Maybe this should be kept a secret, but...

[McRhea]

All right people, what this all comes down to is personal choice. You don't like piracy? Fine, don't get the software.

I'll continue to get the programs and use them. And if I really enjoy the game/program, then I will support the company by going out and buying their game/program. But if it sucks, then they don't get my money, and I act as if I've never had the software. *coughDiakatanacough*

Anyway, As for the "stealing" issue... who cares? Stealing? WTF is that? I couldn't care less. The way I see it, if they had made a program that I really enjoyed, then I'd support them by buying the thing. If not, then they don't deserve money. *coughDiakatanacough*

I don't care what any of you say, I'm still going to get cracked games and software. I see nothing wrong with it.

By the way, Deus Ex is really cool. My hat is off to the devolpers. They made a great game, although there is no Multi. So first chance I get, I'm going out to BUY the game, and support them.

It's as simple as that.

[xortam]

Thief.

[Gurm]

Last time I checked, the copyright laws clearly indicated that what was illegal was making duplicates for personal gain.

Now, an interesting tack on this issue - it is illegal to SELL a system such as the "Game Doctor" that will allow you to make a backup of your Nintendo cartridges.

It is NOT illegal to BUY such a system. Nor illegal to use it to make copies of the cartridges... because of the media on which they are published. Weird, huh?

- Gurm

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Listen up, you primitive screwheads! See this? This is my BOOMSTICK! Etc. etc.

[Joel]

Well if it is not specifically stated in the copyright laws then it is stated in the software license. Check it out. Either way it is wrong.

Joel

[merchant2112]

i use copyed apps, i dont give out those copys..... i buy alot of them (games) hey companys are getting smart about online games , they are useing a online server and a cd key to secure the copys , yes a cd key gen works but i dont need the headachs of re entering keys all the time so i buy the game.
whats the point, i dont know maybe it is i can afford to by a gmae for 50.00 but i ant going to pay 300.00 or more for a app i use once a week if im lucky.

[ahartman]

As for sampling songs for use, I can think of many high-profile cases where rappers (Puff Daddy is the biggest offender, both in terms of sampling as well as bad rap) were sued for unauthorized sampling. I think the courts settled on 3-5 seconds being okay (don't remember the exact judgement).

As for speeding, would you ever argue that you driving over the speed limit is not illegal? No, because you know it is. Do you always follow that law? No. Does the fact that you think it's a stupid law change the fact that you're breaking it? No.

What's amazing to me is that some of you think it's okay to steal a game because it's easy to get. What about stealing a game from the store shelf? Is that illegal? Does the place you steal it from have any effect on the illegality (is that a word?)?

I don't know that anyone is disputing the ability to make a copy for personal use PROVIDED YOU OWN IT IN THE FIRST PLACE. However, if you don't own it, you shouldn't copy it.

McRhea, I'd be pissed if I paid money for Diakatana, too. However, I didn't need anything more than 20 minutes with the LEGAL demo to tell me the game sucked - no 600+ meg downloads necessary.

Gurm, your point about the game doctor is an interesting one. Is a cartridge considered software? If so, then I think it's fine to make a backup as you're allowed to archive your software for personal use. It's kind of the same issue as Napster... You make a tool that makes piracy easy. Does that mean the tool should be stopped because of the way people are using it? I say no, but that's just me.

AMH

[McRhea]

We all have our opinions. One group is not going to convince the other group about what is right/wrong. So lets just stop here, ok?

Some of you think cracked software is stealing/wrong. Fine.

I don't see a problem with it.

Lets just leave it at that. No one is going to be able to "convince" me that what I'm doing is "wrong/stealing."

[Pneumatic]

Say what you want, but I am right and you know it.

[Alec]

Hey guys, when I started this thread I didn´t mean to cause a moral war or anything like that. I just wanted to know what is happening out there concerning pirated software. When someone lives in a wealthy countries like some of you, you are bound to buy more software, cause you have money to spare (within limits, of course, I understand) for that. I have money to buy games, but it´s just that I have a salary to manage, and we all agree that games are somewhat superfluous.

