RE: Piracy...your take?
October 9, 2009 at 10:27 am
(This post was last modified: October 9, 2009 at 10:52 am by Eilonnwy.)
Stealing is stealing is stealing.
Just because you don't like the price, can steal without getting caught, can rationalize to yourself that the artist doesn't need your $20 for an album does not make it not stealing. We have property laws in place to protect people, and yes those laws need to equally be applied to the rich and poor otherwise they are entirely useless.
Does that mean I have never pirated stuff? No. I have stolen music, movies, and software. I don't pretend what I did was not wrong or justified. I stole.
I have made a conscious choice not to steal music anymore. I now use iTunes for all my music. What I can't afford for software I find a free option. For movies I rent from Netflix. The only thing I download is TV shows and only if they're TV rips and not DVD rips. I'm fairly certain (though I could be wrong) there is nothing illegal about sharing something shown on TV for no profit.
As an artist, I understand how stealing intellectual property can cause harm and I've looked into copyright law at length. (I've even done a panel on art theft at a convention) I knew a person who lost work because someone took their art and claimed it as their own. (She sued and rightfully got compensated.)
As an artist who values copyright law and actively tries to advise other artists how to protect their artwork from being stolen, I cannot pretend to myself that it's different because the artist sings and is rich. That is why I have changed my ways and do my best to follow the law.
Well, it's still theft even if you chose not to equate it that way.
I think it's great to use open-source programs, I'm a big fan of open office myself. I doubt I'll ever pay for Microsoft word because in my mind, open office is just as good.
However I have one niggling problem with open-source programs and it doesn't come from the programs itself but the insistence of it's users that it's always better than software you pay for. I'm sick to death of people telling me I need to get Linux, toting it as the best thing since sliced bread. I'm personally am not a fan. I'm very happy with Microsoft and don't see the need to change. Every time I go to record a podcast and I start up my laptop my friend goes "Ugh, Vista sound" It gets really annoying after a while, especially since I have to record the podcast on my machine because for some reason his linux machine won't record properly.
Providing the open-source programing is awesome. Because it's free doesn't make it better.
Just because you don't like the price, can steal without getting caught, can rationalize to yourself that the artist doesn't need your $20 for an album does not make it not stealing. We have property laws in place to protect people, and yes those laws need to equally be applied to the rich and poor otherwise they are entirely useless.
Does that mean I have never pirated stuff? No. I have stolen music, movies, and software. I don't pretend what I did was not wrong or justified. I stole.
I have made a conscious choice not to steal music anymore. I now use iTunes for all my music. What I can't afford for software I find a free option. For movies I rent from Netflix. The only thing I download is TV shows and only if they're TV rips and not DVD rips. I'm fairly certain (though I could be wrong) there is nothing illegal about sharing something shown on TV for no profit.
As an artist, I understand how stealing intellectual property can cause harm and I've looked into copyright law at length. (I've even done a panel on art theft at a convention) I knew a person who lost work because someone took their art and claimed it as their own. (She sued and rightfully got compensated.)
As an artist who values copyright law and actively tries to advise other artists how to protect their artwork from being stolen, I cannot pretend to myself that it's different because the artist sings and is rich. That is why I have changed my ways and do my best to follow the law.
(October 9, 2009 at 9:54 am)Meatball Wrote: I don't equate downloading movies or music with theft, but with software I would say is a different story.
Well, it's still theft even if you chose not to equate it that way.
(October 8, 2009 at 8:55 pm)Tiberius Wrote: I usually only use free open-source programs since they have the right idea about building up a good and secure software community (i.e. people who want to learn how to do certain things in programming can simply look at the code of another program and learn). If open-source isn't available, I'll go with free proprietary (Adobe Flash for instance, is much better that Gnash).
Rarely do I ever use software that I have to pay for.
I think it's great to use open-source programs, I'm a big fan of open office myself. I doubt I'll ever pay for Microsoft word because in my mind, open office is just as good.
However I have one niggling problem with open-source programs and it doesn't come from the programs itself but the insistence of it's users that it's always better than software you pay for. I'm sick to death of people telling me I need to get Linux, toting it as the best thing since sliced bread. I'm personally am not a fan. I'm very happy with Microsoft and don't see the need to change. Every time I go to record a podcast and I start up my laptop my friend goes "Ugh, Vista sound" It gets really annoying after a while, especially since I have to record the podcast on my machine because for some reason his linux machine won't record properly.
Providing the open-source programing is awesome. Because it's free doesn't make it better.
"The way to see by faith is to shut the eye of reason." Benjamin Franklin
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