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HBO Is Targeting Game of Thrones Pirates: What Does This Mean for You?

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Re: HBO Is Targeting Game of Thrones Pirates: What Does This Mean for You?

#11

Post by RevRal »

simlevesque wrote: post #3
1971genocide wrote: post #2

Never spent a penny on anything byte related, from the time I was 12 years old. The irony is now I want people to pay me to write software ? Maybe I am just an unproductive scum on earth, mooching off other people's work. But I was homeless for a month this year so not like I have had much options. I do not feel at least bit sorry about stealing.

> But I was homeless for a month this year so not like I have had much options You have the choice not to consume any content or to consume free content. You are entitled. Maybe that if people paid for things that are on the web, you wouldn't have so much problem getting paid for software work. Maybe that would've kept you from the street.

Personally, I feel like there is a stage in life where things should be free or cheaper. I would not be the person I am today if it weren't for torrents and Usenet. Seriously. Today, I am happy to compensate all writers, artists, programmers, and others for their intangible work. But quite simply, I was a very thirsty teenager and if I had waited for a job in order to drink, I would be stunted.

Re: HBO Is Targeting Game of Thrones Pirates: What Does This Mean for You?

#12

Post by klez »

nostrebored wrote: post #10
threedaymonk wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> You have the choice not to consume any content or to consume free content. Over the years that I've watched this discussion, I've come to notice that people who advocate for paying for stuff seem (though it might just be my perception) to use expressions like "consume content" more often than those who don't. It's rather uninspiring, and I suspect it's counter-productive. No one wants to "consume content". They wan…

Are you producing content by watching a television show? No, that's absurd, you're consuming the content that others have produced. It's really not that far from consuming a beverage. People would say drink, or in this case, watch, but the truth is that those are just two verbs that describe the type of consumption you're doing. Why would you say it's counter productive to label it consumption? The truth is, if you'r…

I have to disagree.

If you consume something you are making it impossible for someone else to consume that same thing. You can consume a beverage (no one can drink it after you did) but you can't consume digital content. Here[1] it is explained by someone more knowledgable than me. (incidentally, the FSF also suggests to avoid the word 'piracy' to describe illegal file sharing)

Also, when saying pirating is a net loss to the system, maybe you can say it about piracy as a whole, but for the individual I would not be so sure. Suppose I wouldn't have bought the content anyway (that is, my alternatives would have been pirating it or not seeing it). How am I causing a loss in this conditions?

[1] https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/words-to-avoid.html#Consume

Re: HBO Is Targeting Game of Thrones Pirates: What Does This Mean for You?

#13

Post by Versability »

klez wrote: post #12
nostrebored wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you producing content by watching a television show? No, that's absurd, you're consuming the content that others have produced. It's really not that far from consuming a beverage. People would say drink, or in this case, watch, but the truth is that those are just two verbs that describe the type of consumption you're doing. Why would you say it's counter productive to label it consumption? The truth is, if you'r…

I have to disagree. If you consume something you are making it impossible for someone else to consume that same thing. You can consume a beverage (no one can drink it after you did) but you can't consume digital content. Here[1] it is explained by someone more knowledgable than me. (incidentally, the FSF also suggests to avoid the word 'piracy' to describe illegal file sharing) Also, when saying pirating is a net los…

Piracy doesn't cause any losses on the whole because it raises the brand image. I wouldn't know anything about Game of Thrones if not for piracy, and it increases my affection for HBO and media as a whole. if not for torrents, i would play outside, not buy GoT.

Re: HBO Is Targeting Game of Thrones Pirates: What Does This Mean for You?

#14

Post by b2themax »

Piracy is completely unethical.

He argues that somehow piracy caused innovation in the music industry, and thus the piracy of hollywood will somehow usher in a new era of innovation in streaming video. In some respects its true that Napster brought about innovation in digital music... BUT IT HASN"T STOPPED PIRACY!

There is a ton of more streaming options today, which is great for lawful netizens, we do have a lot of great options. But that doesn't excuse pirates from ethical obligations.

You don't have a right to someone's property just because you think you should.

Maybe I should just take refuge in your fancy-house just because I think it would be morally just because you have a nicer house than I do.

Thats essentailly the argument pirates make, and it doesn't hold water.

Re: HBO Is Targeting Game of Thrones Pirates: What Does This Mean for You?

#15

Post by 82xx »

RevRal wrote: post #11
simlevesque wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> But I was homeless for a month this year so not like I have had much options You have the choice not to consume any content or to consume free content. You are entitled. Maybe that if people paid for things that are on the web, you wouldn't have so much problem getting paid for software work. Maybe that would've kept you from the street.

Personally, I feel like there is a stage in life where things should be free or cheaper. I would not be the person I am today if it weren't for torrents and Usenet. Seriously. Today, I am happy to compensate all writers, artists, programmers, and others for their intangible work. But quite simply, I was a very thirsty teenager and if I had waited for a job in order to drink, I would be stunted.

I very much feel this way. I also live (but did not grow up in) a country where the average yearly income is ~800$. So, I guess my neighbors shouldn't get to experience all the interesting media that I did?

Also, there are many things that I feel I have an obligation to be informed about (like junk on CNN / Fox News, or war propaganda like "Zero Dark Thirty" or "American Sniper"), but I would be ethically opposed to paying for.