Let´s take a look at your machines, I mean, your system specs are endless, most of you have high-end everything, sometimes two processors, big monitors, etc. This is my 2 1/2 year old computer:


Celeron 433@459Mhz
Intel Atlanta 440LX
Soundblaster PCI 128
128 Mb SDRAM 100 Mhz
Matrox G200 8Mb SDRAM AGP
4.3 Gb Western Digital Caviar EIDE
Iomega internal 100Mb Zip drive
Sony HMD-A200 17" Trinitron

The initial configuration was:

Pentium II 233MHz
Intel Atlanta 440LX
Soundblaster Vibra 16 ISA
64Mb SDRAM 66 Mhz
S3 Virge DX + Matrox M3D
4.3 Gb Western Digital Caviar EIDE
AOC 15 Spectrum Vlr 15" monitor

I improved the computer overtime. Here in Portugal, a considerable amount of people has to borrow money from the bank to buy a computer. However, 70% of the homes has one.

Bottom line is:

I´m in a country more developed in culture than economically - so, we deal with computers easily, but we just don´t have the money to buy software.

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"I wish I was a witch...
...to shove my broomstick right up your *ss."

[Mark F]

as you're allowed to archive your software for personal use

Well not if the MCA is enterpreted the way big industry wants it to be. So far they (the MPAA) have gotten their way.

Mark F.

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OH NO, my retractable cup holder swallowed a DVD...
and burped out a movie

[ahartman]

Actually, the MPAA has gotten it both ways, so to speak. Long ago, during the VHS/BetaMax wars, the MPAA got some agreement that they get a cut of every blank video tape sold. Same way RIAA gets a cut of every blank MUSIC CD sold (not every blank CD-R or -RW, but blank music CDs - they exist, and are no different than "data" CDs).

Our legislative branch in action...

[Pace]

I own Windows 2000, Windows 98, Office 95, Dreamweaver 1.2, Quake 1/2/3, Unreal, UT, HL, some other games a small apps.

I currently use Win2k, Office 97, Dreamweaver 3, Photoshop 5.5, Quake 3 and UT, Paint Shop Pro 5 & 6, Flash 4, InDesign 1.5 and Terrapin FTP. I would ideally like to buy non-commercial licenses of software as most of the software is intended at computing professionals.

I am thinking about a small computer based company myself and know that I would have to buy the software though I probably would anyway - I feel it is justified. To me a few hundred pounds, euros or dollars is not worth it on software that is meant to be used in the workplace when I am not going to use it for work or get personal gain from it.

I must say right now that I've actually got a 19" monitor running on a relatively old PC (October 98) P2-350, recently upgraded to 256Mb, TNT2 (for £5!), and various other luxuries here and there. I could be running a legal copy of all of my software if I hadn't bought the 19", the DVD, the extra RAM, the CDRW but! I wouldn't want to be using Photoshop on a 14" monitor. I probably can afford to buy it all anyway though I, as I say, grudge it when it's such overkill for my needs. I might be able to get by without it using Linux, GIMP and lot's of other free software (which incidentally would mean I'd be putting even less money into the industry). I would probably be able to get by using free Paint Shop Pro 4s, Dreamweaver 1.2 and a legal copy of Windows - so the features that the new versions offer seem even less worth a few thousand in total.

Technically stealing: yes.
Do I feel like a thief: slightly.
Do I feel guilty: no.

Just my thoughts,

Paul.

[McRhea]

Pace sums it up really well, but this is how I'd put it.

Technically stealing: Yes.
Do I feel like a thief: Hell no.
Do I feel guilty: Guilty? What's that?

[Joel]

And you two, and people like you, are the reason that software prices are so high. BTW: SPA is very interested in you two.

Joel

[Gurm]

Joel:

BULL SHIT. SPA has yet to arrest, investigate, or indict a single individual (with the notable exception of the head of PWA, who was asking for it...) - they are ONLY interested in corporate piracy.

- Gurm

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Listen up, you primitive screwheads! See this? This is my BOOMSTICK! Etc. etc.