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P2P Networks Blamed For Software Losses Doubling
L1TH10N writes "CNET News is reporting that software manufacturers have doubled their losses to $29 billion dollars, according to a BSA survey, which is blaming P2P networks for their misfortune. Seems a little too far-fetched to me - a P2P network would be the last place where I would download software, just too much chance that you are downloading a trojan onto your computer. Me thinks the Business Software Alliance are jumping on the bandwagon and vilifying P2P networks just as the Senate is taking aim at P2P providers."
why some guy delivering pizza needs a $1000 productivity program?
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+4 funny? Those bonehead /. moderators just screwed some guy called "Anonymous Coward" out of a bunch of karma by calling him Funny instead of Insightful.
"that is pirating everything"
If a software vendor allows their software to be "pirated", then to hell with them. People don't pirate VALUABLE SOFTWARE. They pay for it, download it under a no charge license, or they wouldn't have bought it anyway.
You get what you paid for and you get paid for what you give.
> Morality and ethics are gone in a new era of
> hax0r kiddies who hang out in IRC all day and
> never even dream of heading to a software store
> to buy something.
I whole heartedly agree with your post. I
would also point out that in many ways OSS is
the "grown-up" version of the "haxOr kiddies".
OSS is dressed up to be a little bit more
presentable but many of the anarchist and
extreme left (Marxist, Socialist) mentalities
absolutely dominate the OSS culture.
Copyright infringement is different than 'taking without paying,' or 'stealing'
Raising the pedantic semantics of the word "steal" is a desperate red-herring raised by those unable to justify their actions. The truth is that the people "infringing" software and music off the 'net have shaky ethics in ALL aspects of their lives. However, the inherent (or at least, perceived) anonymity of the Internet empowers them to actually go ahead and act on their impulses.
Downloading music/software/fonts/clipart/e-books/whatever without paying for them is WRONG. It is "taking something you don't deserve, without paying for it," whether you like to admit it or not. Someone invested effort in creating that work, and is requesting that you compensate them in exchange for you benefitting from the time and energy they expended. By "infringing" that work, you are basically thumbing your nose at that person. You're saying, "You've created something which has a value that I recognize (by virtue of the fact that I do indeed want it), however, I don't wish to abide by the terms of your implicit offer. Since I don't even know who you are, and it is highly unlikely that I will ever get caught, I will simply download a copy of it without paying."
The key to this whole thing is the perceived anonymity granted by the Internet. These same morally-bankrupt thieves typically wouldn't sneak onto a bus without paying, jump the fence and get into a concert without paying, or sneak in the back door of a movie theatre without paying, yet they'll boldly download gigs and gigs of software, music, and whatever else, that they haven't paid for and aren't entitled to.
The reason is they know they might get caught sneaking onto a bus, or into a concert or movie theatre. People actually see their face in those instances, and they might have to explain why they are a thieving, cheating prick. But when you can take those things in private, with nobody watching, they do it anyway, and come up with all sorts of ridiculous arguments to justify their actions. They have modded XBoxes and PS2's, and a rack full of CD-Rs of games they never bought. They watch 600 channels of TV on a black market cable box with a stolen, hacked HU card, stealing satellite signals.
Oops, crap, I used the "S" word. I was doing so well too, trying to play by your silly little rules of "calling it anything but what it really is." Piracy. Stealing. Theft. You can clean it up and call it "infringing" or "backups" or "sharing" if you want, but deep down, you know it's wrong. It's taking something without paying for it. You know that if everyone acted as you do, then nothing new and creative would be created anymore.
Sleep well, theif, knowing that thankfully, the honest folks like myself are picking up the slack and funding your freeloading debauchery.
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