Re: HBO Is Targeting Game of Thrones Pirates: What Does This Mean for You?

#16

Post by fragmede »

b2themax wrote: post #14

Piracy is completely unethical. He argues that somehow piracy caused innovation in the music industry, and thus the piracy of hollywood will somehow usher in a new era of innovation in streaming video. In some respects its true that Napster brought about innovation in digital music... BUT IT HASN"T STOPPED PIRACY! There is a ton of more streaming options today, which is great for lawful netizens, we do have a lot of…

> I should just take refuge in your fancy-house

To further your analogy, it costs me approximately $0 to make an exact copy of fancy-house, it travels over the internet to you, and what you do with your copy doesn't affect me in the slightest.

I am very willing to give you a copy of my fancy-house under such a scheme, and you are completely welcome to do with it whatever you want.

Re: HBO Is Targeting Game of Thrones Pirates: What Does This Mean for You?

#17

Post by serge2k »

1971genocide wrote: post #2

Never spent a penny on anything byte related, from the time I was 12 years old. The irony is now I want people to pay me to write software ? Maybe I am just an unproductive scum on earth, mooching off other people's work. But I was homeless for a month this year so not like I have had much options. I do not feel at least bit sorry about stealing.

You could have stopped consuming without paying.

No judgement, I pirated games when I was in school. I still pirate TV.

Re: HBO Is Targeting Game of Thrones Pirates: What Does This Mean for You?

#18

Post by b2themax »

fragmede wrote: post #16
b2themax wrote: post #14

Piracy is completely unethical. He argues that somehow piracy caused innovation in the music industry, and thus the piracy of hollywood will somehow usher in a new era of innovation in streaming video. In some respects its true that Napster brought about innovation in digital music... BUT IT HASN"T STOPPED PIRACY! There is a ton of more streaming options today, which is great for lawful netizens, we do have a lot of…

> I should just take refuge in your fancy-house To further your analogy, it costs me approximately $0 to make an exact copy of fancy-house, it travels over the internet to you, and what you do with your copy doesn't affect me in the slightest. I am very willing to give you a copy of my fancy-house under such a scheme, and you are completely welcome to do with it whatever you want.

You are living in this entitled fantasy world. How do you believe this doesn't effect film studios? Everyone who pirates a film is someone who could have been a paying customer. Instead they choose to break the law. An alternative option is to not watch the illegal films!

Either don't pirate, or pay for your media. People shouldn't steal.

Maybe they should be patient and wait until the films come into the public domain if they're too cheap to pay.

Re: HBO Is Targeting Game of Thrones Pirates: What Does This Mean for You?

#19

Post by aric »

b2themax wrote: post #14

Piracy is completely unethical. He argues that somehow piracy caused innovation in the music industry, and thus the piracy of hollywood will somehow usher in a new era of innovation in streaming video. In some respects its true that Napster brought about innovation in digital music... BUT IT HASN"T STOPPED PIRACY! There is a ton of more streaming options today, which is great for lawful netizens, we do have a lot of…

You're welcome to do that. That's assuming you have the power to press a key and duplicate data that comprises a home and materialize it for your use. I'll even throw in a housewarming gift basket and a helping hand.

The unethical people in these equations are the ones who try to bend the world to their whims of "intellectual" order. They see no problem with violence on human beings over literal duplication of information. Economically speaking, a lesser degree of unethical behavior surrounds only people who duplicate data who would have paid for said content. A minority of content spreads worldwide on that basis. Hundreds of millions of teenagers and adults getting online can barely afford an internet connection if even a personal computer. Meanwhile, the amount of content and producers exponentially increases. They are not "completely unethical" for taking part in fleeting, frivolous entertainment -- the vast amount of it they wouldn't deem worthy to purchase in place of other choices. Everyone's situation is different. Rarely in the human condition is something "completely unethical", especially in the context of data and non-violent actions. Streaming services like Spotify are a good start. They respect the nature of information more. They try to appeal to hearts and minds. That's healthy.

Then there are industries where net positives exist along with piracy. Growing the size of a user/fan base becomes an added dependency of future success. Industry sets adoption. Adoption sets industry. Piracy by individuals is tolerated or even internally respected, while only the piracy of moderate and large businesses is targeted. The world, for instance, was awash with Windows cracks and serials in the 90s and early 2000s, having a tremendous impact globally on people who couldn't afford it or who wouldn't buy it. In the absence of such piracy, such as by a hypothetical corporate-fascist state putting people to death or by magical DRM, Linux would be in millions of more households by now.

Re: HBO Is Targeting Game of Thrones Pirates: What Does This Mean for You?

#20

Post by hobarrera »

b2themax wrote: post #14

Piracy is completely unethical. He argues that somehow piracy caused innovation in the music industry, and thus the piracy of hollywood will somehow usher in a new era of innovation in streaming video. In some respects its true that Napster brought about innovation in digital music... BUT IT HASN"T STOPPED PIRACY! There is a ton of more streaming options today, which is great for lawful netizens, we do have a lot of…

> Piracy is completely unethical.

Yet, up to last year, HBO was saying it was good for business because it made even more people talk about it.

I wish they made up their mind if it's good or bad for business once and for all.

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