Philosophical Quandry: Piracy

Rojero · #1 July 11th, 2003, 07:39 PM

Would not demo games be available that only run for a limit? That would be better, oh yeah they make those already

I think honestly that is what serves the community best a limited Demo product, Piracy is more of a deliberate act of gaining funds by selling and distributing and not being the owner.

jimbob · #2 July 11th, 2003, 07:52 PM

Is it morally wrong? I say emphatically Yes!!

Have I done piracy? Absolutely Yes!!

Am I proud? Absolutely NOT!!

I still don't know why I think it's okay to do... I certainly think it's wrong of me to do, I mean, heck I don't go running red lights or anything. I guess it's just so darned convenient and I let that over rule my concience. At least I've stopped trying to justify it - Microsoft may be evil and big and wealthy, but I've stopped believing that it's alright to have a pirate copy of office on my machine....

just my thoughts

geoschmo · #3 July 11th, 2003, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by spoon:

quote:
Originally posted by geoschmo:
But I am fully 100% confident in saying it's absolutly morally wrong. It's not even a valid topic for dicsussion.

Anytime you are 100% postively absolutely sure about anything, so sure that you don't even want to talk about it, you are probably wrong.

I am not saying it can't be talked about. I was a little unclear there. Sorry. Anybody is free to discuss whatever they want. But there is no need to debate whether or it's right or wrong. It simply isn't.

Geoschmo

[ July 11, 2003, 18:58: Message edited by: geoschmo ]

Fyron · #4 July 11th, 2003, 08:00 PM

This was not loaning them your CD, it was copying it and giving them the copy.

Quote:

It's not even a valid topic for dicsussion.

Everything is a valid topic for discussion Geo. Having a bad day?

Quote:

But there is no need to debate whether or it's right or wrong. It simply isn't.

Again, everything is open for discussion.

[ July 11, 2003, 19:10: Message edited by: Imperator Fyron ]

1FSTCAT · #5 July 11th, 2003, 08:09 PM

Legally, it's wrong. Give them the demo.

Morally, when you've been used and abused by an industry, time after time, people (and especially the more commonly abused) will tend to break the rules.

I am definitely the "try before you buy" kind of person. I have supported the industry, and been *scammed* out of my money time and time again.

So I've "adapted".

If I didn't, "try before I buy" I would be suckered by advertising and gimics, and I would flat out WASTE 3/4 of my purchasing power.

The day that PC games are "rentable" is the day that a good portion of piracy will disappear. (IMHO)

Now, we also have another alternative. Fortunately, we have "Electronics Boutique" in the U.S. For the most part, you can buy anything you want there, and if it SUCKS they will take it back. You don't need a reason. This is the only "legal release" that I've been able to find, to relieve the above quandary.

--Ed

Loser · #6 July 11th, 2003, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Imperator Fyron:
This was not loaning them your CD, it was copying it and giving them the copy.

Ah, missed that. It was early.

No, no giving them a copy.

Piracy is wrong. Piracy is theft. Theft is the first sin against Almighty Capitalism (the second being vandalism and the third being devaluation of markets).

That being said I have had a good deal of pirated software on my system over the years. I don't think, offhand, I have any pirated software on my system right now. I have made a point of purchasing games I have 'borrowed' and liked (Diablo II, Homeworld, Shogun, Majesty in the past few years). There are times when you purchase a product and times when you patronize an artist, after all.

I tend to treat any piece of software as though it were governed by the 'book' model that Borland used to follow: "if it's not being use in two places at once it's okay". But you can't police that, so I don't take much advantage of this advantage I intend to take.

geoschmo · #7 July 11th, 2003, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Imperator Fyron:

quote:
It's not even a valid topic for dicsussion.

Everything is a valid topic for discussion Geo. Having a bad day?

As I said in my subsequent post, I was not really clear on what I meant by that. Of course anyone is free to discuss whatever they want. What I meant was there is no question that it is wrong. There is no reason to debate whether morally it is ok to copy software without permission and give it away when there is no question from a moral standpoint it is not ok.

Geoschmo