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P2P Users More Likely to Cheat, Shoplift

prostoalex writes "New research report (sponsored by the recording industry, so should definitely be objective) suggests that those who download music online are also likely to cheat at schools/universities and to shoplift. From the Globe and Mail: 'Not only does music file-swapping harm artists, but it also points to an erosion of respect for intellectual property that threatens Canada's economy and values at the core of our society,' said Graham Henderson, president of the Canadian Recording Industry Association, which commissioned the polls."

614 comments

  1. P2P: the new gateway drug. by TripMaster+Monkey · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This "study" referenced in the TFA is so poisonously misleading I barely know where to begin.

    From TFA:
    Canadians between the ages of 18 and 29 are much more willing than other age groups to make illegal copies of software programs, cheat on exams or even shoplift, an Environics poll suggests.
    Regarding the first two statistics, perhaps that because (a) they're the ones to use the software programs the most, and (b), they're the ones in school. Regarding the last point, the actual figures were 6%, as opposed to 2% of the general population. With a poll base of only 2,043 individuals, and an error range of 3.1 percentage points plus or minus, one can seriously question the validity of this last statistic. Add this to the fact that teens have been shoplifting since the invention of the 'shop', and this statistic quickly becomes meaningless.

    What's especially nauseating about this "study" is that it attempts to establish a causual connection between increased P2P file sharing and these other, 'antisocial' activities:

    Again from TFA:
    "Not only does music file-swapping harm artists, but it also points to an erosion of respect for intellectual property that threatens Canada's economy and values at the core of our society," said Graham Henderson, president of the Canadian Recording Industry Association, which commissioned the polls.
    Repeat after me: Correlation does not imply causation.
    --
    ____

    ~ |rip/\/\aster /\/\onkey

    1. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by Compholio · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Young people 'steal' music, young people steal stuff. Therefore, 'stealing music' (leads to)/(increases the probability of) stealing stuff. Someone should give these people an award, for stupidity.

    2. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by Conspiracy_Of_Doves · · Score: 2, Insightful

      "Not only does music file-swapping harm artists, but it also points to an erosion of respect for intellectual property that threatens Canada's economy and values at the core of our society," said Graham Henderson, president of the Canadian Recording Industry Association, which commissioned the polls.

      Repeat after me: Correlation does not imply causation.


      Where in that quote are they saying that file swapping causes people to do these things? It sounds to me like they are saying that people who do those kinds of things are more likely to file swap. (Although they are still wrong)

    3. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by lucabrasi999 · · Score: 1

      As we all know, the Domino Theory is correct! You start with Beijing. Then, Pyongyang. Soon after, the Commies are in Saigon. The next thing you know, Comrade, they'll be marching down Main Street in Omaha!!!

      In this case, all of Canadian brats will soon be lahying in the streets of Ottowa with needles sticking out of their arms....

    4. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by rlthomps-1 · · Score: 4, Interesting

      It bewilders me to think that the Recording industry is wasting their money sponsoring crap studies that paint their customers as theives instead of genuinely trying to understand their changing userbase to better serve them and thus MAKE MORE MONEY.

      Seriously, who is running these companies and why are investors not extremely upset about this?

    5. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by nfinteractive · · Score: 1

      In a recent study conducted on the topic of "ignorance", results showed the RIA defined the said topic of the recent study

    6. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by bedroll · · Score: 4, Insightful

      They have a defense, though. Read it again, there isn't a single absolute statement made to correlate the two. Everything suggests that these factors correlate. This is the weakest worded article I've read in quite some time. It's apparently meant as flamebait and to sway the weak-minded.

    7. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by garcia · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Not only does music file-swapping harm artists, but it also points to an erosion of respect for intellectual property that threatens Canada's economy and values at the core of our society," said Graham Henderson, president of the Canadian Recording Industry Association, which commissioned the polls.

      Not only does the RIAA/CRIA harm artists they also have little respect for their own customers which threatens new and interesting music which is at the core of music value!

    8. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by pizzaman100 · · Score: 4, Funny

      In related news, 42% of teenagers in the survey expressed an interest in illegally obtaining alcoholic beverages, while this figure dropped to 0% for those aged 21 and older. Thereby proving that downloading music causes under aged drinking. ;)

    9. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by mysqlrocks · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Repeat after me: Correlation does not imply causation.

      Yes, it's like this classic example:

      Increased ice cream sales in NYC on a given day linked to increased crime rate.

      Of course if it's hot out, both ice cream sales and crime are going to increase but they have nothing to do with each other directly.

    10. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by metternich · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I once heard that the demographic most likely to shoplift, (at least in the US) was middle aged white women. Of course that's also the demographic that does the most shopping...

      --
      Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.
    11. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by Simonetta · · Score: 5, Funny

      When I was young, the US president Johnson told us that if the young men did not volunteer to 'serve' in Vietnam, then after the communists 'won', tens of thousands of Vietnamese would come here and take our jobs.
          Well the young men refused to go to Vietnam, the communists 'won', and sure enough, tens of thousands of Vietnamese did come to the US and take our jobs.
          I'll never doubt the government again.

    12. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by RWerp · · Score: 0

      Living closer to the real Communists than you, I would not dimiss that theory entirely. It was not tested *luckily*, but experience of people of Eastern Europe shows how greedy for power were the Commies.

      --
      "Long run is a misleading guide to current affairs. In the long run we are all dead." (John Maynard Keynes)
    13. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by RealityThreek · · Score: 2, Insightful

      That quote can be read both ways. He's not flat out saying that File Sharing -> more petty crime. He's saying that File Sharing points at a loss of values.

      Make no mistake, Mr Henderson wants you to believe that File Sharing is a cause.

      --
      :wq
    14. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 1

      People who get music online without paying for it aren't "customers."

      --
      "Sufferin' succotash."
    15. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by badmammajamma · · Score: 2, Interesting

      From everything I've read about Environics, they have to be the most idiotic polling company on the planet...which is saying something. Read some of their polls and you'll see that the answer they are looking for frames their questions to the point of rediculousness. Clearly their clients are paying for these results.

      Most polling companies are bad but these guys have to be the worst. Who gives a shit what they say?

      --
      Any man who afflicts the human race with ideas must be prepared to see them misunderstood. -- H. L. Mencken
    16. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by fakedupe · · Score: 1

      Perhaps He should've said something more like this: We've invaded Vietnam, whether we win or lose tens of thousands of Vietnamese will be coming here to take your jobs. -Leader of the Free World out-

    17. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny
      Of course if it's hot out, both ice cream sales and crime are going to increase but they have nothing to do with each other directly.

      Oh come on. They've got to pay for the ice cream somehow.

    18. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Ah, but in Canada the drinking age is 19...

    19. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by macdaddy357 · · Score: 1

      This is just one example of a phony study that finds exactly what sponsors paid it to find through fudged statistics, and twisted logic. I sure hope someone is available to debunk this when lobbyists present it as fact to legislators.

      --
      How ya like dat?
    20. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by cgreuter · · Score: 1

      "Not only does music file-swapping harm artists, but it also points to an erosion of respect for intellectual property that threatens Canada's economy and values at the core of our society," said Graham Henderson, president of the Canadian Recording Industry Association, which commissioned the polls.

      I'd laugh if I weren't crying. The idea that P2P leads to wrongdoing is so utterly laughable that you just need to wonder what brand of crack Mr. Henderson is smoking.

      Also amusing (in a depressing sort of way):

      Canadians illegally download 14 music CDs or other files from the Internet for every file they take from the web legally[.]

      Recall that every Internet transaction basically consists of download a file. So between the Slashdot front page and the article submission form, I'd have had to download 21 CDs' worth of music just to keep up with the national average. No, wait, I forgot--there are embedded images! Aaaaah! I'm so behind!

      Maybe modern browsers do it automatically? That might explain why my network connection is so slow.

      (I suspect that what the study was actually talking about was file downloads over P2P services. That would actually make some sense, but it wouldn't be as impressive a headline.)

    21. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      First of all, theft (as in shoplifting) is one of the original sins. It dates far back to the time of the Ten Commandments and nowhere in the Ten Commandments is it implied that "Thou shalt not file-share".

      Second, people were cheating on exams long before the internet went mainstream. It wasn't uncommon for people to be listening to Walkmans (with recorded lectures or even answers) or have crip cheets on the inside of their calculator cover.

      (I had to pass accounting somehow...)

      If anything, Shoplifters and Cheats are more apt to steal music than Music Listners are apt to shoplift and cheat. If we submit to the inferences in this study, we're all destined to be thieves.

      -Phil

    22. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by mOdQuArK! · · Score: 2
      experience of people of Eastern Europe shows how greedy for power were the Commies.

      How do they compare to the power-hungriness of the fascists? Or are the labels "communist" & "fascist" just a red herring, and you can label their essential characteristics as "power-hungry"?

    23. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by gnarlin · · Score: 1

      You sir are gravely mistaken! Correlation does imply causation.
      Ramen!

      --
      A bad analogy is like a leaky screwdriver.
    24. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by 'nother+poster · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      Then I need Marajuana, and lots of it.

    25. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by ThePiMan2003 · · Score: 1

      Actually according to studies (you can find several in the slashdot archives) the people who download music via P2P on average buy more music than people who do not.

      Instead the music industry needs to figure out why people are downloading these songs, and offer them an alternative, that is worth the money.

      I used to download a ton of music, I still do, but I use Itunes now, because to me it is worth the buck a song to get a fast download of a high quality file.

    26. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by RockClimbingFool · · Score: 2, Informative
      There are mulitple studies that suggest otherwise. I found these with a simple google search.

      From the Washington Post

      From the Harvard Buisness School

      From New Scientist

      There are tons more out there.

    27. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by Bluey · · Score: 1

      while this figure dropped to 0% for those aged 21 and older

      Wait, so stealing alcohol isn't a crime as long as you're 21 or older? Here I've been thinking for 5 years now that I had to pay the cashier on the way out to obtain it legally.

    28. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by $cullyshouse · · Score: 1

      Or are the labels "communist" & "fascist" just a red herring, and you can label their essential characteristics as "power-hungry"?

      its been said on more than one occasion that if you go far enough left or right you appear out at the other end.

      --
      Rob http://scullyshouse.tblog.com
    29. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by ScentCone · · Score: 1

      offer them an alternative, that is worth the money

      I really doubt that they'll be able to find an alternative that millions of kids will find as good a deal (worth more than) "free" - which is what those kids perceive the pirated stuff to be.

      --
      Don't disappoint your bird dog. Go to the range.
    30. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by Irish_Samurai · · Score: 1

      "Not only does music file-swapping harm artists, but it also points to an erosion of respect for intellectual property that threatens Canada's economy and values at the core of our society,"

      Can anyone tell me when it wasn't popular opinion of the older people on the planet that the 18-29 demographic threatened the "values at the core of our society"?

      I think the real nauseating thing about all studies of this nature is that they have the same template. Statistic X shows that group Y engages in activity Z. Activity Z has a parallel to activity A. We are doomed! People have been screaming this crap for eternity on any number of subjects. A correlation study looks just as good as a causal study to those who don't understand logical relationships and the manipulation of statistics.

      It's wierd how industries are now funding studies to use as marketing pieces instead of funding studies in order to make educated decisions. No one involved with this study really cares if it's correct or not, just if it works towards the desired purpose - which is to associate P2P users with criminals.

      If someone does stand up for using P2P software because it has a lot of legal and valid uses, the inundated will retort with a "you just say that because you don't want to pay for product whatever." This is even more likely as your average citizen couldn't even tell you the nuances of P2P software. What they do know is that it is filled with spyware/adware, you can be sued by a really big corporate entity for using it, and there is now a study associating people who use it with criminals. These may be half truths, but the only half that stuck with the populace is the negative half.

      There is no active opposing campaign of the same nature. The geeks may be screaming that P2P software is not evil, and they may be winning some cases relative to the point, but they are slowly losing the favor of the plebs. If we want to stop this crap from happening were going to have to accept a couple of things. We need to communicate the value of P2P to the populace using a vocabulary that they can understand and that demonstrates it has a legitimate value to everyone, not just the techno geeks. We also need to get off our high horse and play the same game the big guys do. Our refusal to use marketing techniques because we find them morally reprehensible is a crock of shit. Used correctly, there is nothing evil about it. Just look at how the truth campaign did it. And since we are a bunch of pretty smart guys, I'm sure we could come up with a study that is not only statistically correct, but one compelling as well.

    31. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by LaCosaNostradamus · · Score: 2, Funny

      Sure, it was a great theory all around. Gun-toting Commies would have ended up on American shores. After all, it's so easy to invade America. Those oceans aren't much of a barrier. And the US Military? Don't even get me started on them. How can they possibly defend so much coastline?

      Speaking of which, the towelheads could be landing at South Carolina as we speak here. Quick, let's bomb all the Middle East to ever preclude that from happening. After all, America can't ever be defended, so that's the best justification for being completely offensive.

      By the way, all that was sarcasm.

      --
      [You have a stable society when some nut guns down a schoolyard and the law doesn't change.]
    32. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by tnk1 · · Score: 2, Interesting
      It bewilders me to think that the Recording industry is wasting their money sponsoring crap studies that paint their customers as theives instead of genuinely trying to understand their changing userbase to better serve them and thus MAKE MORE MONEY.

      Why? Because those people got to be in control of their companies/associations by knowing the old system like the back of their hand. They know all the moves, they know how to squeeze artists and retail chains and radio station in just the right way to make money.

      What they don't understand is how to make money in the New World. So they have declared the world flat by law and indicated that There be Dragons (and thieves) in the P2P world. This is to keep their jobs and protect the system that has been good to them.

      The music industry was screwed the minute people figured out how to make craploads of cash doing it. That meant that the aggressive, territorial types who tend to be major corporate CEOs got involved. Big money and big egos and insecurity make for bad news for innovation.

      As for investors, they're not immune to being dinosaurs as well, not to mention they tend to believe what CEOs tell them. Investors are hardly immune from lacking any imagination. Yes, investors will flock to someone who manages to overcome the hurdles and make scads of money with P2P distribution, but for now, their current model makes plenty of money, thank you very much. Remember, today's investment community has a hard-on for short term gains, not long term value.

    33. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by Citizen+of+Earth · · Score: 1

      In related news, 42% of teenagers in the survey expressed an interest in illegally obtaining alcoholic beverages, while this figure dropped to 0% for those aged 21 and older. Thereby proving that downloading music causes under aged drinking. ;)

      C'mon. It's the declining number of high-seas pirates dressed in full old-tyme regalia that is responsible for the increase in digital 'piracy' (also global warming).

      In related news, the poverty rate in Great Britain is stubbornly stuck at 20% and is not responding to the best efforts of governments and so-called anti-poverty groups. We must re-double our efforts! (Hint: poverty there is effectively defined as the lowest 20% of the population.)

    34. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'll say I agree with most of your post, BUT before you go attacking their numbers ("poll base of only 2,043 individuals, and an error range of 3.1 percentage points plus or minus"), please go take a course in statistics and probability. In fact, you might even be able to learn the basics from Wikipedia.

      Specifically, a poll base of ~1,000 individiuals _implies_ a sampling error of ~3%. If you go look up the math, you will find that for any poll, no matter the total population, a sample size of 1,000 people gives you an error of 3%.

      You'll also notice that this 3% assumes a perfect poll - no misleading wording, no sampling bias, etc.

    35. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by $cullyshouse · · Score: 1

      By the way, all that was sarcasm.

      My god was it really???? ;)

      Did you ever see "conspiracy theory"?

      --
      Rob http://scullyshouse.tblog.com
    36. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by elasticwings · · Score: 1

      I think downloading music has severly increased my music purchases. Of course, it may show up as a decrease on major label purchases since I no longer am held to radio, television, or magazines for my source of finding new music. The real threat to major labels is that people can produce and sell albums without their help or promoting anymore.

    37. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by Citizen+of+Earth · · Score: 4, Funny

      “New Environics studies show that 100% of all smokers die.”

    38. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Correlation does not imply causation.

    39. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by indifferent+children · · Score: 5, Funny

      Has the RIAA commissioned a study to see if young people are more likely to hijack ocean-going vessels? After all, piracy is piracy.

      --
      Censorship is telling a man he can't have a steak just because a baby can't chew it. --Mark Twain
    40. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by caffeinemessiah · · Score: 1

      > I'd laugh if I weren't crying. The idea that P2P leads to wrongdoing is so utterly laughable that you > just need to wonder what brand of crack Mr. Henderson is smoking. they make crack in brands now?? WHY DIDN'T ANYONE TELL ME?!?!?!

      --
      An old-timer with old-timey ideas.
    41. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by assassinator42 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Again, correlation does not imply causation. They can't isolate album sales by people who download the music from people who don't. Also, people are more likely to answer in a survey that they download music if they buy the music afterwards.

    42. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by MightyMartian · · Score: 1

      Oh come on, we all know that drinking milk causes crime, because over 90% of all convicted criminal regularly eat or drink dairy products.

      --
      The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
    43. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by Gunnery+Sgt.+Hartman · · Score: 1

      Also, God kills a kitten everytime you download music.

      --
      [ ]
    44. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by shark72 · · Score: 1

      "Repeat after me: Correlation does not imply causation."

      Brilliant analysis -- thank you.

