"If buying isn't owning, piracy isn't stealing" • Hacker News Board

Re: "If buying isn't owning, piracy isn't stealing"

#11

Post by happymellon » Sat, Dec 09, 2023, 7:59 AM UTC

dr_petes wrote: post #8

saulpw wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Copyright infringement is about publishing, not consuming. If I copy a friend's legally-purchased .epub that's like borrowing their legally-purchased printed book. Same as if I take a book from a Little Library in my neighborhood, or borrow a paper book from the city library. Why is the transfer of digital content more restricted? A print publisher can't prevent a library from lending their book as many times as they…

Without sounding overly pessimistic, but I have the opinion that copyright laws were written and developed in a different era. Finical interests, not the public’s, are to blame for the overly restrictive copyright laws.

> but I have the opinion that copyright laws were written and developed in a different era.

Unless I misunderstand what you are says, I'm pretty sure we had libraries throughout history.

Re: "If buying isn't owning, piracy isn't stealing"

#12

Post by ilrwbwrkhv » Sat, Dec 09, 2023, 8:09 AM UTC

Piracy is a moral duty as I said earlier before some brave souls flagged that comment.

Re: "If buying isn't owning, piracy isn't stealing"

#13

Post by I_Am_Nous » Sat, Dec 09, 2023, 8:16 AM UTC

I just don't care enough about video media to watch anything in the first place, so I've never really needed to pirate movies or shows after 2009/2010. I don't pirate anything anymore but I do still have me booty from previous high seas adventures. It's been mixed in with my data for so long I'm not sure I could separate it if I tried lol

Re: "If buying isn't owning, piracy isn't stealing"

#14

Post by cameldrv » Sat, Dec 09, 2023, 8:20 AM UTC

Both the Photoshop/Pantone and the recent movie cases revolve around the issue where the seller only purchased a limited time license, but then sold a perpetual license to the content. To me this is simple fraud.

Re: "If buying isn't owning, piracy isn't stealing"

#15

Post by akomtu » Sat, Dec 09, 2023, 8:25 AM UTC

If copyright was applied to books it would be illegal to read books you didn't pay for. Storing such books would be a crime, sharing such books would be a federal crime and organizing a book reading club would make you famous in the criminal world.

Re: "If buying isn't owning, piracy isn't stealing"

#16

Post by KeplerBoy » Sat, Dec 09, 2023, 8:58 AM UTC

saghm wrote: post #9

KeplerBoy wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What do you actually need to playback the HD version in a browser? A recent-ish version of Chrome on Windows and an HDCP connection? It's annoying sure, but not an outlandish requirement.

Wait, why is requiring Windows not outlandish? It's not like other platforms or browsers don't have DRM support. Even on Firefox on Linux, there's a setting to enable DRM-required media.

I don't know what is actually required. I'm asking.

Re: "If buying isn't owning, piracy isn't stealing"

#17

Post by Cosi1125 » Sat, Dec 09, 2023, 9:02 AM UTC

[Off-topic] This is golden:

> Like Pavel Chekov says, a phaser on the bridge in Act I is going to go off by Act III.

Re: "If buying isn't owning, piracy isn't stealing"

#18

Post by saulpw » Sat, Dec 09, 2023, 9:04 AM UTC

dr_petes wrote: post #8

saulpw wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Copyright infringement is about publishing, not consuming. If I copy a friend's legally-purchased .epub that's like borrowing their legally-purchased printed book. Same as if I take a book from a Little Library in my neighborhood, or borrow a paper book from the city library. Why is the transfer of digital content more restricted? A print publisher can't prevent a library from lending their book as many times as they…

Without sounding overly pessimistic, but I have the opinion that copyright laws were written and developed in a different era. Finical interests, not the public’s, are to blame for the overly restrictive copyright laws.

The original US copyright law was 14 years with a 14-year extension if the author was still alive. Certainly financial interest (Disney) is to blame for that incrementally becoming 70 years after the death of the author.

Re: "If buying isn't owning, piracy isn't stealing"

#19

Post by lorenzk » Sat, Dec 09, 2023, 9:11 AM UTC

Cosi1125 wrote: post #17

[Off-topic] This is golden: > Like Pavel Chekov says, a phaser on the bridge in Act I is going to go off by Act III.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chekhov%27s_gun

Re: "If buying isn't owning, piracy isn't stealing"

#20

Post by withinboredom » Sat, Dec 09, 2023, 9:17 AM UTC

KeplerBoy wrote: post #16

saghm wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wait, why is requiring Windows not outlandish? It's not like other platforms or browsers don't have DRM support. Even on Firefox on Linux, there's a setting to enable DRM-required media.

I don't know what is actually required. I'm asking.

It is a little different from publisher to publisher. Basically a main-stream OS, plus hardware attestation of any displays, plus an official browser version with the right codecs will get you there with no issues. If you are missing any of those pieces, you get downgraded on quality for sure.