Comments on: On pirating http://finotto.org/2007/04/07/on-pirating/ I don't know if the word Freeminding exists. Anyway it's what I'll do: just let my mind be free... Fri, 29 Aug 2008 17:35:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Michele http://finotto.org/2007/04/07/on-pirating/#comment-53489 Michele Thu, 26 Jul 2007 19:56:31 +0000 http://finotto.org/2007/04/07/on-pirating/#comment-53489 *@ Paola:* definitely an unbiased advice...just kidding! Anyway, eBay is definitely a great place to get second-hand CDs and to sell those you don't listen to anymore. @ Paola: definitely an unbiased advice…just kidding!

Anyway, eBay is definitely a great place to get second-hand CDs and to sell those you don’t listen to anymore.

]]> By: LivePaola http://finotto.org/2007/04/07/on-pirating/#comment-53488 LivePaola Thu, 26 Jul 2007 17:55:41 +0000 http://finotto.org/2007/04/07/on-pirating/#comment-53488 I'd like to offer another option: if you really like music or movies, look for them on eBay. You can get new or used CDs often for as little as $1 or £1 (I've sold several CDs myself to clear up space in my rack): it doesn't matter if they're used, as long as the disc is in good condition you can load the music onto your MP3 player and then forget about the physical copy (unless your hard drive wipes out, in which case you have a backup). Now, if you want to buy something as a gift for your best friend, search for the "new" attribute only and be prepared to pay a bit more. But buying unsold inventory in eBay Stores or second-hand CDs from someone cleaning up their attic is cheap and perfectly legal. Soon, you'll also find on eBay that second-hand Prius you're looking for... PS Nice link to the FeedDemon post! I’d like to offer another option: if you really like music or movies, look for them on eBay. You can get new or used CDs often for as little as $1 or £1 (I’ve sold several CDs myself to clear up space in my rack): it doesn’t matter if they’re used, as long as the disc is in good condition you can load the music onto your MP3 player and then forget about the physical copy (unless your hard drive wipes out, in which case you have a backup). Now, if you want to buy something as a gift for your best friend, search for the “new” attribute only and be prepared to pay a bit more. But buying unsold inventory in eBay Stores or second-hand CDs from someone cleaning up their attic is cheap and perfectly legal. Soon, you’ll also find on eBay that second-hand Prius you’re looking for…

PS Nice link to the FeedDemon post!

]]> By: Michele http://finotto.org/2007/04/07/on-pirating/#comment-53381 Michele Tue, 17 Apr 2007 21:19:44 +0000 http://finotto.org/2007/04/07/on-pirating/#comment-53381 I agree when you say a stream of data per-se doesn't have any value, but it starts being valuable as soon as you enjoy it. If you download something and leave it there on your HD without ever opening it, then you might as well haven't downloaded it. And while with music this might be a tad more difficult to calculate, it's very easy to understand how one's stealing when he/she is using pirated software. Releasing a commercial app costs a lot of money: you've got engineers, marketers, R&D, etc., so if what you say were true -- the data you download hasn't got any value --, then the first person who buys that piece of software should pay, say, $100M, to compensate for all the expenses, then everyone else is free to use it. It wouldn't be feasible. Instead, the software company decide how much that software is worth and price each copy accordingly. And I think many piece of software or CDs are not actually worth what is asked for them, but still, if I need them, I buy them, no matter what. I said in the post I don't like Windows -- and everyone who knows me can testify it -- and IMHO it's not worth that much money, but I needed it, so I decided to buy it. As for not having the time to go and buy it, I think it's fair if you download the MP3s and then buy the CD as soon as you can, even though I presume it's illegal anyway. ;) I agree when you say a stream of data per-se doesn’t have any value, but it starts being valuable as soon as you enjoy it.
If you download something and leave it there on your HD without ever opening it, then you might as well haven’t downloaded it.