      Remember a few months back when the "P2P users more likely to buy music online" survey was posted? The same analysis applies, yet the correlation/causation difference was largely lost on Slashdotters. Hopefully your post will provide some enlightenment of this fundamental step of statistical analysis.

      --
      Sitting in my day care, the art is decopainted.
    45. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by morgan_greywolf · · Score: 1

      In a related study, 95% of convicted P2P filesharers reported that they at least sometimes eat sliced bread.

      So, kiddies, if you don't want to get caught, eat sliced bread.

      What??? *looks around self-consciously*

    46. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by Culture · · Score: 1

      Personally, I find that the most common cause of a decent into law breaking is the issuance of a drivers license. I do not know a single person with a driver license who has not sped on at least one occasion. I think that if we just got rid of cars, everyone would purchase at least two 19.99 Hillary Duff CDs every week.

      --
      ----- There are two kinds of people in this world, my friend; those with loaded guns, and those who dig.
    47. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by bedroll · · Score: 3, Funny
      Also, God kills a kitten everytime you download music.

      No No No! You can't say that! You should be saying this:

      God allegedly is suggested to kill a kitten every time it is believed that you download potentially copyrighted materials.
    48. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by MCraigW · · Score: 4, Funny
      Where in that quote are they saying that file swapping causes people to do these things?

      What they are implying is that being Canadian causes people to have poor moral standards... Now who can argue with that?

    49. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by AdamWeeden · · Score: 3, Funny

      Did you ever see "conspiracy theory"?

      Yeah I downloaded the soundtrack after I got done shoplifting the DVD. And I didn't report it on my taxes either...

      --
      I was quoted out of context in my autobiography...
    50. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by soft_guy · · Score: 2, Interesting

      No, if we had won in Vietnam, the refugees would have stayed in vietnam instead of coming here. Instead of them coming here and taking our jobs, American companies would have just moved our jobs to vietnam. So, the main benefit of losing the war is that it is much easier to find a good vietnamese restaurant in the US - for which I am greatful to the vietcong.

      --
      Avoid Missing Ball for High Score
    51. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by Kombat · · Score: 1

      Regarding the last point, the actual figures were 6%, as opposed to 2% of the general population. With a poll base of only 2,043 individuals, and an error range of 3.1 percentage points plus or minus, one can seriously question the validity of this last statistic.

      Unless one steps back and gives it the sniff test. Think about it. Are you really trying to deny that kids shoplift more than adults? Do you really think that a gainfully employed 32-year old is more likely to shoplift than a 16 year old?

      Call attention to the math, sure, but on the face of it, the conclusion still makes sense. It's pretty obvious to me that 16 year olds shoplift more than 40 year olds. Also, they throw more tantrums, get in more fights, and just generally do a lot more "kid stuff" than your average 40 year old.

      --
      Like woodworking? Build your own picture frames.
    52. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by magarity · · Score: 1

      Repeat after me: Correlation does not imply causation
       
      You say that as though events that are correlated are never one caused by the other. By fighting small crimes in NYC during the 90's, the crime rate at *all* levels went down. It is perfectly reasonable to suggest that planting the seed of thought that it's OK to steal music online leads to justifying (and then doing) other forms of theft and criminal activity.

    53. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by grazzy · · Score: 1

      Living closer to the real Capitalists than you, I would not dimiss that theory entirely. It was not tested *luckily*, but experience of people of Middle East shows how greedy for power were the Capitalists.

    54. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by RockClimbingFool · · Score: 1
      Also, people are more likely to answer in a survey that they download music if they buy the music afterwards.

      And how do you know this to be fact? You can't write off study after study by saying "correlation does not imply causation." Groups that survey people for the most part know thier trade pretty well, at least the studies that are put up for peer review. Not everyone surveying people out there are big buisness lackies.

    55. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by Jonny_eh · · Score: 2, Interesting

      What you are referring to is the common cause fallacy. The two statistics are linked, because they are caused by the same thing.

      In the case the article talks about, the common cause of music downloading and shoplifting may be that those people are young, or don't have money.

    56. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by Abcd1234 · · Score: 1

      And they probably never would have been, hence the myth of the lost sale...

    57. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 1

      Correlation does not equal causation. Forgive me if I don't trust a bunch of Slashdot-posted studies and opinion. If people who download music buy more music than people who don't download music, it's more likely the downloaders are just active music listeners which is why they also happened to buy more music. My friend's girlfriend isn't really into music at all and only listens to a couple of old CDs she has lying around. Guess what, she also doesn't download music or buy much music.

      --
      "Sufferin' succotash."
    58. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by MrRogers2 · · Score: 1

      Yahoo's Music service? $6.99 a month or $60 a year for unlimited d'loads of the music they've got (which isn't everything but it's most of what I've looked for). True, you're more renting the music than owning it, but I've found more new music in the last two weeks that I've used it than I have in the last two years.

      --
      MrRogers(2)
    59. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by Jozer99 · · Score: 1

      The announcement comes at the same time as several other stuides by the CRIA, including one showing that P2P users are more likely to get struck by lightning by a factor of 7, and that P2P users are twice as likely to have erectile disfuction disorder.

    60. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by Miaowara_Tomokato · · Score: 1

      Wait, so stealing alcohol isn't a crime as long as you're 21 or older?

      I do believe that the poster was referring to illegally obtaining alcohol while underage; i.e., paying the creepy guy outside the Safeway to pick up a case of Pabst and a couple Zimas. Stealing isn't the only way to illegally obtain something.

    61. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by norpan · · Score: 1

      And a new study made by calling people up shows that 100% owns a telephone.

      --
      Opinions expressed above are mine, and not my employees'.
    62. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by c_woolley · · Score: 0

      I'd love to actually see the idiot that performed this study with his/her set of questions. I can only picture some uptight asking shoplifters whether or not they have ever used the internet to download music illegally. Perhaps they need to go ask people that same question who work in police stations, wall street, etc. Pretty sure I know that answer........

    63. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by meadandale · · Score: 1
      "The illegal downloading has cost retail music stores more than half a billion dollars in lost sales since 1999, a study by Pollara for the recording industry estimates."

      This argument is tired but is continually trotted out by the RIAA and their ilk. It always assumes that if people didn't obtain music by downloading it that they would go to a music store and buy the cd's. Nothing could be further from the truth--there is absolutely no data that I have seen to support this argument, especially when the target age group is 12-24 year olds with very little disposable income.

      This same argument is used by Microsoft and other software vendors. The fact of the matter is, if I didn't have a pirated version of Photoshop or any other application then I would use something else. I don't use many of these applications to justify the several hundred or thousand dollar price tag.

    64. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by anicca · · Score: 1
      "Repeat after me: Correlation does not imply causation."

      Repeat after me...correlation ONLY IMPLIES causation, it does not prove it.

      The trouble is too many bandy correlations about as proof. I would like to stomp down and say "Correlation does not imply causation" but if you think about it, it is the implication that creates the irrational leap to a false conclusion.

      --
      A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both. Dwight D. Eisenhower
    65. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by Rei · · Score: 3, Insightful

      It sounds to me like they are saying that people who do those kinds of things are more likely to file swap

      Actually, it's even worse: assuming the article is correct, it found that the *age group* of people who commit the most piracy are the same *age group* that commits the most shoplifting. I.e., they didn't even find a correlation between piracy and shoplifting, only that "teens are the most likely to commit piracy" (obvious - they use the net the most) and "teens are the most likely to shoplift, although they're not very likely to" (also obvious, and a long historical fact), but *not* that "teens who commit piracy are those who are most likely to shoplift".

      One thing that raises big flags is that if they *did* find a correlation between those who commit piracy and those who shoplift, it wasn't stated. Are we to believe that they didn't bother to check for a correlation after conducting this sort of poll? That stretches credibility. It seems likely, then, that they found *no* correlation, and so simply stated that they're in the same "age group" to try and suggest to readers that there *is* a correlation where there is none.

      --
      So, apart from that, how was the play, Mrs. Lincoln?
    66. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by Man+Eating+Duck · · Score: 1

      I worked four summers at a convenience store, and informally agree with that observation.
      It's even more valid for elderly women.
      Additionally, they tend to steal a LOT more valuable stuff. While the teenagers and kids go for chocolate, bubble gum etc. (probably steal more because of the excitement than anything else), the women steal to save money, even if they're not particularly poor.
      They grab expensive, small items, like tobacco, caviar, truffles and the like, and hide them inside their coats. If you catch them they'll normally start crying (and be reported to the police by the manager nevertheless).
      Our store had a much greater loss due to them, than was caused by the kids shoplifting candy and yo-yos.

      --
      Are you a grammar Nazi? I'm trying to improve my English; please correct my errors! :)
    67. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 2, Insightful

      You can't write off study after study by saying "correlation does not imply causation."

      Yes, you can. If you're going to cite all the studies to back a flawed premise, they can all be written off. Correlation does not imply causation is a basic logical tenet to avoid chasing false conclusions that aren't true.

      You just want to believe that the studies support your pre-made conclusion. That is why avoiding such logical fallacies is so important, and why "correlation does not imply causation" is a completely valid response.

      The fact remains that it's pointless anyway, as the copyright holders are getting ripped off and have the right to determine how their materials are distributed, not some Slashdotter with a DSL line trying desperately to justify ripping off music, game, and movie companies. Ask Slashdot geek hero John Carmack sometime how he feels about people pirating Doom 3. Think he'll agree with your side? He worked for years on that game, but people don't compensate him for it. Such reasons are why companies are flocking to consoles, where it's more difficult to pirate, and why the PC game industry is in decline.

      These are the consequences pirates never think of. It's like when people throw a piece of trash out the window on a highway. "One piece of trash won't hurt." "Someone else will clean it up." Multiply that person by hundreds of thousands, and the results are disastrous.

      --
      "Sufferin' succotash."
    68. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by Grym · · Score: 1

      You say that as though events that are correlated are never one caused by the other.

      No he's not. The point of that saying is that correlation cannot be used in place of a scientifically determined mechanism to explain why. For those interested in law, statistical correlation is akin to circumstantial evidence in court. Alone by itself (and maybe accompanied by a little conjecture) it means nothing.

      Of course many things do correlate. Mass correlates perfectly well with the force of gravity on an object in a vacuum. However, this doesn't mean that the invisible spaghetti monster in the center of the earth is partial to bigger objects, now does it?

      It is perfectly reasonable to suggest that planting the seed of thought that it's OK to steal music online leads to justifying (and then doing) other forms of theft and criminal activity.

      But that's not what they're doing here. They're not even attempting to study the matter any further because, didn't you hear? Filesharers are thieves! This isn't science. It's an ad hominem attack. One might even go so far as to say that it's propaganda.

      Like 99% of the statistics referenced in politics, this study's results are deceptive and intended only to confuse and sway those lacking a proper background in statistics and scientific theory.

      -Grym

    69. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      After all, it's so easy to invade America. Those oceans aren't much of a barrier. And the US Military? Don't even get me started on them. How can they possibly defend so much coastline?

      The same thing could have been said for Continental Europe in 1944. Yet someone the Americans managed to invade, across that very same ocean. It helped that the Russians had killed a lot of the Germans already, but still.

      The Soviets might have been more likely to just cross the Bering Strait, though, that being a few tens of miles across instead of thousands.

    70. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by databyss · · Score: 1

      Actually, he was confessing to heinous crimes!

      He pointed out that young Canadians are criminals, and since the record companies target these individuals as their main consumer group, that he was supplying them with material to steal.

      Stealing these goods, that the record companies make secifically for these criminals, robs the government of income (taxes and such). Therefore the existance of the record company is to specifically rob the government of money.

      --
      Hmmm witty sig or funny sig? Maybe elitest techy sig!
    71. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by Flaming+Babies · · Score: 1

      They might not be implying it in that quote, but how about this one?

      The effect of the piracy, however, does not stop at just music or movies, suggests a study from another polling firm.

      Sounds to me like they are saying the piracy causes other problems.

      --
      The right to be heard does not automatically include the right to be taken seriously.
    72. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by Jim+Norton · · Score: 1

      Actually the 'sniff test' doesn't hold up either, in my experience. I worked at a grocery store for a little more than 3 years (both days and nights) and we caught way more adult shoplifters than we did adolescents.

      The 'adults' in my company throw their fair share of tantrums as well and can't stop fighting both people in their department and those outside of it. There probably aren't as many fistfights though. :)

      --
      -- Jim
    73. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Johnson also told us that if we voted for Goldwater we would become engaged in a war in VietNam. So I voted for Goldwater and sure enough, within the year we were fully engaged in the war in VietNam.

    74. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by codeviking · · Score: 0, Troll
      What they are implying is that being Canadian causes people to have poor moral standards...

      Thanks to our Liberal Government.

      --
      My way back has been erased.
    75. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by Seumas · · Score: 1

      News flash: CEOs, corporate executives and politicians also more likely to cheat, shoplift.

    76. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by dwandy · · Score: 1

      ...so when the study says "downloaders == shoplifters", the study is flawed, but when it says that "downloaders == more-music-buyers" they know thier(sic) trade pretty well?

      --
      If you think imaginary property and real property are the same, when does your house become public domain?
    77. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by MCraigW · · Score: 1
      Remember a few months back when the "P2P users more likely to buy music online" survey was posted? The same analysis applies, yet the correlation/causation difference was largely lost on Slashdotters. Hopefully your post will provide some enlightenment of this fundamental step of statistical analysis.

      Yes. I don't think anyone was saying that using p2p causes people to buy music online... or that buying music online causes people to use p2p. This isn't causality (or causation), just correlation. What it shows is that those who use p2p, are also likely to be the customers of purveyors of online music. Not that one causes the other. Of course the study could have other flaws or reasons to not take it seriously -- who commissioned it?

    78. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by reverend0 · · Score: 1

      P2P users are more likely to kick dogs and watch Jerry Springer. P2P is nothing more than a symptom to a bigger problem that person being social deviant concerned with the destruction of copyrights and creation of weapons of mass destructions.

      We need to shut down P2P networks before these miscreants teepee your house!!!

    79. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by BreadMan · · Score: 1

      >> elderly women

      My wife works in a pharmacy and has aways complained about the old women shoplifting like bandits. Cosmetics, candy, electronics. I could understand (but not agree) with swiping medicine if you needed it, but Oil of Olay? Even after the store installed the alarms at the door, the same women could come in, week after week, and bolt out of the store after setting off the alarm with a purse full of stolen goods.

    80. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by atlasdropperofworlds · · Score: 5, Funny

      Arrr! Ye be handin' o'er those mp3 cds ye scurvy swag!

    81. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by RWerp · · Score: 1

      There is no analogy. Capitalists are content with making money. Communists take the money, peek into your bedroom, want to decide what you think and what you say and what you read. There is just no analogy.

      If you think that Capitalism is as bad as Communism, kindly explain to me why Capitalist countries have that much higher average life expectancy than Communist ones.

      --
      "Long run is a misleading guide to current affairs. In the long run we are all dead." (John Maynard Keynes)
    82. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by Moofie · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Getting your morals from a government is like trying to get drinking water from a gas pump.

      --
      Why yes, I AM a rocket scientist!
    83. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by shmlco · · Score: 1
      I don't buy it. When I was a teenager we managed to find the money for the albums and singles and music we wanted. All the kids did. Now its just a "transfer" payment, in that "free" music means that their money can instead go towards clothes and all the other things that they can't steal quite so easily.

      And to quote, "The fact of the matter is, if I didn't have a pirated version of Photoshop... then I would use something else." Which makes the point. Since you, apparently, DO have a pirated copy of Photoshop, you're NOT using or supporting or buying any other cheaper alternatives.

      --
      Any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so.
    84. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by dwandy · · Score: 1

      I agree whole-heartedly.
      There are two kinds of 'successful' people:
      Those who look at societies deficiencies and use(abuse?) them for their own purpose/gain.
      Those who look at societies deficiencies and overthrow the current masters in order to replace them.

      If the status quo is going to change, you either need to pick up your pitch-fork and march on the capitol, or else you need to convince the current king that there's a problem.
      These days, fighting that fight is a PR war -- and if it's beneath you to fight on today's terms, then I can't see you winning...

      --
      If you think imaginary property and real property are the same, when does your house become public domain?
    85. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by Damvan · · Score: 2, Insightful

      "Communists take the money, peek into your bedroom, want to decide what you think and what you say and what you read."

      And how is this different from what is beginning to happen in the USA right now?

    86. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by E8086 · · Score: 1

      "Make no mistake, Mr Henderson wants you to believe that File Sharing is a cause."

      yep, file sharing is the cause of all the issues that existed BEFORE it. And exams cause cheating.

      --
      F7 doesn't work, ignore spelling and grammar
    87. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by SpacePunk · · Score: 1

      "Regarding the first two statistics, perhaps that because (a) they're the ones to use the software programs the most, and (b), they're the ones in school."

      Wow, I didn't know that being in school can be an excuse to commit crimes. Guess it's time to enroll in the local school then go rob a bank.

    88. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by edflyerssn007 · · Score: 1

      silly kids messing with canadia's economony, what's that aboot, eh?

      --
      So you see what had happened was....
    89. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by doxology · · Score: 2, Insightful

      My statistics teacher would have a had a good laugh at this. I wonder if the CRIA realizes that they're only losing credibility by these ridiculous "studies."

      --
      sigfault. core dumped.
    90. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by LaCosaNostradamus · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Americans invaded France in 1944 as foreigners from an immense industrial power, part of a coalition of forces, barely singed by resistance forces during their obvious coming over the ocean, and furthermore coming into a nation that itself was occupied by other invaders ....

