime.

in truth, though, you are allowed to make copies of the software or music for archive purposes and so forth... we are prohibited, however, from sharing that with others.

word

 

[Pete Harcoff]

There's nothing wrong with file-sharing. It's the file sharing of copyrighted material that's the problem...

 

[PuppyforChrist]

Kind of like file to file sharing music programs. Like Kazaa.

 

[Unimatrix]

I use Kazaa for music. However, I usually download one song and listen to it and I never touch it again unless its really good in which case I may buy it. So because of that I refuse to pay £13.99 or whatever for something I'm going to listen to just once. I wouldn't mind a sort of download service...maybe some sort of subscription service, i.e. £30 per month or something to download etc...

 

[Knight]

There's nothing wrong with file-sharing. It's the file sharing of copyrighted material that's the problem...

An important distinction here.

 

[SirKenin]

as a maker of software, i think my opinion is a bit biased....

the fact of the matter is that, since the software becomes pirated, the vendor has to raise the price of the software in the channel, thus ensuring a higher price for the end user.

I think it's theft, personally...

However, I'm going to address this... It's called... RUBBISH. lol j/k

However, there is truth to it. Case in point. Croteam. One has to establish greed over need. Lower prices allow the more end users to buy from retailers, who in turn buy more product in channel, who in turn can make good money.

You can gouge 5 dollars out of six people, *cough* electronic arts *cough* or you can ask for 1 from 40. ...Croteam...

There is no justification for ripping people off for a program. Especially a sloppily coded piece of junk like the Need for Speeds, to name just a few.

 

[paulewog]

Ummm...

The buy sets the price of things, in a way. Think it's too expensive, then don't buy it. I CAN do without Need for Speed. In fact, I never bought it. I used the library's. It was a fun game.

File sharing... you can share your own stuff all you want, but if it's someone else's and you have to buy a "license" to use it, then it is definitely wrong to let two people use the same software on one license.

Copyrights.... fun stuff.

 

[vajradhara]

Namaste all,

i wonder if anyone has actually taken the time to read their EULA (End User License Agreement) it may surprise you to learn that when you purchase the software, you aren't "purchasing the software" you are purchasing a license to run the software on your machine... but you don't own it.

some of the EULAs are this restrictive, however this is by far the most common kind.

 

[Alice the Sister]

I may not be morally right; however, it is legally right.

 

[fadyonline]

No i don't think it is theft as for me I download graphic design software which I heard that some companies would like to increase the number of its users to ensure that their softwares are the pioneer ones

 

[Unimatrix]

I have downloaded big-time software from file sharing networks. I'm not exactly proud of it to say the least, however without it I don't know where I'd be today.

I downloaded Microsoft Visual Studio, which would have cost $1000+ and we're not exactly well off to begin with, so that was well out of the question, especially if I could get it for free! And now, I'm a student with an excellent job at a computer firm, programming with some of the best people. I know 6 languages very well and a few others okayish, and I owe a lot of this because I downloaded this program and learnt from the internet.

I now have a legitimate copy of MSVS which I'm quite proud of (I think I may frame the CD's! ), but I don't think I'd have got where I am today if I didn't use a file sharing network to help me start my life off.

 

[Stryper]

law says its legal just as long as you dont make a profit off of it.

 

[Ulyanov]

I find nothing wrong with it. I have no problem stealing off any corporation but I'm only a rafical stupid teen so.....

Is it greedy of us? What about the companies who sell it so dear? MMmm Greed.

Ulyanov

 

[SirKenin]

law says its legal just as long as you dont make a profit off of it.

It does, does it?

 

[vajradhara]

law says its legal just as long as you dont make a profit off of it.

i'm here to tell you that Microsoft's EULA, Oracle's EULA... heck, just about all of them would, once you've read them, confirm for you that stealing thier software is illegal.

sheese... i realize that the EULA's are long, dense documents.. but seriously... you're spending 100's if not more... don't you think it would actually be worthwhile to read the license agreement that you are agreeing to by installing the software? heck, some of them you have to agree to the EULA before you can even open the package.

 

[vajradhara]

I have downloaded big-time software from file sharing networks. I'm not exactly proud of it to say the least, however without it I don't know where I'd be today.

I downloaded Microsoft Visual Studio, which would have cost $1000+ and we're not exactly well off to begin with, so that was well out of the question, especially if I could get it for free! And now, I'm a student with an excellent job at a computer firm, programming with some of the best people. I know 6 languages very well and a few others okayish, and I owe a lot of this because I downloaded this program and learnt from the internet.

I now have a legitimate copy of MSVS which I'm quite proud of (I think I may frame the CD's! ), but I don't think I'd have got where I am today if I didn't use a file sharing network to help me start my life off.

ah... but you don't know... you could have been in the exact same position....

so the question comes to you then...

as a potential creator of new software, do you want people downloading it for free or do you want them to pay for it? (providing you are not making free or shareware).

 

[geocajun]

I did not vote because the question was to vague.
File sharing is not in and of itself wrong, so long as the files being shared are not protected by an license agreement.

It is stealing to pirate software or music.

 

[SquareC]

I don't download software, it's illegal, and wrong. I do download music, if I really like the music, I go buy the CD. But once I've bought it, I make copies of it for my car CD player....that's not illegal, it's covered under the Home Recording Act, the same law which allowed recording of vinyl records onto cassettes (okay, I'm not old enough for 8-tracks, at least!) for the same purpose. As long as you know the law and stay within it's guidelines, file-sharing has legitimate uses. It's also not illegal to make copies of a CD you buy and give it to a friend....it's only illegal if you sell it.....the key is profit. If you profit in a financial manner by the copy, it becomes illegal! The same law I mentioned also covers the VCR tapes you make of TV shows and movies, by the way.....