And while with music this might be a tad more difficult to calculate, it’s very easy to understand how one’s stealing when he/she is using pirated software.
Releasing a commercial app costs a lot of money: you’ve got engineers, marketers, R&D, etc., so if what you say were true — the data you download hasn’t got any value –, then the first person who buys that piece of software should pay, say, $100M, to compensate for all the expenses, then everyone else is free to use it. It wouldn’t be feasible.
Instead, the software company decide how much that software is worth and price each copy accordingly.

And I think many piece of software or CDs are not actually worth what is asked for them, but still, if I need them, I buy them, no matter what.
I said in the post I don’t like Windows — and everyone who knows me can testify it — and IMHO it’s not worth that much money, but I needed it, so I decided to buy it.

As for not having the time to go and buy it, I think it’s fair if you download the MP3s and then buy the CD as soon as you can, even though I presume it’s illegal anyway. ;)

]]> By: Vincent http://finotto.org/2007/04/07/on-pirating/#comment-53377 Vincent Mon, 09 Apr 2007 18:52:12 +0000 http://finotto.org/2007/04/07/on-pirating/#comment-53377 I like the car analogy. I think the big difference between stealing a car and stealing software/DVD/CD is that the latest is virtual information that can be used without physical materialization. Once the information is in a virtual state (eg: ripping a CD), it has no value, it is just a stream of bit arranged in a particular order. When you are downloading a CD from a P2P network, you are just copying the information. Your downloading action involves no cost for the producer and no cost for the owner of the CD who ripped it. In the case of a car, if you steal it, the owner is loosing property. The problem happens when too many people are downloading music and the CD sales drop. You get less money for the same ammount of fan. My opinion is that companies are trying too hard to suck every cent they can from customers. When I pay 15-20$ for a CD, I think the value is fair for something I will be able to listen to for the rest of my life. What if I have a sudden urge to buy a new album but don't have the time to go to the store? I have to buy that 9,99$ DRMied 128kbps album which got absolutely no value. I know something is going to happen to my computer some day and that I am going to loose everything. I know I can't burn the songs (even if I am allowed to) because the quality is crap. I know iTunes is probably going to drop support for it's current licensing system in 10 years. Then you have to find a just mean between the convenience of downloading music and the legality of buying it in a store. A lot of people are pirating Madonna music, but once she announces a concert, it sells out in 20 minutes, it's not that people are not willing to pay for music/art, it's that they are not willing to pay for something that has no value to their eyes. Then artists should try to understand why their product is so unappealing. I like the car analogy. I think the big difference between stealing a car and stealing software/DVD/CD is that the latest is virtual information that can be used without physical materialization. Once the information is in a virtual state (eg: ripping a CD), it has no value, it is just a stream of bit arranged in a particular order. When you are downloading a CD from a P2P network, you are just copying the information. Your downloading action involves no cost for the producer and no cost for the owner of the CD who ripped it. In the case of a car, if you steal it, the owner is loosing property. The problem happens when too many people are downloading music and the CD sales drop. You get less money for the same ammount of fan.

My opinion is that companies are trying too hard to suck every cent they can from customers. When I pay 15-20$ for a CD, I think the value is fair for something I will be able to listen to for the rest of my life. What if I have a sudden urge to buy a new album but don’t have the time to go to the store? I have to buy that 9,99$ DRMied 128kbps album which got absolutely no value. I know something is going to happen to my computer some day and that I am going to loose everything. I know I can’t burn the songs (even if I am allowed to) because the quality is crap. I know iTunes is probably going to drop support for it’s current licensing system in 10 years.

Then you have to find a just mean between the convenience of downloading music and the legality of buying it in a store.

A lot of people are pirating Madonna music, but once she announces a concert, it sells out in 20 minutes, it’s not that people are not willing to pay for music/art, it’s that they are not willing to pay for something that has no value to their eyes. Then artists should try to understand why their product is so unappealing.

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