      I could go on, but all that was hardly comparable to the (farcical) Commie Invasion of North America. The point is clear that there was NO Commie Invasion being planned seriously. Americans would have blown the unbelievable shit out of any forces that would have tried to cross either ocean or via land routes across the cold north. Americans would have severely met anyone who dared to drive a tank across American native soil.

      In short, the Commie Invasion was a myth that was used to keep people scared enough to continue the extremely good times of the military-industrial complex that was created during WWII. The MIC essentially made a Fascist state within the American Republic, and we today are living in the Empire that said Fascism transformed the Republic into.

      Now, people are still so scared of America's endless enemies (which are largely manufactured by Americans) that they are willing to attack other nations who have no invasion capability and had no intention of assaulting American native soil whatsoever. Americans under their sick little Empire are so lacking in courage that they are willing to pre-emptively strike and invade just on the possibility of a strike upon themselves. All this is making the world a very unsafe place for civilization.

      In short, Americans no longer understand the philosopy of self-defense. They have gone completely offensive, and entirely mistake such things for self-defense. Sad.

      --
      [You have a stable society when some nut guns down a schoolyard and the law doesn't change.]
    91. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by suwain_2 · · Score: 1

      More significantly...

      100% of P2P users die. Therefore, the RIAA is obviously resorting to murder to defend its copyrights.

      --
      ________________________________________________
      suwain_2 :: quality slashdot p
    92. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by ThePiMan2003 · · Score: 1

      I was not saying that downloading music causes people to buy music. What I am saying is that people who download music also buy music, so those people are customers. So when the RIAA is sending a downloader to court they are sneding a customer to court.

    93. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by ThePiMan2003 · · Score: 1

      However kids don't buy much music anyway. When I was a kid I had tapes I recorded off the radio, this was also illegal, but no one was trying to sue my parents over it. Now I am an adult and now that I have money I buy CD's. That makes me a customer.

    94. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by HybridJeff · · Score: 1

      "Communists take the money, peek into your bedroom, want to decide what you think and what you say and what you read. There is just no analogy."

      Capitalists do this too, its called "Marked Research."

    95. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by ifwm · · Score: 1

      "This "study" referenced in the TFA is so poisonously misleading I barely know where to begin."

      "What's especially nauseating about this"

      You know, hypocrisy is awesome, especially when it is someone elses.

    96. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      And of cource, greedy CEO's are more likely to eat the brains of small children...because....I said so.

    97. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by Skreems · · Score: 1

      Give me cheap downloads (~$.30 a song). Allow me to pay by bandwidth or length rather than per track, so I don't feel ripped off when I download a 40 minute album that has 18 songs on it, when Thick as a Brick was $2. Let ME choose the codec and bitrate, so I'm not stuck with crappy AAC files. And above all, don't try to prevent me from copying the files to as many cds, music players, and other computers as I like. I bought the music, and now the transaction is over... you have no right to tell me what to do with it from that point on.

      That would be worth the money to me, and in fact I get a lot of music from http://www.allofmp3.com/ which has all those features. It's much easier than hunting for some obscure record on p2p, and not even knowing what quality of encoding you're going to get. I've spent at least $50 there in the past couple months, and I even plan to buy actual CDs of some of the music I got, as I want to have it in lossless format. But if iTunes, with all their stupid pricing and restrictions on what you can do with the files once you get them, was the only way to get music online... I'd go p2p in a heartbeat. I'm not going to pay anybody to give me LESS functional copies of the music than copyright law entitles me to, no matter how good it is.

      --
      Slashdot needs a "-1, Wrong" moderation option.
      The Urban Hippie
    98. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by Bluey · · Score: 1

      And I was making a joke about the interest in illegally obtaining alcohol dropping to 0% once you turn 21, as if people over 21 are only ever interested in obtaining it legally. Get it? Cause turning 21 doesn't instantly squash someone's willingness to steal booze.

      Now that I've explained it, it's twice as funny. Thanks, Chuckles.

    99. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by Procrastin8er · · Score: 0

      I couldn't agree more, it reminds me of all the "Global Warming" studies that I see flying around.(On both sides.)

      --
      Slashdot - Where the slash is most definitely to the left.
    100. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by RockClimbingFool · · Score: 1
      There are many more INDEPENDENT surveys that state that the music buying rate of music downloaders is higher that the general population's music buying rate. No "correlation does not imply causation" BS.

      Its pure statistics. These studies are not trying to state one thing or the other. Make your own judgements but don't ignore or write of the statistics on moral or other dubious grounds.

    101. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by BuckaBooBob · · Score: 1

      This same study also shows that being a member of the RIAA means that you will Cry over Spilt Milk.. and you will be unable to tell the diffrence between money not earned and money lost..

      --
      Who needs WiFi when we can have Packet Over Sheep! http://datacomm.org/PoS-InternetDraft.txt
    102. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by villageidiot357 · · Score: 1

      and in other new they were found to smell, not brush there teeth, and be less attractive than average...

    103. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by Cruciform · · Score: 1

      When I was younger I pirated anything I could get my hands on. I look back on it now as 'collecting out of control'. I grabbed tons of apps and games I had no intention of using or playing just so I could check it out, say "ooh, neat!" and toss the disc.
      I still bought games and apps that I wanted or needed, but I was much more discerning with my dollar. My drive to collect software never created in interest in shoplifting or cheating. It was about finding things in out of the way places on the net with a bunch of people with the same interests.

      Now I'm all grown up and the only "bad" stuff I download is TV shows. I don't need to. We've got a PVR and full cable package, and I could easily watch them down in the living room. But I watch them in the corner of my desktop while I do other things.

      I still don't get urges to steal, and I'm finding that my taste in TV is getting even narrower since it can take a while to get some shows and they're just not worth the effort.

    104. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by HybridJeff · · Score: 1

      Damnit, I always forget to preview.

      "Market Research"

    105. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by oc255 · · Score: 0

      Fine. Stealing is wrong both ways. But if everyone had a "Test Answers" P2P client and a "Grocercy" P2P client, I bet people would download food and quiz answer sheets illegally. It's apples and oranges, similar in fruit.

      Let's go through the steps of cheating, stealing goods and downloading illegal mp3s.

      Cheating
      Go to school to learn. Decide that you'd rather not study and goof off. Test time. Get answers from a smart friend (if you can). Write them down on a small piece of paper. Cleverly work through the test without getting caught. Get a higher grade you don't deserve. Get into a nice school, pay for your diploma, (maybe) get a job you can't do or a job no one thinks you deserve. Or turn out fine. Hard to say. But the process of getting test answers is really quite hard! If the teacher gives the same test to 7 periods a day, maybe you could get the test answers from an earlier period friend, maybe not. Most teachers shuffle the questions around. Plagurizing is a much better example. Download an essay from the Internet and turn it in as your work. Maybe you get caught, maybe you don't. For sure there's no fair use or gray material. I can't stream essays legally. I can't download an essay remix that isn't covered by copyrights. I have to make my own essay, equivalent of producing my own mp3.

      It doesn't relate. Maybe on a moral level but the details are so different in my opinion that it's not relavant. Like saying it rained on Monday so Monday causes rain.

      Stealing
      Go to the store to buy food you need or CDs you don't 'need'. Steal, go to jail, get fined. At no point can I easily copy food stuffs or luxury goods with a piece of software. Atoms are atoms and don't copy like bits. I steal all the food in the world illegally and everyone else starves to death. Not to mention the criminal element. I'd probably have to buy a gun or a large jacket and perform some stealthy manuvering inside a physical store. It's just not as accessible.

      I definitely see the point about loss of values though. But I don't think it means that everyone is going to start stealing and cheating. And even if we do, is the RIAA going to stop it? How is moral decay their problem?

      The RIAA has a hell of a task on their plate. Taking in the shoplifting example, the information age is such that I can create a virtual store (VPN) with my friends and copy soup between all of us without anyone else knowing about it and still retain my original soup. How is putting people in jail going to stop that? I'd hate to be the RIAA; then, now or ever.

      That's why I like the open source model so much. Build code, share it out because you yourself used a code that someone else wrote. Sharing is good. Illegal sometimes, but IMHO good overall. Look at the success of Windows and Quake (both rumored to be intentionally warezable).

      By the way, if you use this crappy post in an essay, I'll kill you.

    106. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by Sleepy · · Score: 1

      > You can't write off study after study by saying "correlation does not imply causation."

      Sure can. "Causation" (if you want to call it that) is the foundation fact upon a study is built around. If you can't prove a fact in such a way that the cause and the result are undeniably linked, then you have something worthwhile of a study. Otherwise, you're just WISHING it were true either consciously or subconsciously.

      Bad studies are sloppy and don't show and proove cause. DELIBRATLY misleading studies are much the same, but include emotional "push button" issues designed to pull on you biggotry strings.

      I could write a funny study that shows a corrolation between (FACT) increasing P2P downloading traffic and (FACT) rising ocean temperatures... it does not show the cause to be true does it, does it?

    107. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by KillShill · · Score: 1

      isn't that the same Lyndon Johnson that covered up the USS Liberty attack?

      yeah, i'll never doubt the ethics of government again.

      http://www.google.com/search?q=lyndon+johnson+uss+ liberty

      --
      Science : Proprietary , Knowledge : Open Source
    108. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by rossifer · · Score: 1

      Not sure why you weren't a friend before.
      In any case, the error has been corrected.

      Regards,
      Ross

    109. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by seanvaandering · · Score: 1

      Seriously, who is running these companies and why are investors not extremely upset about this?

      People who don't read Slashdot on a regular basis - I'm sure investors would be, but does the RIAA have investors? Last I checked it isn't a publicly traded company. Record companies are - but you going to try and take every single one of them down? That's the real power of the RIAA - they only affect a small minority of people in reality - mom and pop who have no clue (ironicly the same people who run Windows with no clue) have no problem with all these restrictions and problems.

    110. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by timeOday · · Score: 1
      People who get music online without paying for it aren't "customers."
      What is your source? According to this they are.

      True, on average they spend a little less on music than non-fileswappers. I suppose to that decrease in overall spending is a smoking gun to the music industry, though to me it makes sense that those using more efficient means of distribution (such as legal download sites, which p2p'ers use more often than other people) would share in the savings, i.e. why should I have to pay for the mall storefront if I never go there?

    111. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by timeOday · · Score: 1
      My wife works in a pharmacy and has aways complained about the old women shoplifting like bandits. Cosmetics, candy, electronics.
      Or batteries, as I learned on Seinfeld.
    112. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by tombeard · · Score: 1

      Speaking for myself, it does. I won't buy anything untill I download and listen to an album half a dozen times. If I'm still listening that long then I will want the CD and buy it. Otherwise I won't like it and will probably forget I ever heard it. Sometimes I stumble on old downloads I forgot and will find that I now like something, which I will then go buy. A good system, 100% sampling, I buy what I really like. It does keep them from selling me crap, so I can see how they would oppose it.

      Just wanted to get this in the thread.

      --
      The reason we subjugate ourselves to law is to better procure justice. If law does not accomplish this purpose then it m
    113. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by jspoon · · Score: 1
      Well the young men refused to go to Vietnam, the communists 'won', and sure enough, tens of thousands of Vietnamese did come to the US and take our jobs.

      Fortunately, this was offset in part by the fifty thousand American deaths in the war, not to mention some thousands more removed from the workforce by crippling injuries. We have parity, yay!

    114. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by Suzumushi · · Score: 1

      File Sharing, the cause of and solution to, all of life's problems!

    115. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      >This is the weakest worded article I've read in quite some time.

      Pretty well sums up the mushy-lefty Globe and Mail and its audience. Not making this up, when asked in an online poll whether they voted in online polls 19% said no.

    116. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 1

      But you're stating it as if it's a matter of fact--"People who download music also buy music." You haven't proven it, and it doesn't matter anyway. Someone who rips off someone else isn't a customer.

      --
      "Sufferin' succotash."
    117. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by billcopc · · Score: 1
      If you think that Capitalism is as bad as Communism, kindly explain to me why Capitalist countries have that much higher average life expectancy than Communist ones.


      Because the longer you live, the longer a capitalist can extort you. It's financially sound to make you suffer longer.
      --
      -Billco, Fnarg.com
    118. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by RWerp · · Score: 1

      Vastly. In communist countries there would be no Slashdot.


      I can't believe myself I waste time on explaining such things to you people... [bang]

      --
      "Long run is a misleading guide to current affairs. In the long run we are all dead." (John Maynard Keynes)
    119. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by poopdeville · · Score: 1
      Yes, you can. If you're going to cite all the studies to back a flawed premise, they can all be written off. Correlation does not imply causation is a basic logical tenet to avoid chasing false conclusions that aren't true.

      Yeah, this logical premise has been around since 1935 when the Department of Redundancy Department issued it in 1935.

      --
      After all, I am strangely colored.
    120. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by poopdeville · · Score: 1
      1. The claim that downloading causes shoplifting is not the same as the claim that "downloaders == shoplifters." It is just as possible that shoplifting causes downloading, or that the relation is just coincidence.
      2. The claim that "downloaders == more-music-buyers" is not the same as the claim that downloading causes more music buying. It is just as possible that more-music-buying causes downloading, or that the relation is just coincidence.
      3. If one wants to claim that A causes B, one has to first show that there is a statistical correlation between A and B, propose a mechanism to explain causation, and then experimentally verify that the mechanism works as proposed.
      4. This study does not identify downloaders as shoplifters. It claims that the same age group is responsible for most downloading and shoplifting.
      5. The study does not propose a mechanism for causation, nor does it test one.

        Therefore,

      6. It is not legitimate to conclude that downloading causes shoplifting, nor is it legitimate to conclude that downloaders == shoplifters.
      --
      After all, I am strangely colored.
    121. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by Ctrl-Z · · Score: 1

      You also shouldn't dismiss the study based on a brief summary given in a newspaper report. As a general rule, newspapers often omit several important pieces of "boring" information from the study in order to make the story more "interesting". Quotes like "Canadians between the ages of 18 and 29 are much more willing than other age groups to make illegal copies of software programs, cheat on exams or even shoplift, an Environics poll suggests" are very misleading and are likely to lead readers to the wrong conclusion. The study likely only showed a correlation. Of course, that quote doesn't actually establish causality either but it does tend to lead you towards that conclusion.

      --
      www.timcoleman.com is a total waste of your time. Never go there.
    122. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by johansalk · · Score: 2

      Your bewilderment may vanish once you understand that they really don't care about their customers. In fact, they don't care about music either, nor the artists. This is the societal ill called unrestrained businessmen. May be fine for the factory or bank, but it's without a doubt bad for culture and other concerns of a society's life. I listened to a lecture the other day by a noted historian about the mass society, the mass-consumer society. One of the things she mentioned was that there used to be a time when music belonged to the cutlure of the cummunity, and memebers of the community participated in its creation and consumption. Blues for the Black community, country for the country folks, and so on. Then entered the invention of recording, records were a tangile product that could be made and sold independent of the original artist and his music (i.e, once the artist recorded, the businessman could make as many record copies as he wants, whereas before that the music was tied to the artist), and then the horde of profit-obsessed businessmen followed. To be brief without going into much detail, over time, music became just a mass consumption product, owned by businessmen and not the community, no longer expressing its culture, and no longer are its members participants but now they are passive consumers. They have to pay the businessmen for the music that was originally theirs, that was originally the culture of their community - for example, a New Orleans cultural heritage of hundreds of years become now owned by a corporation from New York, London or Japan that doesn't give a fuck about it except for the Ka-ching sound of the cash register.
      As such, the Recording Industry wants there to be no culture that doesn't pay them. If there is a culture, they want full claim to it, they want to seize it from the artists and enslave them with unfair contracts, and they certainly want no outlet for communal interaction that doesn't go through their cash register.
      To that, I say, fuck the recording industry.

    123. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by roseblood · · Score: 1

      Unfortunately the average idiot dosen't think. It takes THOUGHT to UNDERSTAND. When this shows up in a newspaper/tvnewscast/blog/whatever they'll read it, not think about it, and just assume it's a fact because it comes from their trusted media outlet (again, be it a newspaper, blog, tv news, etc.)

      I'd also be willing to bet 18-29 year old Canadians are also the most likely to fall in trouble with the law on other fronts as well (drugs, violence, whatever.)

      Now some who isn't thinking will read the above and assume it's time to lock all those 18-29 year old Canadians up and throw away the keys (or save the keys to set them free on their 30th birthday.)

      --
      There are lies, damned lies, and statistics.
    124. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by roseblood · · Score: 1

      Pho needs to be moderated as such: (-1 Overrated)

      --
      There are lies, damned lies, and statistics.
    125. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by RWerp · · Score: 1

      If you think that Capitalism is as bad as Communism, kindly explain to me why Capitalist countries have that much higher average life expectancy than Communist ones. Because the longer you live, the longer a capitalist can extort you. It's financially sound to make you suffer longer. Since I'd rather live longer than shorter, it suits me fine. I won't stand in the corner and cry my eyes out just because the doctor who's caring for my health does it because of the monetary gain, not out of good will alone (and as any practicing capitalist will tell you, you tend to go much better in business if you have good will towars your customers).

      --
      "Long run is a misleading guide to current affairs. In the long run we are all dead." (John Maynard Keynes)
    126. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by RWerp · · Score: 1
      Reformatted version:
      If you think that Capitalism is as bad as Communism, kindly explain to me why Capitalist countries have that much higher average life expectancy than Communist ones.
      Because the longer you live, the longer a capitalist can extort you. It's financially sound to make you suffer longer.
      Since I'd rather live longer than shorter, it suits me fine. I won't stand in the corner and cry my eyes out just because the doctor who's caring for my health does it because of the monetary gain, not out of good will alone (and as any practicing capitalist will tell you, you tend to go much better in business if you have good will towars your customers).
      --
      "Long run is a misleading guide to current affairs. In the long run we are all dead." (John Maynard Keynes)
    127. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by Kent+Recal · · Score: 1

      I wonder if the CRIA realizes that they're only losing credibility by these ridiculous "studies."

      Do they even have any credibility to lose?
      I mean credibility is *earned*, what did they do in the past to get any?

      This whole *IA show is so detached from reality,

      Who are they trying to fool with these "studies"? Teachers, parents?
      Certainly not politicians - it's easier to buy them than to try to convince them of something.

      All these actions (be it studies or "music stealing gets you into prison"-ads) only show how
      desperate they are and how much their "business model" (read: SCAM) depended on the rip-off that
      was physical media distribution.

    128. Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by Reziac · · Score: 1

      Upon RTFA, I find that it has nothing to do with "P2P causes criminal behaviour" but rather is just a laundry list of "stupid shit a lot of kids try, just because they are not adults yet".

      Look at the ageframe for all the bullet points in the article. It's that time of life when kids are "demonstrating their independence", often by "sticking it to the man" (ie. trying to get away with whatever is handy to get away with at the moment). It's also the time of life when most kids have very little money, so they have an incentive of sorts not to spend it (since they don't have it).

      This doesn't make theft "right" but it IS just ordinary human behaviour at a certain stage of personal development, not anything induced by P2P. In an earlier era, it would be kids filching watermelons, and the headline would read "Kids who steal watermelons are more likely to shoplift!" Now they're filching MP3s and omighod, "Kids who download MP3s are more likely to shoplift!"

      Nothing has changed but the times. Kids are still kids much as they've always been, and that means some go through a stupid stage on their way to becoming adults. P2P has nothing to do with it.

      --
      ~REZ~ #43301. Who'd fake being me anyway?
  2. And thus.... by duerra · · Score: 0, Redundant

    And thus the prophesy was fulfilled:
    "And there will be much gnashing of eTeeth as the nerds of the Slashdot ripethed the recording industry 'a new one'"

    So let it be.

  3. what? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    this is insanely stupid

  4. shoplift? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    who the hell would shoplift when you can just download anything you really need?

    1. Re:shoplift? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      you can't download shampoo. Until you can, I have actually leave my house to shoplift it from my local wally world. :(

    2. Re:shoplift? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Oh my, you're RIGHT! I've been doing it wrong all this time!

      Excuse me while I print out this Gucci jacket. It'll be sure keep me warm this coming winter.

      By the way, I've got cookies for everyone! Grocery Gateway decided to give me some free samples through my browser.

    3. Re:shoplift? by Iriel · · Score: 1

      True, but I'm sure that the people conducting these haphazard fumblings in statistics are working on a way to link

      illegal p2p use to hurting sales,
      to hurting the local economy,
      which in turn hurts the national economy,
      which seeks to undermine/overthrow the government,

      so that eventually p2p users will be tracked down and charged with treason. So stealing a loaf of bread will get you a fine, but p2p shall get you "the rack"

      ^_^ Have a nice day from Big Brother!

      --
      Perfecting Discordia
      www.stevenvansickle.com
    4. Re:shoplift? by moro_666 · · Score: 0

      out here the temperatures goes down to -30C every winter, so the original gucci jacket is as good as anything you cant print out (i put it simply: you will just freeze to death)

      anyway, as for the subject, this is probably the dumbest study claim i have ever seen (it's in high competition with linux being more expensive than windows and whether or not *bsd/barcode/ is dead/dying (and if netcraft confirms it or not))

      i have downloaded files, i admit it. i have never even thought about stealing anything from any store. i haven't cheated any exams and mostly likely i wont have to, unless my iq starts to fall quickyl down to the level of windows users.

      this is just another attempt to scare the sh*t out of parents and let them forbid downloading music from the net to their kids.

      --

      I'd tell you the chances of this story being a dupe, but you wouldn't like it.
    5. Re:shoplift? by soft_guy · · Score: 1

      Yeah, I just screwed Apple by going onto P2P and downloading a new iPod nano.

      --
      Avoid Missing Ball for High Score
    6. Re:shoplift? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      because if you get caught, the punishment of shoplifting is significantly lower than sharing music online.

      Also shop lifting is trial by peer in the criminal court where you might get a more fair trial.

    7. Re:shoplift? by Franklinstein · · Score: 1
      "who the hell would shoplift when you can just download anything you really need?"

      Obviously someone concerned about what happens if they get caught, since the punishment for shoplifting is much less than that of copyright infringement.

    8. Re:shoplift? by rubberbando · · Score: 1

      That's why its so damn hard to shop for a P2P user for xmas.

      Last year I got the one in my family a book.

      He was like, "why did you buy me a book?"

      I responded, "because everytime I try to buy you a cd, dvd, video game, or software, you tell me that you already downloaded it."

      Its a little harder to download a book amongst other things....

      --
      DEAD DEAD DEAD DELETE ME
    9. Re:shoplift? by shutdown+-p+now · · Score: 1
      While ironic, this raises an interesting question. What happens when copying a material object will be just as easy as it is now with books, songs etc? I don't know what the silver bullet will be, maybe nanotech, maybe not... it hardly matters. Would we have 'copyright' on clothing and food, then? Enforced by the law?

      I just realised that the first man to break copyright was Jesus, when he fed a crowd of 500 people with five breads and two fishes (John 6:1-15). Clearly, he deprived the poor bakers and fishermen of their profit when he did that. Evil commie bastard... good thing noone else can do that trick, right? Else noone would be paid for their fair work, and people would be starving... er, wait...

    10. Re:shoplift? by fabioaquotte · · Score: 1

      well, you have to get a computer to pirate music

      --
      Fabio Aquotte
  5. in other news by P3NIS_CLEAVER · · Score: 0

    teenagers are more likely to cheat, use p2p and shoplift

    --
    Please sign petition to restore sanity to our banking system!!!

    http://financialpetition.org/
    1. Re:In other news by Simonetta · · Score: 1

      Microsoft said today that: "Anybody who doesn't buy Microsoft Office is more likely to commit arson or criminal damage"..

        This is an example of the fallacy of Composition by which a characteristic of one small section of a group is assumed to apply to the entire group. By saying that of a million people who didn't buy MS Office two are arsonists therefore all the people who didn't buy Office are arsonists is, the proponent is making an obvious logical fallacy.

          The RIAA argument could be reversed to say that because music company executives have a greater tendency to cheat artists out of royalities than the general public, then therefore record company executives are mostly criminals and have no moral basis to be in a position to judge music listeners as criminals in disagreements over music pricing issues.

    2. Re:In other news by jeffasselin · · Score: 1

      So you are proposing that not all music executives are lying cheaters and extortionnists?

      That's easy to prove, all you have do do is present to us a SINGLE major music executive who's honest and fairly rewards the musicians he contracts, all contracts having fair terms, and who charges reasonable prices for the music he sells.

      --
      If he explores all forms and substances Straight homeward to their symbol-essences; He shall not die.
    3. Re:In other news by SatanicPuppy · · Score: 0

      It's even worse than that, though you're right.

      They're implying a causal connection on laughably weak data. That's the fallacy of "Joint effect" because they're saying p2p leads to shoplifting, when in reality p2p and shoplifting stem from a third cause (lack of money), which stems from many causes. It's also "Complex Cause" because they're pointing at one thing, when there is no data that that one thing is even significant, when an idiot could tell that there are other factors involved.

      Statistically speaking, it's also not impossible that any apparent correlation is a statisitical accident (like air breathing is 100% correlated to violent crime), and drawing general conclusions from such an accident is yet another fallacy (Accident).

      Even if there is correlation, they're most likely applying the fallacy of Insignificance, which is to say that even if p2p does lead to shoplifting, many other things are far more likely to lead to shoplifting, so much so that attributing a causal connection in the general case is fallacious.

      And finally, it's also the fallacies of "Appeal to Consequences" (Don't fileshare or you'll end up a shoplifting crack whore), "Predjudicial Language" (Filesharers are shoplifters), "Sipperly Slope" (Filesharing leads to crack whoredom), and of course, "Ad Hominem" (filesharers are shoplifting crack whores).

      The pathetic thing is, there are people out there who will believe them.

      --
      ad logicam Claiming a proposition is false because it was presented as the conclusion of a fallacious argument.
    4. Re:In other news by ynohoo · · Score: 1

      you forgot mention that music company executives are also more likely to steal candy from babies and sell their own grandmothers.

      As attested to by the upright netizens of /. and all known recording artists.

  6. Other Way Around by Azarael · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Maybe those types of people that are more likely to cheat, etc are drawn to P2P. Classic example of correlation vs causality.

    1. Re:Other Way Around by Stevyn · · Score: 4, Funny

      Well everyone I know who robs banks for a drives very fast while leaving the scene. So I really hope auto manufacturers address this problem and stop making fast cars. These fast cars are costing the FDIC millions. Hell, there should be a "bank robbery fine" on all speeding tickets worth 4 or more points. That'll teach those speeders to stop robbing banks.

    2. Re:Other Way Around by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 1

      Whatever. I don't pirate music. I can shell out a freakin' dollar for a song on iTunes. It's time for the pro-piracy contingency on /. to grow up. The "obsolete business model" canard doesn't apply anymore (iTunes and other online services), and the "we're sticking it to the RIAA by making sure artists don't get paid today" canard doesn't work anymore either. At some people, these people need to just admit that all they're doing is freeloading stuff so they don't have to pay for it. "I'm making sure System of a Down doesn't get paid today!" No culture movement, no revolution, no statement.

      --
      "Sufferin' succotash."
    3. Re:Other Way Around by Mr2cents · · Score: 1

      Or it could be total baloney? For some reason I don't think they are very interested in real research..

      --
      "It's too bad that stupidity isn't painful." - Anton LaVey
    4. Re:Other Way Around by digidave · · Score: 1

      "These people need to just admit that all they're doing is freeloading stuff"

      Fine, but that still doesn't mean they should be called shoplifters and cheaters. That still doesn't mean this study is anything other than garbage.

      And for what it's worth, I often use P2P to obtain copies of songs I already own. I have an MP3 CD player in my car and I like being able to put several albums worth of songs on one CD to play. Am I a freeloader, too? You anti-P2P people need to realize that not everyone who downloads music is doing so because they want free music. You should realize that the reason people like me use P2P is because the recording industry won't let me play my purchased music where I want to play it. I believe I should have that right.

      --
      The global economy is a great thing until you feel it locally.
    5. Re:Other Way Around by parodyca · · Score: 1

      Whatever. I don't pirate music.

      Neither do I. I download it perfectly legally over P2P networks. In Canada downloading music over P2P IS NOT ILLEGAL!!!

      Both our Copyright Board and our Federal Court have said as much, and no higher court has said otherwise.

      As in many European countries this is justified through a blank media tax. The CRIA wants it both ways.

      Personally though, I do not believe that such justification is required. If what I do with my computer in the privacy of my own home has no negative effect on the copyright owner, I should be free to do as I like with MY property.

      In other words; if the effect of my actions upon a particular copyright holder is the same as it would be if I did not exist in this world then there is nothing that I should be held lible for. To say otherwise is to say that they have a right to profit from my existance, and that that right is greater than my right to control my own physical property.

    6. Re:Other Way Around by MvD_Moscow · · Score: 1

      Dude, everyone knows you are a RIAA/MPAA apologist. Just because the corporations tell you something doesn't mean it is true. Did you even consider that the whole concept of copyright doesn't exist in the real world? That we are allowing for the creation of artificial monopolies for society's benefit. Copyright isn't something divine or something that should be on the UN's declaration of Human Rights. When will you learn that there are more important things in life then protecting corporate interests? When will you understand that not everyone believes that copyrights are useful to society? It was meant to benefit society. The vast majority of this top40 shit is imposed on us by corporations; it has gotten so bad, that I am better of looking for good music in archive.org's OSS music section. Copyright has outlives its usefulness for society, so why should people support it? RIAA does not have any right for profit. If they do get profit, that's fine, there is nothing moral about protecting a corporation! But of course, I know nothing, RIAA is always correct and evil commmie pink liberals should all die. Please, your apologist stance is getting old and pointless.

    7. Re:Other Way Around by MemeRot · · Score: 1

      What's aggressivelystupid.com? I tried to check it out but got a 403 forbidden.

    8. Re:Other Way Around by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 1

      Dude, everyone knows you are a RIAA/MPAA apologist.

      In other words, you can't address a single point I made, so you're bringing out the tired "you're an APOLOGIST!" retort.

      Just because the corporations tell you something doesn't mean it is true.

      Nobody's telling me anything. Why are you guys OBSESSED with the "corporations?" Why not a single thought devoted toward the very real human beings you're ripping off instead? You know, the artists you're making sure don't get paid today?

      Your anti-copyright rant means the GPL has no legal standing. You do realize the GPL stands on copyright, don't you? I'll be sure to remember what you said in the next "stolen GPL code" article...

      But of course, I know nothing, RIAA is always correct and evil commmie pink liberals should all die.

      And again, we run back to the scapegoat-the-RIAA mindset. It's all you have, stereotypes and emotion-based rhetoric.

      Please, your apologist stance is getting old and pointless.

      You just can't address my points. As I said, Slashdot has become piracy central, actively advocating ripping people off just because they made the mistake of trying to sell something in a world of freeloaders with high-speed connections.

      Yes, that's all piracy is. No freedom-fighter movement against copyright, no freedom-fighter movement against the RIAA--it's just college kids getting albums for free so they don't have to pay for it. Purely selfish. Deep down, you know it, which is why you invent little movements to be part of. "I'm taking down copyright, dude!" Sure.

      --
      "Sufferin' succotash."
    9. Re:Other Way Around by LnxAddct · · Score: 1

      99% of cancer victims have eaten a pickle.
      Regards,
      Steve - Leader of the War on Pickles

    10. Re:Other Way Around by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      actually, the FDIC has nothing to do with bank robbery. which why bank tellers (even though they generally have access to less than a few grand in cash) slip in paint packs to 'dye' all the money and the criminal upon leaving the bank. only way to not get caught by a dye pack is to cut open any 'wrapped' bills and spread the money looking for fake hollowed bills etc. i think the devices could go off when that is done too, so best to make the cashier do it, but then the robbery takes longer. you really wanna be in the bank under a minute And Have A Stolen getaway Car with seperately stolen plates. you should drive the getaway car less than 10 minutes before switching to a different vehicle, and preferably leave the stolen vehicle in a high crime neighborhood with the keys Plainly visable on the dash. nothing like letting another crook who doesn't know you dispose of your evidence for you ;)

      as long as you get away without a paint bomb inserted in the money and you didn't kill anyone in the theft process, it's likely to be extremely hard for law enforcment to solve. unless you do it too much. frankly a couple grand in cash isn't enough to solve most people's financial problems... frankly you'd have to rob a lot of banks to solves some people's financial problems. it's faster, cheaper and better for most people considering robbing a bank to just realistically look into bankruptcy. true you can only do that once every seven years, and doing it twice will probably make you an anethema that no bank will touch with a 10 foot pole or a 'repayment no matter the terms of the bankruptcy' agreement.

    11. Re:Other Way Around by Azarael · · Score: 1

      I was the website for my gaming clan, but it's down now. I forgot to update my profile.

    12. Re:Other Way Around by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Or maybe the P2P users are more likely to be *cough*"honest"*cough* and admit that they cheat and shoplift. It's like asking a group of teenage boys if they spank the monkey. Only 5% will admit it, but 95% do it. The other 5% just hadn't thought of it yet or are too worn out from the real thing.

    13. Re:Other Way Around by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well if people who shoplift are drawn to P2P, then people who rob banks would be more willing to play GTA. Which might solve the problem a little. About fast cars.. I have a fast car (Mercedes-Benz CLK 430) and I recently got a ticket for 90 in a 55 .. I'm looking at 8 points!!! .. then I got a ticket like 2 weeks later for 86 in a 55 .. 6 points!! .. needless to say I'm probably going to loose my license so there will be one less fast car on the road. Do I rob banks or shoplift .. no .. do I download music for free .. sometimes .. and sometimes I pay (depends on if iTunes has what I am looking for)

      I find your "bank robbery fine" idea distasteful.

    14. Re:Other Way Around by MvD_Moscow · · Score: 1
      In other words, you can't address a single point I made, so you're bringing out the tired "you're an APOLOGIST!" retort.

      The reason why I said that is because you repeat the same thing over and over again. I've seen enough of your rhetoric to have some idea of your standard methods of offence. I've seen ppl counter you, but it only works for one particular story in question. Basically, you repeat the same thing over and again and again even if people have argued with you. Plus I have a suspicion that you use several accounts. Why would you have several accounts if all you points are so superior and meaningful. Last resort my ass, if that would be my motivation then I would have trolled you and wouldn't be writing this post.

      Nobody's telling me anything. Why are you guys OBSESSED with the "corporations?" Why not a single thought devoted toward the very real human beings you're ripping off instead? You know, the artists you're making sure don't get paid today?

      Your anti-copyright rant means the GPL has no legal standing. You do realize the GPL stands on copyright, don't you? I'll be sure to remember what you said in the next "stolen GPL code" article...

      Why am I obsessed with corporations? Umm, because their activity are making feel that allowing incorporation isn't really benefiting society. Very real human beings? Now you are using rhetoric, you know, proving your point by making some sort of symbolic hard working human beings. If you don't like hearing rhetoric, don't use it yourself. The last sentence in your quote is full of BS? Don't get paid? What do you mean? A download over P2P doesn't mean a lost sale for the artist. Human or not human (drop the "appeal to common man" diction), a loss only happens when an additional cost is incurred. This isn't really true for P2P. How can you prove that I would buy a particular song if wasn't able to pirate it? And since you can't do that, there is no loss. Why do you think microsoft keeps its OS crackable? Because, if it wasn't, it would lose the whole of the 3rd-world market in a few months. Back to the corporation bit, anti-RIAAers (btw, when I say RIAA I mean content cartels etc) often make reference to corporations because they are what harm the consumer. Small bands and who want to make a living don't get harmed by piracy that much. Most of them are product orientated and focus on live shows. Anyway, proper music bands don't have that much of a problem with piracy as they actually have music for which fans are ready to pay.

      Your argument about GPL doesn't really stand. Since in a world without copyright, there would be no need for GPL. The GPL is just a workaround for those of us who like "open" software and don't the works open source coders to be taken by 3rd parties (use BSD for that).

      And again, we run back to the scapegoat-the-RIAA mindset. It's all you have, stereotypes and emotion-based rhetoric.

      Scapegoat? What are you talking about? All I was pointing out was that RIAA isn't some holy entity that can do no wrong. I haven't seen any of your posts that recognize this. On the contrary, I get the impression that in your world, RIAA can do no wrong.

      You just can't address my points. As I said, Slashdot has become piracy central, actively advocating ripping people off just because they made the mistake of trying to sell something in a world of freeloaders with high-speed connections.

      Then what are you doing here? Since we are all "college kids getting albums for free", what's your point man? Do you think your boring repetition will help change anything? I am sick os seeing you in every story about RIAA. Whenever, RIAA (or CRIA) does something stupid (are you saying that their survey is objective?) you come around and defend them? Do you see why I think that you believe that RIAA can do no evil? Because you are not objective even by your own moral/political standards. If you would really want to be objective you would blame piracy and the corporocracy. I have never seen

    15. Re:Other Way Around by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Just because the corporations tell you something doesn't mean it is true."
      Actually, in the US, it's not just the corporations that are telling us about copyright laws, it's our government, at various levels. The corporations are merely attempting to enforce their copyrights, as is their legal right to do. I'll leave the argument about whether copyrights are "right" for another time.

      "Did you even consider that the whole concept of copyright doesn't exist in the real world?"
      Gosh, this is a good one! Where to start? How about this: The whole concept of "Civil Law" and "Criminal Law" doesn't really exist in the real world, either - human beings created them, just as they did the concept of copyright. Amazing, but true: The WHOLE body of law is something that human beings created!

      "When will you learn that there are more important things in life then protecting corporate interests?"
      What about me? I'm a human being. Do I get to benefit from copyright laws?

      "It was meant to benefit society."
      Yup. And, there's more to society than just you. There's other people, and here in the US, corporations are deemed citizens, and so are a part of our society too (and I'll leave the discussion about whether that is "right" for another time).

      "Copyright has outlives its usefulness for society"
      I beg to differ. The truth is: It's outlived its usefulness to YOU. You don't like the idea of copyright, think that it should be abolished, and that everyone else should think the same. See point above.

      "RIAA does not have any right for profit."
      Um, by definition, they do, at least with regards to their copyrights, until they expire: That's the WHOLE purpose of copyright in the first place, at least in the US.

      "But of course, I know nothing"
      Well, you pretty much got that one correct - I shan't argue :)

      "there is nothing moral about protecting a corporation!"
      Well, again, I can only speak from my perspective from being here in the US, but it's not about protecting corporations: It's about protecting copyright holders - the fact that some of those happen to be corporations is just the way that it works here (and I'll leave the argument about whether or not that is "right" for another time, too). I don't see anything in Overly Critical Guy's posts that imply that his position is solely to protect corporate interests, and in fact, he says in one post "Why not a single thought devoted toward the very real human beings you're ripping off instead? You know, the artists you're making sure don't get paid today?", which indicates to me, at least, that he has concerns beyond simply protecting corporate interests, as you charge.

    16. Re:Other Way Around by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 1

      The reason why I said that is because you repeat the same thing over and over again. I've seen enough of your rhetoric to have some idea of your standard methods of offence. I've seen ppl counter you, but it only works for one particular story in question. Basically, you repeat the same thing over and again and again even if people have argued with you. Plus I have a suspicion that you use several accounts. Why would you have several accounts if all you points are so superior and meaningful. Last resort my ass, if that would be my motivation then I would have trolled you and wouldn't be writing this post.

      Oh, please, stop with the "multiple accounts" BS. I repeat the same thing over and over because pro-pirate also repeat the same things over and over--"The RIAA made me do it!" It's stupid. Take some responsibility.

      Why am I obsessed with corporations?

      Because you're one of those college dorm-room anti-capitalist types who think they're enlightened because they're against "greedy" corporations?

      Umm, because their activity are making feel that allowing incorporation isn't really benefiting society. Very real human beings? Now you are using rhetoric, you know, proving your point by making some sort of symbolic hard working human beings.

      Uh, artists aren't "symbolic hard working human beings." They're real human beings, who often pay for studios and equipment out of their own pocket and spend months of their lives to record an album only to have freeloaders who don't want to pay for it try to justify it with anti-capitalism rhetoric.

      But thanks for admitting you don't think about the artist at all.

      If you don't like hearing rhetoric, don't use it yourself. The last sentence in your quote is full of BS? Don't get paid? What do you mean? A download over P2P doesn't mean a lost sale for the artist.

      Holy crap. Is this the illogic that has now permeated Slashdot? Not paying for something magically doesn't equal a lost sale? "What do you mean?" Here's how it works, kid:

      Someone pays money for album = money gets paid to artist
      Someone doesn't pay money for album = money doesn't get paid to artist

      I'll let you study it in the dorm room tonight.

      Human or not human (drop the "appeal to common man" diction), a loss only happens when an additional cost is incurred. This isn't really true for P2P. How can you prove that I would buy a particular song if wasn't able to pirate it?

      It doesn't matter (I'll ignore your pathetic "prove a negative" argument, the true sign of a weak position). You don't have the right to rip someone off and violate their rights as a creator of a work.

      And since you can't do that, there is no loss.

      You are trying so desperately hard to justify piracy. It's incredible and amusing. I wish you could see yourself objectively. "You can't prove I wouldn't buy something if I didn't pirate, therefore it means there's no loss! you fell into my logic trap!!!"

      Why do you think microsoft keeps its OS crackable? Because, if it wasn't, it would lose the whole of the 3rd-world market in a few months.

      What in the hell does this have to do with anything? Ever heard of activiation? WGA?

      Back to the corporation bit, anti-RIAAers (btw, when I say RIAA I mean content cartels etc)

      "Content cartels," ROFL. More emotion-based rhetoric.

      often make reference to corporations because they are what harm the consumer. Small bands and who want to make a living don't get harmed by piracy that much.

      Yes, they absolutely do, and it's sickening you'd assume this for them. You haven't asked A SINGLE ARTIST. YOU DON'T KNOW ANY. YOU'RE JUST PULLING THIS OUT OF YOUR ASS ON THE SPOT.

      An independent artist is trying hardest of all to make a living. But hey, go ahead and rip off these flesh-and-blood beings. Fuck 'em and their rights. Heaven forbid you pay nine bucks (the cost of a lunch for two in some restaurants,

      --
      "Sufferin' succotash."
    17. Re:Other Way Around by lachlan76 · · Score: 1

      Have you ever *met* any teenagers? The only people that don't download music are those who have dialup and don't want to wait for it.

    18. Re:Other Way Around by MvD_Moscow · · Score: 1
      Actually, in the US, it's not just the corporations that are telling us about copyright laws, it's our government, at various levels. The corporations are merely attempting to enforce their copyrights, as is their legal right to do. I'll leave the argument about whether copyrights are "right" for another time.

      Guess you never heard of lobbying and its impact on American politics. Calling bribes a different name doesn't make them any better!

      Gosh, this is a good one! Where to start? How about this: The whole concept of "Civil Law" and "Criminal Law" doesn't really exist in the real world, either - human beings created them, just as they did the concept of copyright. Amazing, but true: The WHOLE body of law is something that human beings created!

      Stop twisting my words. The point I was making that, that civilization existed without copyright laws and it didn't fall apart. And that it isn't a core part of our society like law. Again, I am not saying that we should completely do away with copyright, but changes need to be made!

      Yup. And, there's more to society than just you. There's other people, and here in the US, corporations are deemed citizens, and so are a part of our society too (and I'll leave the discussion about whether that is "right" for another time).

      Fair enough, when did I say that everyone has to think the same way as I do? Again you don't have to abolish copyright to make things more fair.

      Um, by definition, they do, at least with regards to their copyrights, until they expire: That's the WHOLE purpose of copyright in the first place, at least in the US.

      My mistake, I meant a special right to profit, as if they were something special. They are just another corporation, when they are trying to portray themselves as some sort of crusaders for morality, who are fighting against pirates.

      Um, by definition, they do, at least with regards to their copyrights, until they expire: That's the WHOLE purpose of copyright in the first place, at least in the US.

      Do you seriouslly think they won't extend the copyrigh duration once its 2015 (or whatever the date is)? Don't be so naive, you might as well just let them work for ever if in your liftime you are not able to see copyright expire.

    19. Re:Other Way Around by MvD_Moscow · · Score: 1
      You still didn't answer any of my questions! Stop posting pointless personal attacks and avoiding the question!

      * You still didn't prove how downloading a file of P2P results in a loss for the indie music artist * You still haven't named any artists that are starving due to piracy. I'll even let you name top40 artists * You still haven't addressed the issue that iTunes doesn't work with everything or on everything * You seem to ignore the fact that non-top40 artists get revenue differently from top40 artists * You fail to address you contradication about piracy hurting the small artist, but P2P being full of top40 stuff * Your views on the nature of GPL are false, talk to RMS about it. He would know best. * Cartels don't exists right?

    20. Re:Other Way Around by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 1

      You still didn't answer any of my questions! Stop posting pointless personal attacks and avoiding the question!

      You didn't ask any questions. All you did was avoid every single point I made.

      * You still didn't prove how downloading a file of P2P results in a loss for the indie music artist

      It's this magical thing called "math."

      Paying for an album = money paid to artist
      Not paying for an album = money not paid to artist

      * You still haven't named any artists that are starving due to piracy. I'll even let you name top40 artists

      Nobody is "starving" from piracy, and that has nothing to do with anything. You don't have the right to rip someone off and violate their rights as a copyright holder (or else we can kiss the GPL goodbye, since it relies on copyright to protect code).

      * You still haven't addressed the issue that iTunes doesn't work with everything or on everything

      This sure was left-field. What does iTunes' supported formats have to do with anything whatsoever? Besides the fact it supports WAV, AIFF, MP3, AAC, Protected AAC, AU, and Apple Lossless, the formats iTunes supports doesn't have anything to do with people ripping off other human beings.

      * You seem to ignore the fact that non-top40 artists get revenue differently from top40 artists

      You just pulled this out of your ass. You don't even know what you're trying to say here. "Get revenue differently?" What the heck does that have to do with anything?

      * You fail to address you contradication about piracy hurting the small artist, but P2P being full of top40 stuff

      Because when indie artists end up on P2P, it's worst of all because these are the artists trying to get started in their careers and make it, and need support the most.

      * Your views on the nature of GPL are false, talk to RMS about it. He would know best.

      I love it. You have no thought of your own, so you tell me to go to the fanatical RMS. How about thinking on your own for a change and responding yourself? My view that the GPL relies on copyright is 100% correct in every way.

      * Cartels don't exists right?

      No, I never said that anywhere at all. You just needed something to attack and so made it up.

      Completely lame, man. What a waste of my time. Next.

      --
      "Sufferin' succotash."
    21. Re:Other Way Around by MvD_Moscow · · Score: 1
      OMG, you completely twist everything, avoid answering and accuse other people of your mistakes!

      Because when indie artists end up on P2P, it's worst of all because these are the artists trying to get started in their careers and make it, and need support the most.

      When does that happen? Stop talking BS! If it doesn't happen, it doesn't matter.

      Nobody is "starving" from piracy, and that has nothing to do with anything. You don't have the right to rip someone off and violate their rights as a copyright holder (or else we can kiss the GPL goodbye, since it relies on copyright to protect code).

      There you go, you yourself just proved that its no big deal. We have more importan things to worry about, then something that just means that corporations get less profit. I couldn't care less if universal makes less money. As long as indie artists don't get hurt (you yourself said that you can't fin their music on P2P - So how do they get hurt? Figures? Evidence? Stop avoiding the answer!).

      I love it. You have no thought of your own, so you tell me to go to the fanatical RMS. How about thinking on your own for a change and responding yourself? My view that the GPL relies on copyright is 100% correct in every way.

      Your view on GPL is worth a cow's ass. This has nothing to do about thinking by yourself. The purpose of the GPL is a workaround against copyright. If it didn't exist, there would be no need for the GPL. If you don't believe me check the Free software foundation's page.

      It's this magical thing called "math." Paying for an album = money paid to artist Not paying for an album = money not paid to artist

      Well, this sort of logic might cut it when your in 8th grade, but not in the real world. There is a thing called opportunity cost that means that if people had to pay for certain things, they would simply not buy these things! How does that fit into your little world?

      Your pretty pathetic, how you try to appeal to slashdotters. You constantly mention Carmack when talking about piracy because you know that ppl on /. like Carmack. Or you attempt to de corporatize the music industry as if piracy is hurting poor starving artists. You have to get your priorities right, copyright infringement isn't theft, far from it and it shouldn't be a priority for a society where poverty is still the norm. There are things more important than corporate profit.

    22. Re:Other Way Around by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 1

      OMG, you completely twist everything, avoid answering and accuse other people of your mistakes!

      This is your only retort, over and over. "OMG, d00d, you avoid answering when I haven't answered a thing!" Again, you ignore all the points I made earlier in the conversation and continue the obsession with me. Do you have anything at all to say about music piracy?

      When does that happen? Stop talking BS! If it doesn't happen, it doesn't matter.

      It happens all the time. Apparently, you've decided to pretend it doesn't to coincide with your worldview. Amusing.

      There you go, you yourself just proved that its no big deal.

      It is a big deal. You want to pretend ripping someone off isn't a big deal, but hey, thanks for admitting you're 100% anti-artist. Again, do you think John Carmack would appreciate all his years of work into Doom 3 going unpaid? Be sure to avoid this point again.

      We have more importan things to worry about, then something that just means that corporations get less profit.

      Thanks for illustrating my point--again--that you're obsessed with corporations. I mention the artists you're directly ripping off, and you purposely throw that out and mention "corporations" again.

      I couldn't care less if universal makes less money. As long as indie artists don't get hurt (you yourself said that you can't fin their music on P2P - So how do they get hurt? Figures? Evidence? Stop avoiding the answer!).

      I didn't say 100% of all independent artists in the world couldn't be found on P2P, but you need to pretend I said that to have something to attack and accuse me of "avoiding" when I'm not. Do you think The Bad Plus likes it that their album "Give" is available on eMule when they're a struggling indie jazz group? Be sure to avoid talking about the artists and go rattling on about unnamed "corporations" again.

      Your view on GPL is worth a cow's ass.

      I guess you believe if you repeat it enough times without explaining why, it magically becomes true.

      This has nothing to do about thinking by yourself. The purpose of the GPL is a workaround against copyright. If it didn't exist, there would be no need for the GPL. If you don't believe me check the Free software foundation's page.

      The GPL relies 100% on copyright to exist. Companies that violate the copyright of the GPL by not distributing code changes get blasted on Slashdot for "stealing GPL code." You want to pretend Slashdot doesn't do this when it happens all the time, which just means I'm right again.

      Well, this sort of logic might cut it when your in 8th grade

      Yes, you do have to have passed 8th grade to understand that kind of logical thinking, I suppose.

      , but not in the real world. There is a thing called opportunity cost that means that if people had to pay for certain things, they would simply not buy these things! How does that fit into your little world?

      Haha, you must've Google for some random economic term to throw out in an attempt to appear to be debating me. Opportunity cost doesn't mean that at all. Opportunity cost is the consideration of what other thing you might have purchased had you not purchased something else.

      You can't handle this basic math. It's amazing. You are thrashing, struggling, desperate to avoid admitting this incredibly basic, simple fact:

      Paying for music = money goes to artist
      Not paying for music = no money paid to artist


      This thing is self-evident. You can't argue it because it's basic math. If you don't pay someone, they don't get paid. Repeat it until you start to accept it, because apparently it's a great barrier in your mind to recognizing that when you rip off an artist's music that they put out for sale, they don't get paid for it. I guess you think money is magically going to appear in their pockets, but it doesn't. Sorry, kid, that's not how things work outside of the dorm-room.

      Your pretty pathet

      --
      "Sufferin' succotash."
    23. Re:Other Way Around by MvD_Moscow · · Score: 1
      It is a big deal. You want to pretend ripping someone off isn't a big deal, but hey, thanks for admitting you're 100% anti-artist. Again, do you think John Carmack would appreciate all his years of work into Doom 3 going unpaid? Be sure to avoid this point again.

      You haven't used the John Carmack argument on me. I like Doom and I think id make fun games, thats why I buy their work. See an evil pirate who kills babies and supports the axis of evil is not pirating something? Guess why?

      Do you think The Bad Plus likes it that their album...

      Ok, you named one band (after like 3 posts where you ignored my questions), how much did they lose because of P2P. You can't look at this from a moral standpoint, since IP is not a moral thing. We tolerate it because it is supposed to benefit our society. So how much did they lose and would they have really lost that money? Can you actually prove that those people who downloaded the album would buy it if people got executed for using P2P?

      Haha, you must've Google for some random economic term to throw out in an attempt to appear to be debating me. Opportunity cost doesn't mean that at all. Opportunity cost is the consideration of what other thing you might have purchased had you not purchased something else.

      Again copied arguments. Drop it. You get what I mean, people have better things to spend their money than on some top 40 shit. If P2P and piracy wouldn't exist then that doesn't mean that everything that was downloaded would be bought. I mean you can't argue against that.

      Piracy does hurt artists.

      Evidence! Show some proof. More than just oh artist XYZ feels bad that his new album is on P2P. Figure and facts. I am not going to believe something just because you say so. Until you provide evidence, your statement doesn't mean shit! Record labels where never big on unsafe artists, they have to make money not promote art.

      P2P users are more likely to cheat and shoplift. No surprise at all. You have this bizarre moral relativism that you lack the objective capability of recognizing in yourself.

      Please, the study is fucked! Its not objective and its full of shit. Physical property and IP are different things. Saying "its the same" won't change that.

      Again, I mention artists, and you retreat to the "corporate" attacks, ignoring the human beings in the bands you're making sure don't get paid today.

      Well first of all, your not giving me much chance to mention the human beings, since your not providing any evidence that they get hurt (your words aren't enough). Secondly, as I told you before, in my view pirating indie artists is bad and it shouldn't be done unless there is no way in hell you buy that album. I am not going to apply the same to corporate music. For me there is distinction. If you think corporation have the same rights as normal citizens, then thats your problem. I see nothing wrong with ripping off members of RIAA, period.

      You'll never address any of my basic points.

      Strange that anytime I say something, you use that in your next post. What basic points dude? What haven't I addressed. Regarding people getting hurt, I told you, evidence! Regarding loss of sales, I told you I don't agree with you that P2P download must = sale. Regarding corporations, I told you I see a distinction between corps and humans. For me pirating RIAA is morally ok. Since they are breaking the rules (unlimited copyright that doesn't even expire by the worldwide life expectancy, making market-orientated shit not art) by which they are supposed to play. Since they have fuckloads (after all piracy is hurting) they can manipulate public opinion and the government so things work they way they want to. I don't have such resources, so I don't see anything wrong with fucking them over. What else? GPL? You don't get its point, so what do you want. Saying that I am just avoiding the point (regarding the GPL) is all nice, but I can't argue with you if you don't unders

  7. Misleading subject? by g051051 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Perhaps the report should state that people who use P2P for illegal purposes are more likely to commit other crimes. Which is completely logical: if you're willing to commit one type of crime, you're probably more likely to commit others.

    I make occaisional use of P2P, but I don't do illegal things with it.

    1. Re:Misleading subject? by vonoech · · Score: 1

      I think that this is a report based on a bad survey. I would assert that it comes down to how you define an "illegal purpose". Right now the laws in place seem to protect a system of rights management that isn't in the best interests of either the artists or the people that want to enjoy the artist's work; but instead those who profit from the exchange. These same folks that profit from that exchange are unwilling to modify their systems of rights management to reflect changes in the technology that the user community is demonstrating they want to use. Just think of the revenues the recording industry would have if they were ahead of the curve when it came to these new technologies.

      --
      "I'll be better when I'm older"
    2. Re:Misleading subject? by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 1

      Expect to get attacked by the pro-piracy contingent around here, who will argue that copyright is wrong (expect when it comes to GPL code, of course), that piracy is just a-okay, that artists don't mind getting ripped off and not paid, and that's it's okay to do something simply because technology has made it easy to do so (kind of like firing missiles at someone just because you can). They will insist to the bitter end that "piracy is not theft" (even though pirated GPL code gets called "stolen code").

      Every year, I've watched this shift in the Slashdot comments, where at first, people were halfway there about piracy or at least understood the position. Gradually as time passed, more and more people were admiting pirating everything like it was no big deal, and now you can fully expect people to openly admit that they pirate, recommend other P2P networks to pirate on, complain when authorities go after P2P piracy, etc. It's rather blatant now, to the point you can reasonably argue Slashdot is now a pro-piracy website.

      Which is odd, because it means a lot of people are actively encouraging ripping John Carmack off by not paying him for his work on Doom 3, ripping off Trent Reznor by not paying him for his work on the latest NIN album, etc. And the "RIAA," a lobby group for the record labels, is made up into this giant evil controlling corporation that you can use to blame everything on to justify your piracy. "I'm ripping Trent Reznor off to protect him from the RIAA!"

      It just ticks me off that pirates don't just admit what they do. Once in a while, someone responds and is completely honest about it. Those guys I at least respect, because they're honest and objective. "Yeah, I know what I do is wrong and that I'm pirating the artist's music." Unfortunately, I've watched Slashdot over the years construct this entire artificial belief system that lives in a pro-piracy echo-chamber where everything the RIAA does is evil, going after individual infringers (which is what Slashdot editors and readers said the RIAA should do five years ago) to protect your own copyrighted materials is somehow evil, etc.

      I think it's stupid that the labels want to raise prices for online music. But you respond by voicing your complaints and not buying said music if prices go up. They see that, and lower them. You don't pirate the hell out of everything and then claim "The RIAA made me do it!"

      Other dumb excuses, like "P2P is this great network for finding esoteric music that the RIAA doesn't want you to hear," are completely bogus. The most widely traded music files on P2P networks are the popular artists on the Billboard charts! A lot of groups you can't even find on P2P are only available on iTunes, particularly independent artists who sign up with services like CDBaby. You know, independent artists. Those guys you claim to be fighting for are only on places like iTunes. You can't find them on P2P at all. What you find on P2P is crap like Creed, Michael Jackson, Britney Spears, etc.

      Even worse is the "today's music is crap which is why we pirate RIAA music" excuse, which makes no sense whatsoever. If the music sucks, why are you pirating it?

      Ugh.

      --
      "Sufferin' succotash."
    3. Re:Misleading subject? by Decameron81 · · Score: 1
      Perhaps the report should state that people who use P2P for illegal purposes are more likely to commit other crimes. Which is completely logical: if you're willing to commit one type of crime, you're probably more likely to commit others.
      Actually it's not logical. Copying a CD to give it to a friend of yours does not imply you are more likely to steal shops, steal cars, murder people, etc. If you want to say it's logical at least provide some evidence from unbiased and informed sources.
      --
      diegoT
    4. Re:Misleading subject? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You know, I'd add you to my friend's list, but I no longer login to Slashdot. I got tired of making statements such as yours, albeit a bit more impolitely, and getting moderated into oblivion by pro-piracy moderators.

      But, it was refreshing to read your post!

    5. Re:Misleading subject? by lkratz · · Score: 1
    6. Re:Misleading subject? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Bad example. Copying a CD to give it to a friend of yours is not illegal in Canada. Actually now that I think about it, downloading copyrighted music via a P2P network is not illegal either in Canada (though it may be soon).

    7. Re:Misleading subject? by hkmwbz · · Score: 1
      "They will insist to the bitter end that "piracy is not theft""
      Maybe because it isn't. If you call piracy "theft", then you must also accept it if someone chooses to call murder "theft".
      "Gradually as time passed, more and more people were admiting pirating everything like it was no big deal"
      Maybe it isn't such a big deal.
      "And the "RIAA," a lobby group for the record labels, is made up into this giant evil controlling corporation that you can use to blame everything on to justify your piracy. "I'm ripping Trent Reznor off to protect him from the RIAA!""
      Straw man argument.
      ""Yeah, I know what I do is wrong and that I'm pirating the artist's music.""
      You are assuming that pirates think it's wrong in the first place.
      "I think it's stupid that the labels want to raise prices for online music. But you respond by voicing your complaints and not buying said music if prices go up."
      When was the last time something like this worked? Most people are sheep.
      "Other dumb excuses, like "P2P is this great network for finding esoteric music that the RIAA doesn't want you to hear," are completely bogus."
      You only say that they are "bogus" because it doesn't fit your view of the world.
      "Even worse is the "today's music is crap which is why we pirate RIAA music" excuse, which makes no sense whatsoever. If the music sucks, why are you pirating it?"
      I saw this post here on Slashdot (I think), where this guy was actively downloading popular music, and burning it on CD for his friends so that they got it for free instead of paying money for it. That way, he contributed to making sure the recording industry made less money.

      Although if certain studies are to be believed, this kind of thing might actually encourage people to just buy more music. Apparently these evil pirates have more legal music than most people.

      --
      Clever signature text goes here.
    8. Re:Misleading subject? by hkmwbz · · Score: 1
      "Perhaps the report should state that people who use P2P for illegal purposes are more likely to commit other crimes."
      The report is still created by the recording industry to prove a point.

      I don't buy the argument. Copying a file doesn't hurt anyone or lead to a loss for anyone. However, stealing an item does. Most people are fine with copying illegally, but they won't steal.

      --
      Clever signature text goes here.
    9. Re:Misleading subject? by g051051 · · Score: 1

      My statement was: A person who commits one kind of crime is more likely to commit other types of crime.

      You misinterpreted that to mean: A person who commits one kind of crime is equally likely to commit any other kind of crime.

      That's a rather broad over-genralization of my statement, isn't it?

    10. Re:Misleading subject? by g051051 · · Score: 1
      I don't buy the argument. Copying a file doesn't hurt anyone or lead to a loss for anyone. However, stealing an item does. Most people are fine with copying illegally, but they won't steal.


      Regardless of your opinions of whether anyone is hurt or if it leads to a tangible loss, it is stealing under the law. If you don't agree, then the laws should be changed, but until then it is a crime, it is theft, and saying otherwise because no tangible good is involved is just sophistry.
    11. Re:Misleading subject? by shawb · · Score: 1

      The recording industry as a whole may be ahead of the curve, problem is that all these technologies allow for smaller start-up labels to actually afford some serious competition. This means that the large companies whose business model is based on huge record sale volume really can't compete in this new era. Better to just vilify all P2P, methinks.

      --
      I'll never make that mistake again, reading the experts' opinions. - Feynman
    12. Re:Misleading subject? by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 1

      Maybe because it isn't.

      Then you can no longer refer to copyright-violated GPL code as "stolen code."

      Maybe it isn't such a big deal.

      Wow. I can't argue with that kind of research.

      You are assuming that pirates think it's wrong in the first place.

      Oh, they do, very much so. This is why they invent entire belief systems to justify it and make themselves not feel guilty. "The RIAA made me do it!" It's like blaming violent videogames for murder.

      "And the "RIAA," a lobby group for the record labels, is made up into this giant evil controlling corporation that you can use to blame everything on to justify your piracy. "I'm ripping Trent Reznor off to protect him from the RIAA!""
      Straw man argument.


      No, it's not. You just have no counterargument for it. The RIAA is absolutely used as a scapegoat to justify ripping people off so you don't have to pay for something. "The RIAA made me do it!"

      When was the last time something like this worked? Most people are sheep.

      Again, I just can't argue with this kind of superb dorm-room rhetoric. Most people are sheep, dude! By the way, "something like this" works all the time.

      You only say that they are "bogus" because it doesn't fit your view of the world.

      No, I say it's bogus because I just proved why it's bogus--esoteric music is rarely traded, if at all, on P2P. What you find are Billboard artists. It makes you frustrated that you can't counter this, so you invent a "world view" argument. Next.

      I saw this post here on Slashdot (I think), where this guy was actively downloading popular music, and burning it on CD for his friends so that they got it for free instead of paying money for it. That way, he contributed to making sure the recording industry made less money.

      This is the real kicker. You illustrate my own point for me that "today's music sucks, so that's why people pirate" is bogus. You also illustrate that the only reason people want to rip off artists is so they don't have to pay money for it. Congratulations on ripping people off. You just don't care. You've never met, talked to, or asked an artist about what they feel. You just scapegoat some faceless adversary, the "RIAA."

      Although if certain studies are to be believed, this kind of thing might actually encourage people to just buy more music. Apparently these evil pirates have more legal music than most people.

      "If certain studies are to be believed"..."Apparently"...lovely. No cited studies, and no mention of the fact that correlation does not equal causation anyway.

      I think it's pretty clear your pro-piracy agenda is pretty much decimated by simple logic. Have fun making sure people don't get paid today. Next time, do a little thinking before you embarrass yourself with such flawed logic in a post.

      --
      "Sufferin' succotash."
    13. Re:Misleading subject? by Decameron81 · · Score: 1

      It's not a broad over-generalization. I still can't see how people that download music from p2p networks (illegaly) is "more likely" to commit other types of crimes than people that doesn't (this is what you said in your first post). It may be true, it may be not.... but it's certainly not "logical".

      Is someone who downloads music illegaly "more likely" to steal cars, steal from shops, kill people, insult cops, etc, etc, than someone who does not?

      --
      diegoT
    14. Re:Misleading subject? by Chaotic+Spyder · · Score: 1

      Wow.. I disagree with what you have to say on so many levels although it's clear we both understand each other side and will never get further than that.

      So I will try to make a point more on your "flawed" assumptions rather than your logic. Because I feel that you do have some interesting points that I do agree with and will now look forward to reading more of your posts

      You make a point that the most popular music downloaded are billboard top hits, and you also say that you see here people posting that they download rare music. Now think about that for a second, maybe it's possible that the people you are preaching to here (general /. Public) do not download pop culture bullshit but rather interesting, creative and hard to get music, that you cant buy in stores.

      --
      Losers whine about their best, Winners go home to fuck the prom queen
    15. Re:Misleading subject? by Belial6 · · Score: 1

      I have yet to meet an adult American that has not knowingly and intentionally commited a crime. Whether it is speeding, copyright violation, jay walking, or a thousand other crimes that the vast majority of the population does not find to be a big deal. Now it is possible that you are that one magical person that has never jay walked, littered or sped, but I highly doubt that.

      If you are not that mythical 'never commited a crime' person, then you are hypocrate. If you are, then I just have to say 'Wow', good for you.

    16. Re:Misleading subject? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      Which is completely logical: if you're willing to commit one type of crime, you're probably more likely to commit others.

      I'd phrase that differently: those who are willing to do one Wrong thing, are probably more likely to do other Wrong things. What is illegal and what is wrong don't always line up.

      There are millions of perfectly upstanding citizens just in the United States (and millions more the world over) who break the law in precisely one way -- by smoking pot -- but are not at all interested in breaking any other laws.

    17. Re:Misleading subject? by hkmwbz · · Score: 1
      "Regardless of your opinions of whether anyone is hurt or if it leads to a tangible loss, it is stealing under the law."
      No it isn't. That's why there are separate laws that deal with copyright infringement.
      "If you don't agree, then the laws should be changed, but until then it is a crime, it is theft,"
      It might be a crime, but it isn't theft.
      "and saying otherwise because no tangible good is involved is just sophistry."
      You can reapeat the false claim that copyright infringement is theft until you turn blue in the face, but it won't make it true.
      --
      Clever signature text goes here.
    18. Re:Misleading subject? by hkmwbz · · Score: 1
      "Then you can no longer refer to copyright-violated GPL code as "stolen code.""
      You seem to be an expert at throwing around straw man arguments. I've never referred to it as "stolen code".
      "Wow. I can't argue with that kind of research."
      You made a claim that it is a big deal to everyone without backing it up. You were stating an opinion. I gave you my opinion/view on the subject. Get over it. I know that you find it hard to accept the fact that different people have different opinions, but at least try!
      "Oh, they do, very much so. This is why they invent entire belief systems to justify it and make themselves not feel guilty."
      Like the way you are inventing entire belief systems to justify your totalitarian/fascist view of the world?
      "By the way, "something like this" works all the time."
      Examples?
      "I say it's bogus because I just proved why it's bogus--esoteric music is rarely traded, if at all, on P2P."
      Wrong.
      "It makes you frustrated that you can't counter this, so you invent a "world view" argument."
      There's nothing to counter. You are stating your opinion. But you can't handle it when my opinion is not the same as yours.
      "You illustrate my own point for me that "today's music sucks, so that's why people pirate" is bogus."
      Wrong. I mentioned an example. You are falsely assuming that everyone on Slashdot has the same opinions again. They don't. Get over it.
      "You also illustrate that the only reason people want to rip off artists is so they don't have to pay money for it."
      You are failing to realize that different people have different opinions again. It must suck to be you.
      "Congratulations on ripping people off. You just don't care. You've never met, talked to, or asked an artist about what they feel."
      You don't know anything about me, and yet you are making comments about what you think I'm like or what you think I've done. Again, Slashdot is an online community with thousands of different individuals. I can understand that you can only think of people as belonging to your stereotypes, but I'm afraid that simply is not the case.
      ""If certain studies are to be believed"..."Apparently"...lovely. No cited studies, and no mention of the fact that correlation does not equal causation anyway."
      You post a lot of drivel on Slashdot, so surely you have caught the stories on these studies? If not, I suggest that you pay more attention to arguments for opposing views instead of acting like your opinion is the only one that counts.
      "I think it's pretty clear your pro-piracy agenda is pretty much decimated by simple logic."
      I think it's pretty clear that your anti-individual rights agenda is pretty much decimated by simple logic. Your attitude towards individual rights ("destroy them, who needs them anyway?") is simply indefensible, yet you continue to try and defend it.
      "Have fun making sure people don't get paid today."
      I'm not preventing anyone from getting paid. On the contrary.
      "Next time, do a little thinking before you embarrass yourself with such flawed logic in a post."
      That's harsh, coming from a guy who thinks everyone on Slashdot is the same person, and who thinks he's "overly critical", when the fact is that he's bought into bullshit propaganda from the recording industry and their friends. You must be one of the most naive people on Slashdot.
      --
      Clever signature text goes here.
    19. Re:Misleading subject? by zotz · · Score: 1

      I have another thought relating to all of this.

      Perhaps having laws on the books that are not vigourously enforced leads to a lack of respect for law in general.

      In my country, we have laws against speeding, various laws relating to where you can park, gambling, public profanity, the list goes on and on. Now, I am not saying they are all bad laws, but it sure seems they are not seriously persued. People are quite happy to discuss their illegal gambling in public, even in the presence of police officers.

      When you get a citizenry who, instead of obeying all the laws as a general rule, get accustomed to looking at the laws and deciding which the government are serious about and need to be obeyed and which they are not serious about and can be disreguarded, this is not a good situation in my humble estimation.

      To comment on your quote:

      "if you're willing to commit one type of crime, you're probably more likely to commit others."

      Perhaps, if you get used to breaking a law by commiting action which you think would not be wrong except that it is against the law, and which you see your government is not serious about enforcing anyway, then it is easier to proceed to the next lawless act.

      all the best,

      drew
      --
      http://www.ourmedia.org/node/57503
      Paper Plane Design 001 Video
      Creative Commons BY-SA License

      --
      FreeMusicPush If you want to see more Free Music made, listen to Free
    20. Re:Misleading subject? by jitterysquid · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I don't pirate music. I don't buy much music period. I still think the RIAA is evil. Why?

      * They want to shut down P2P networks that I use for other purposes (ISOs, mostly)
      * They want to insert themselves in my computer to make sure I'm obeying the law
      * They want to obsolete my CD player by making non-compliant discs
      * They want me to pay a tax on blank media, because I am obviously infringing copyright with it
      * They want to restrict my fair use of music that I purchase

      I am obeying the law. I am respecting copyrights. I am remunerating the music companies and the artists for their work. Why am I treated like a criminal?

      If I never listen to music, why should the music industry be allowed to affect other parts of my life? If I don't buy stuff from Wal-Mart, should they come after me with legislation hindering my daily activities?

    21. Re:Misleading subject? by rzbx · · Score: 1

      First of all, your picking out small examples and then generalizing out of them. Your doing it a lot.

      "It just ticks me off that pirates don't just admit what they do."

      Umm, ok everyone, start postong "I am a pirate, I sail the savage seas, and I download material covered by the U.S. copyright" to make this kid happy. Well, I'm upset because you won't admit that your eating too much sugar, won't get off Ritalin, and that your posts are full of your opinions about what other people supposedly think.

      "...where everything the RIAA does is evil, going after individual infringers (which is what Slashdot editors and readers said the RIAA should do five years ago) to protect your own copyrighted materials is somehow evil, etc."

      There is a difference between a kid downloading a song from another kid as opposed to some criminal enterprise that mass produces the copyrighted material and sells it for a profit. When people point out the evil things the RIAA does, it seems to fly right over the heads of those that stick to the "infringing is stealing" logic. One needs to take a realistic view on this topic, and constistantly confusing "breaking copyright law" with "stealing" is a major obstacle in finally getting past the kneejerk reaction posts. When you get into this subject further, it leads you into philosophy, so I won't go too far. If you wish to argue the merits of the copyright law, then by all means do. But enough of this grumpy parading on Slashdot.

      People are upset, because the RIAA is both defending the law in a very morally questionable way and continue to make the law worse (they aren't the only ones).

      "You know, independent artists. Those guys you claim to be fighting for are only on places like iTunes."

      Again your talking about things you just do not understand, and pulling statements quite literally out of your ass. iTunes is definitely NOT the ONLY place for independent artists. In fact, the RIAA has tried to stop independent artists and labels from becoming more prominent. That is one of their biggest worries. Why? Think about it. What is the RIAA? I can assure you they are not there to protect the independent artists and labels out there, hence the reason they are called independent. The RIAA is in the business of protecting the interests of those it serves. Who does it serve you ask? Not the artists. Not the consumers. Here are the five major ones they support Sony, EMI, UMG, Time Warner, and BMG.

      You claim all these various arguments are excuses, but like I said before, your picking out small examples. There is a truth behind those arguments. Instead of just flat out claiming that they are excuses, look into it. Turn on the radio to one mainstream station (RIAA friendly station, not independant) and listen to it for a week. Then come back and complain about it :).

      If your really so upset about artists not getting paid. Do something. Change the system. Because trying to change all the people to follow the old ugly system, would be naive.

      --
      Question everything.
    22. Re:Misleading subject? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Bah humbug. I'd compare copyright violations to speeding, worst case.

      If someone is caught speeding, they get fined and walk away. Many times, or dangerous speeding, the penalties get worse.

      Right now, your kid's cousin's friend downloads Britney's greatest Elvis impressions, and voila, you could possibly face a life-destroying revenge campaign from a (imho) crazed, psychopathic organization. And supposedly, this is only to 'prove a point'.

      I don't know how safe you're feeling, but I've got kids around. I think the situation sucks, and that the RIAA are a bunch of bullies. But that's just the parental view, maybe.

      You too, could be getting stalked right now and not know it.

      ec

    23. Re:Misleading subject? by liquidsin · · Score: 1

      of course you always drive below the speed limit and cross the street as designated cross walks, right?

      --
      do not read this line twice.
    24. Re:Misleading subject? by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 1

      You seem to be an expert at throwing around straw man arguments. I've never referred to it as "stolen code"

      Ah, the Slashdot tactic. Refer to everything as a "straw man" because you can't respond to it. Give me a break, Slashdot constantly refers to "stolen GPL code."

      You made a claim that it is a big deal to everyone without backing it up. You were stating an opinion. I gave you my opinion/view on the subject. Get over it. I know that you find it hard to accept the fact that different people have different opinions, but at least try!

      The problem is, my "opinions" are based on hard facts, common sense, and actual evidence. All pro-pirates have is emotion-based rhetoric and "The RIAA made me do it!"

      "I say it's bogus because I just proved why it's bogus--esoteric music is rarely traded, if at all, on P2P."

      Wrong.


      ROFL. That's it? A one-word answer with no supporting evidence? Try finding the Lascivious Biddies on eMule. Or the live Bad Plus album. Nope, what you find on P2P networks is that, overwhelmingly, the most available groups are....the popular groups! Britney Spears, Madonna, the Beatles, Nickelback, etc. You won't find Manburger, Happy Apple, and so on.

      P2P networks are not used to trade esoteric music and enrich people's musical landscapes. They're used to trade stuff on MTV and the radio so people don't have to pay for them. Purely selfish reasons.

      There's nothing to counter. You are stating your opinion. But you can't handle it when my opinion is not the same as yours.

      Ah, the "you can't handle my differing opinion" copout. Just admit you have no counterargument and move on.

      You don't know anything about me, and yet you are making comments about what you think I'm like or what you think I've done. Again, Slashdot is an online community with thousands of different individuals. I can understand that you can only think of people as belonging to your stereotypes, but I'm afraid that simply is not the case.

      Look, kid, it's obvious you've never spoken to any artist or asked them what they think. You just assumed, and I caught you on it, or else you'd have countered my point. Your mindset is completely transparent, and it clearly frustrates you that I so easily zeroed in on your worldview.

      You post a lot of drivel on Slashdot, so surely you have caught the stories on these studies? If not, I suggest that you pay more attention to arguments for opposing views instead of acting like your opinion is the only one that counts.

      Correlation does not equal causation. I know you probably form your worldview based entirely on Slashdot headlines, but believe it or not, there are studies that contradict your premise, and there are opinions that exist outside the humid Slashdot echo chamber.

      I think it's pretty clear that your anti-individual rights agenda is pretty much decimated by simple logic.

      Amazingly, I'm the one standing up for the rights of individual artists, while you are eager to rip them off. I think it's obvious who has the anti-individual agenda here.

      Your attitude towards individual rights ("destroy them, who needs them anyway?") is simply indefensible, yet you continue to try and defend it.

      Your only counterargument is to completely invent something I never said, and attack that. Your weak position has painted you into a corner. Knowing that I'm the one standing up for the rights of individual artists, you have no choice but to attempt to stereotype me and dismiss my opinion, instead of directly addressing all the points I made. Cute, but sad.

      I'm not preventing anyone from getting paid. On the contrary.

      Here's this magic thing called math:

      Someone pays for album = artist gets paid for album
      Someone rips off album without paying for it = artist doesn't get paid for album

      I'll let you work it out in the dorm room.

      That's harsh, coming from a guy who thinks everyone on Slashdo

      --
      "Sufferin' succotash."
    25. Re:Misleading subject? by hkmwbz · · Score: 1

      "Ah, the Slashdot tactic. Refer to everything as a "straw man" because you can't respond to it."

      There's no point in responding to it, because it doesn't apply to me.

      "Give me a break, Slashdot constantly refers to "stolen GPL code.""

      "Slashdot" is a community with lots of different people with different opinions. I know that's hard for you to accept, but it's a fact.

      "The problem is, my "opinions" are based on hard facts, common sense, and actual evidence."

      No, your opinions are based on your eagerness to be "special" and stand out by attacking anyone who has a different opinion.

      "ROFL. That's it? A one-word answer with no supporting evidence?"

      As a reply to a self-righteous naive guy with no supporting evidence for his claims.

      "Ah, the "you can't handle my differing opinion" copout. Just admit you have no counterargument and move on."

      Before you ask for arguments from others, provide some yourself. All you have posted so far is pure opinion, and misguided at that.

      "Look, kid, it's obvious you've never spoken to any artist or asked them what they think. You just assumed, and I caught you on it, or else you'd have countered my point. Your mindset is completely transparent, and it clearly frustrates you that I so easily zeroed in on your worldview."

      The only thing you have zeroed in on is your own lies and deception. Your entire world view is based on useless generalizations and an inability to accept the fact that different people have different opinions. If someone doesn't share your opinion, then they are part of some Slashdot conspiracy in your world.

      "Amazingly, I'm the one standing up for the rights of individual artists, while you are eager to rip them off. I think it's obvious who has the anti-individual agenda here."

      You aren't standing up for anyone's rights. You are merely being an asshole on Slashdot because you get picked on in real life, and therefore you feel the need to post under the cover of anonymity on Slashdot, and you feel safe spreading lies and attacking anyone who dares to have a different opinion from yours.

      "Your only counterargument is to completely invent something I never said, and attack that."

      So, how does it feel to be on the receiving end of the kind of arguments you use against other people?

      "Your weak position has painted you into a corner."

      On the contrary. I have simply exposed you as what you really are.

      "Knowing that I'm the one standing up for the rights of individual artists,"

      Actually, you are just whoring whatever is necessary at the moment to be opposed to everyone else. Tomorrow you'll be attacking artists because someone posts a Slashdot story which might be about how the recording industry exploits artists.

      And the funny thing is, all these people who share their opinions are different people, while you are a single person who changes his stance depending on what's hot at the moment. Just to oppose "everyone else".

      "you have no choice but to attempt to stereotype me and dismiss my opinion, instead of directly addressing all the points I made. Cute, but sad."

      You just described your own behavior on Slashdot, overly naive guy.

      "Here's this magic thing called math:"

      That's not math. That's missing the point.

      "Not wanting to rip off artists is somehow "propaganda.""

      No, but wanting to distort the truth and doing everything you can to do so is close.

      "I mention individual artist rights"

      You couldn't care less. All you ar

      --
      Clever signature text goes here.
    26. Re:Misleading subject? by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 1

      There's no point in responding to it, because it doesn't apply to me.

      Translation: "I can't think of anything to counter your argument, so I'll pretend it's valid to say it doesn't apply to me and stick my fingers in my ears and close my eyes."

      "Slashdot" is a community with lots of different people with different opinions. I know that's hard for you to accept, but it's a fact.

      I know it's extremely difficult for you to accept the fact that the vast majority of Slashdot refers to "stolen GPL code," that these are the comments that get modded up, and that these are the stories that get posted. Look up the definition of groupthink sometime.

      No, your opinions are based on your eagerness to be "special" and stand out by attacking anyone who has a different opinion.

      Meanwhile, you still have not address a single one of my points. All you've done is resort to meaningless psycho-analysis to avoid the fact you have no counterargument, which has made me laugh every time you do it. Thanks.

      Before you ask for arguments from others, provide some yourself. All you have posted so far is pure opinion, and misguided at that.

      I've already proven my points. You have yet to counter them. Your mantra seems to be, "I'll just repeat over and over that you're misguided, and it will magically become true someday!"

      The only thing you have zeroed in on is your own lies and deception. Your entire world view is based on useless generalizations and an inability to accept the fact that different people have different opinions. If someone doesn't share your opinion, then they are part of some Slashdot conspiracy in your world.

      My world view is based on simple common sense and logic. Your head is in the clouds, unable to address a single one of my points. You're not even talking about the topic anymore, you're talking about me. I said nothing about a "Slashdot conspiracy;" you just invented that to have something to attack since you have nothing else to say on the topic at hand, music piracy.

      You aren't standing up for anyone's rights.

      I'm standing up for individual's rights, the right of an artist. You're standing up for the collective majority of dorm-room freeloaders who are too cheap to pay a dollar for a song and think that gives them the magic right to rip people off. Would John Carmack agree that piracy of Doom 3 is okay?

      You are merely being an asshole on Slashdot because you get picked on in real life

      More meaningless psycho-analysis to avoid addressing the topic at hand. The ol' "You're just picked on in real life, take that!" routine. Thanks for the laugh, kid.

      , and therefore you feel the need to post under the cover of anonymity on Slashdot, and you feel safe spreading lies and attacking anyone who dares to have a different opinion from yours.

      No, it's just that you're clearly frustrated at your inability to address a single one of my points, so you have to try to distract and "figure me out" to dismiss my points and avoid talking about the subject, music piracy. All you've done is talk about me.

      So, how does it feel to be on the receiving end of the kind of arguments you use against other people?

      Still waiting for a single retort to any of the points I made. Oh, more desperate distractions and non-specific accusations? What a surprise.

      On the contrary. I have simply exposed you as what you really are.

      You, sir, are a scholar and a gentleman, and I salute you. I fear your outing skills.

      Actually, you are just whoring whatever is necessary at the moment to be opposed to everyone else.

      No, but you need to accuse me of such so you can avoid talking about music piracy, of which you clearly know nothing about.

      Tomorrow you'll be attacking artists because someone posts a Slashdot story which might be about how the recording industry exploits artists.

      No, I won't at all, but thanks for pl

      --
      "Sufferin' succotash."
    27. Re:Misleading subject? by hkmwbz · · Score: 1
      It's quite amazing to see you make a complete ass of yourself :)

      You start off with straw man arguments about "stolen GPL code", which I've never even mentioned in any of my posts. You clearly demonstrate a lack of ability to understand that all these people posting on Slashdot are, in fact, different individuals with different opinions. Just because another guy you've blown up in anger over has talked about "stolen GPL code" doesn't mean that anyone who opposes your nonsensical, fascist drivel does the same thing.

      You repeatedly accuse people of doing exactly what you are doing yourself. For example:

      "All you've done, through your entire post, is attack me for having a different opinion."
      Which is basically what you've done with my posts.
      "All you've done is resort to meaningless psycho-analysis to avoid the fact you have no counterargument"
      Ditto. This is exactly what you've been doing. Just look at your previous post. You started "analyzing" me, and thought that the reason why I dared to speak against you was because... and you came up with some "meaningless psycho-analysis to avoid the fact that you have no" arguments.
      "And, finally, the classic sign of a weak mind. "I can't argue with you, so I'll just use some emotive word to call you like 'fascist!' That makes me feel all better inside...""
      You are obviously a bit thick, because you still don't understand why I called you a fascist. It's simply because you started throwing around claims and accusations about me when I countered your drivel. But when I did the exact same thing to you, you started weeping like a crybaby and running around in circles because you can't take it when people use the same kind of arguments against you that you always use against other people.

      What's so hilarious is that you are all over me now for turning your own methods in discussions against yourself. And when you are on the receiving end of the kind of behavior you show all the time, you get all worked up and heartbroken.

      You have done nothing but attack me and state purely subjective opinions. Yet you somehow believe that your unfounded opinions are "well founded arguments".

      "And, finally, the classic sign of a weak mind. "I can't argue with you, so I'll just use some emotive word to call you like 'fascist!' That makes me feel all better inside...""
      Haha, and this nonsense is coming form Mr. "all you have is anti-capitalist venom" himself...

      I can easily answer your post with this: Pot, kettle, black. That's all there is to it. You are reflecting your own flaws onto others.

      --
      Clever signature text goes here.
    28. Re:Misleading subject? by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 1

      It's quite amazing to see you make a complete ass of yourself :)

      Ah, this ol' tactic. "I don't have any counterarguments, so I'll pretend I'm amused at you. Point for me!"

      You start off with straw man arguments about "stolen GPL code", which I've never even mentioned in any of my posts.

      The ol' "I don't have any counterarguments, so I'll accuse you of 'straw man arguments.'" I never said you mentioned GPL code in your posts. It was a point about the moral relativism of Slashdot.

      You clearly demonstrate a lack of ability to understand that all these people posting on Slashdot are, in fact, different individuals with different opinions.

      You continue your obsession with avoiding the idea of Slashdot groupthink, which exists based on upmodded posts and the articles that get published to the front page.

      Just because another guy you've blown up in anger over has talked about "stolen GPL code" doesn't mean that anyone who opposes your nonsensical, fascist drivel does the same thing.

      I haven't "blown up in anger" over anything; on the contrary, I've been laughing at both of you and your ridiculously weak positions. You can't debate a single point about music piracy without spiraling into attacking me. You seem think if you call my arguments enough names, they'll magically go away. "Fascist drivel! Yeah, it's fascist drivel! I've never known fascism in my life, but I'll accuse you of it because you dare suggest not ripping artists off!"

      You repeatedly accuse people of doing exactly what you are doing yourself.

      You've done nothing but call me fascist, call me thick, and call me various other things. You can't debate any actual point. You know, those things we call facts and evidence. You have none, so you think repeating over and over "You do what you accuse others of doing!" actually means anything. Of course, it doesn't, but I guess you need that to retreat to in every post to avoid addressing anything.

      You are obviously a bit thick, because you still don't understand why I called you a fascist.

      You called me a fascist because you're some dorm-room kid who doesn't know what fascism actually is. You probably also call people you disagree with "Nazis."

      Funny. You're doing exactly what you accused me of doing--calling those you disagree with names.

      It's simply because you started throwing around claims and accusations about me when I countered your drivel.

      But you didn't counter anything. Re-read your own posts. All you did was attack me. You have completely avoided any and all addressing of my points. I can only assume you lack the ability to debate one.

      But when I did the exact same thing to you, you started weeping like a crybaby and running around in circles because you can't take it when people use the same kind of arguments against you that you always use against other people.

      Again, because you disagree with me and can't explain to me why, you call me more names and non-specifically accuse me of "running around in circles." Notice what's missing? Any attempt at debating the points of discussion. Instead, we get more name-calling. Clearly, you have no idea what you're talking about and so are trying incredibly hard to make my points go away by calling me names, and then accusing me of such.

      Get back to me when you actually decide to start talking about music piracy and the points I raised.

      What's so hilarious is that you are all over me now for turning your own methods in discussions against yourself. And when you are on the receiving end of the kind of behavior you show all the time, you get all worked up and heartbroken.

      And now I'm "heartbroken!" Hysterical. You're the one running in circles here, retreading the same accusations over and over, avoiding discussing any of my points about music piracy.

      I have an idea, cite an actual example where I used these "methods of discussion."

      --
      "Sufferin' succotash."
    29. Re:Misleading subject? by hkmwbz · · Score: 1
      "I have an idea, cite an actual example where I used these "methods of discussion." You haven't yet, and I don't expect you will, of course."
      Look just below the "For example:" part of my post. See? As always, you aren't even paying attention, just shooting off your mouth without actually understanding what people are saying.
      "Because my arguments were indeed so well-founded, you have yet to address them."
      No, they were pure opinion, and badly founded at that.
      "Still waiting for a single counterargument about music piracy..."
      Before you can get counter-arguments, you need to bring up some valid arguments of your own.
      "Oddly, you're suggesting here that I am anti-capitalist"
      No, I'm pointing out the fact that you told me that "all you have is anti-capitalist venom" because I disagreed with you. So I used the same method against you to teach you a lesson. I called you a fascist to give you a taste of your own medicine.
      "which goes against your own earlier accusations. Of course, I would never expect logic to permeate that thick-skulled dorm-room mindset of yours that has to avoid discussing music piracy at all costs, because I clearly wipe the floor with your position."
      Before you can wipe the floor with someone else, you should at least try not to make a complete fool of yourself by not actually understanding what they are saying, and by not being the pot calling the kettle black...
      --
      Clever signature text goes here.
    30. Re:Misleading subject? by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 1
      Look just below the "For example:" part of my post. See? As always, you aren't even paying attention, just shooting off your mouth without actually understanding what people are saying.

      Okay, let's look:

      You repeatedly accuse people of doing exactly what you are doing yourself. For example:

      "All you've done, through your entire post, is attack me for having a different opinion."

      Which is basically what you've done with my posts.


      Oh? You didn't actually cite an example, you just requoted what I said and pretended that it was magically self-evident? Where is your example of where I ignored a point you raised and insulted you instead, which was what I was asking for?

      Oh, right, you're just a troll.

      No, they were pure opinion, and badly founded at that.

      They were 100% fact, and you can't refute them. You have yet to, which means I dominated your position. Next.

      Before you can get counter-arguments, you need to bring up some valid arguments of your own.

      Thankfully, I did that long ago, unlike you. Your inability to address them means I completely dominated your position. Next.

      No, I'm pointing out the fact that you told me that "all you have is anti-capitalist venom" because I disagreed with you.

      It's true. You didn't address any of my points. All you did was go off on some anti-corporate rants. Therefore, all you have is anti-capitalist venom. Next time, actually address the topic of conversation, music piracy.

      So I used the same method against you to teach you a lesson. I called you a fascist to give you a taste of your own medicine.

      But what you really ended up doing was revealing how ineffective you are at rational thought and debate. It was the same method you use in your anti-capitalist rants to avoid talking about the points I raised regarding ripping artists off. Go back and read your posts; it's all there. Next.

      Before you can wipe the floor with someone else, you should at least try not to make a complete fool of yourself by not actually understanding what they are saying, and by not being the pot calling the kettle black...

      Notice you STILL didn't address any of my points about music piracy. You have nothing to offer. Get back to me when you step foot outside the dorm-room and do a little research on how the real world works. Then maybe, just maybe, you might start talking about music piracy again instead of obsessing over me.

      Next.
      --
      "Sufferin' succotash."
    31. Re:Misleading subject? by hkmwbz · · Score: 1
      And the overly naive guy loses yet another discussion because he is unable to present any rational arguments for his position. All he is able to do is to present his opinion as fact, and then attack people who don't agree.
      "You didn't actually cite an example"
      Oh, let's see! Calling me anti-capitalist because I disagreed with you, for one. But hey, don't let facts get in the way of your crusade against common decency and rational debate.

      This is not the first time you've made a complete fool of yourself. Your posting history and general reputation on Slashdot speaks for itself.

      Next! :)

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      Clever signature text goes here.
    32. Re:Misleading subject? by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 1

      And the overly naive guy loses yet another discussion because he is unable to present any rational arguments for his position. All he is able to do is to present his opinion as fact, and then attack people who don't agree.

      And here you are doing the same! Do you have anything to say about music piracy? No? Didn't think so.

      I already presented my rational arguments. You haven't addressed a single one of them. You haven't quoted anything and then responded to it. You haven't offered a counterpoint.

      Oh, let's see! Calling me anti-capitalist because I disagreed with you, for one.

      No, I said all you have is anti-capitalist rhetoric. See, kid, this goes back to the whole "not responding to my arguments" thing. You didn't and instead just rattled on about corporations instead of responding to my points about piracy and ripping artists off.

      But hey, don't let facts get in the way of your crusade against common decency and rational debate.

      You're right, I should follow your model of attacking the other person because you lack the ability to debate the issue.

      This is not the first time you've made a complete fool of yourself. Your posting history and general reputation on Slashdot speaks for itself.

      Ooh! The ol' "I will dismiss you based on an imaginary reputation I've invented for you to hide the fact I'm running screaming from the topic at hand--music piracy" routine.

      Get back to me when you do a little research and can actually speak on the topic of music piracy. Next.

      --
      "Sufferin' succotash."
    33. Re:Misleading subject? by hkmwbz · · Score: 1
      I knew from the start that you were a lost cause. I've seen your posts on this site, and you are nothing but a troll. I couldn't resist poking you to make fun of you, though.

      This comment put it nicely in fact. You are nothing but a troll who keeps attacking people and spewing out opinions that you think are facts.

      You are an amusing troll, that's all. Unfortunately, your posts are very long and very predictable, so it does get boring. When all you can do is to repeat tired old lies again and again...

      Read this comment, which corners you nicely and leaves you as the fool that you are.

      Farewell, troll.

      --
      Clever signature text goes here.
    34. Re:Misleading subject? by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 1

      Once again, your entire post completely ignored any of the points I made about music piracy and instead did nothing but attack me. This proves that I had the correct position and completely, to put it bluntly, owned your ass in this debate. The fact you spent so long just attacking me, me, me over and over while running screaming from the points I raised about music piracy, GPL double standards, ripping artists off, and the scapegoating of the RIAA.

      If you really had any semblance of rational thought, you would have addressed any of those points. Instead, you linked to some other person's thoughts twice and stuck it in your sig in an bizarre obsession over me. I already tore apart that other person's post which is really just a longer version of yours--attack me while completely ignoring the points.

      Why do pro-pirates do that? Because deep down, they really do feel guilty and know that what they do is wrong. So when someone ends up making them feel guilty or ashamed, they lash out with their reptilian brains and attack the messenger.

      I'm grinning right now. :) I totally owned your ass, and you threw in the towel.

      Next.

      --
      "Sufferin' succotash."
    35. Re:Misleading subject? by hkmwbz · · Score: 1
      Bzzt, wrong. That someone attacks you doesn't mean that you are right. Besides, you are attacking others all the time, and I'm but one of many people you have attacked for no reason. By your logic, I am right because you are attacking me.

      The "points" you raised were either irrelevant, wrong, or complete nonsense.

      As for your comment about "pro-pirates", that's just more "meaningless psycho-analysis to avoid the fact you have no counterargument" :)

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      Clever signature text goes here.
    36. Re:Misleading subject? by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 1

      Bzzt, wrong. That someone attacks you doesn't mean that you are right.

      Yes, when someone attacks you instead of your points, you've already won the debate.

      Besides, you are attacking others all the time, and I'm but one of many people you have attacked for no reason. By your logic, I am right because you are attacking me.

      I haven't attacked anyone who didn't attack me first. I brought up points about music piracy, and the pro-piracy contingent came out of the woodwork, ignored every point I raised, and just called me names and ranted about capitalism.

      The "points" you raised were either irrelevant, wrong, or complete nonsense.

      Once again, you can't actually counter a single one, so you try to dismiss them all to avoid having to address them. You can't counter my point about GPL hypocrisy, my point about making sure artists don't get paid, my point about the scapegoating of the RIAA...you can't quote and address a single one. This means my position has completely dominated yours.

      As for your comment about "pro-pirates", that's just more "meaningless psycho-analysis to avoid the fact you have no counterargument" :)

      The difference is that mine is supported by evidence (your posts), while your psycho-analysis is simple avoidance to avoid addressing my points.

      Look at how, once again, you've completely avoided addressing music piracy in any way, shape, or form. This means I've owned your ass.

      Next.

      --
      "Sufferin' succotash."
    37. Re:Misleading subject? by hkmwbz · · Score: 1
      I have already countered your "points". For example, the "GPL hypocrisy" comment is nonsense because I've never talked about "stolen GPL code", and there are lots of people on Slashdot who haven't either. All you are doing is to throw out straw man arguments and then attack people.
      "I haven't attacked anyone who didn't attack me first."
      Wrong. Read back to the first comment you posted as a response to mine.

      You lose again :)

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      Clever signature text goes here.
    38. Re:Misleading subject? by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 1

      I have already countered your "points". For example, the "GPL hypocrisy" comment is nonsense because I've never talked about "stolen GPL code", and there are lots of people on Slashdot who haven't either.

      I never said you specifically. I was referring to the majority of Slashdot, and therefore the prevailing pro-piracy position.

      Outrage in the CherryOS article, calls for legal action to "stolen code"

      Next.

      All you are doing is to throw out straw man arguments and then attack people.

      All you've done is say "straw man" over and over while refusing to address a single point about music piracy.

      "I haven't attacked anyone who didn't attack me first."
      Wrong. Read back to the first comment you posted as a response to mine.


      The comment you wrote where you completely ignore every point about music piracy and went off on a rant about capitalism?

      I've owned your ass, kid. Accept it. Deal with it. Move on.

      Next.

      --
      "Sufferin' succotash."
    39. Re:Misleading subject? by hkmwbz · · Score: 1
      Hehe, if anyone has been "owned" it's you. You are making a fool of yourself every time you post.
      "I never said you specifically. I was referring to the majority of Slashdot, and therefore the prevailing pro-piracy position."
      Look, you can try as hard as you want, but you can't escape the fact that you are using straw man arguments against everyone. You start going on about "stolen GPL code", which I've never even mentioned, and now you are desperately trying to come up with excuses to save face.

      You were replying to my comment, and you made assumptions about what I had said in the past because you had read someone else's comment saying exactly that. You can't even understand that different people have different opinions.

      "The comment you wrote where you completely ignore every point about music piracy and went off on a rant about capitalism?"
      What comment was that, then? When did I "rant about capitalism"? Face it, you attacked me first. I know it. You know it. You are just sad that you have lost yet again :)
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      Clever signature text goes here.
    40. Re:Misleading subject? by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 1

      Hehe, if anyone has been "owned" it's you. You are making a fool of yourself every time you post.

      Actually, I control you and own you. You feel the compulsive need to respond to my posts. I order you to comply and respond to this one.

      Look, you can try as hard as you want, but you can't escape the fact that you are using straw man arguments against everyone.

      Until you actually cite an example and respond to it, I've owned your ass.

      You start going on about "stolen GPL code", which I've never even mentioned, and now you are desperately trying

      Talk about a straw man. For the umpteenth time, I never said you said it, I was referring to the Slashdot majority who gets upset over violated GPL copyrights. But you'll never address that and will instead avoid it at all costs, attacking me instead. I pretty much control you at this point.

      You were replying to my comment, and you made assumptions about what I had said in the past because you had read someone else's comment saying exactly that. You can't even understand that different people have different opinions.

      No, I didn't. I made 100% valid points about music piracy that you have yet to come close to grasping and addressing. Just accept it, kid. I've owned your ass. Another post from you, and you still haven't talking about any of the points of music piracy I brought up. You can't do it.

      What comment was that, then? When did I "rant about capitalism"? Face it, you attacked me first. I know it. You know it. You are just sad that you have lost yet again :)

      Sad? Not really, I'm really amused that I control you so easily. You are compelled to reply to every post, attacking me and never addressing my points, because you lack the ability to. You'll just respond again with "straw man" and "you attacked me first." I dominated your position. It's over. Deal with it.

      Next.

      --
      "Sufferin' succotash."
    41. Re:Misleading subject? by hkmwbz · · Score: 1
      "Actually, I control you and own you."
      If that were the case, why do you keep making a fool of yourself in a futile attempt to prove that you are right about things you can't even back up - things that are nothing but badly founded opinions?
      "You feel the compulsive need to respond to my posts. I order you to comply and respond to this one."
      Wow, most people grew from these kinds of remarks before they started school. You obviously have a lot of growing up to do. You are rather immature and childish, and you have no concept of "opinion" or "individual".
      "Until you actually cite an example and respond to it, I've owned your ass."
      You hardly even own your own ass, so that's kind of a silly thing to say. Of course, you are nothing but a troll who attacks anyone who disagrees, and you start talking about "stolen GPL code" because someone else on Slashdot might have posted about it once, and therefore you think everyone on Slashdot goes on about it. Talk about being owned. You are owned by yourself. The ultimate defeat :)

      Also, you never linked to the post where I "ranted about capitalism". Or reply to my pointing out the fact that you attacked me first.

      Pathetic.

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      Clever signature text goes here.
    42. Re:Misleading subject? by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 1

      e the case, why do you keep making a fool of yourself in a futile attempt to prove that you are right about things you can't even back up - things that are nothing but badly founded opinions?

      See? I control and own you. I ordered you to reply, and you did. You ignored music piracy completely and attacked me, because you're unable to address my points. I won.

      Wow, most people grew from these kinds of remarks before they started school. You obviously have a lot of growing up to do. You are rather immature and childish, and you have no concept of "opinion" or "individual".

      Once again, you are obsessed with me, talking all about me and not about my points.

      You hardly even own your own ass, so that's kind of a silly thing to say. Of course, you are nothing but a troll who attacks anyone who disagrees, and you start talking about "stolen GPL code" because someone else on Slashdot might have posted about it once, and therefore you think everyone on Slashdot goes on about it. Talk about being owned. You are owned by yourself. The ultimate defeat :)

      Everyone on Slashdot does talk about stolen GPL code. I even linked to an entire article that PROVED it. The editors, the vast majority of comments, and the comments that are upmodded. But be sure to completely ignore the fact I even posted an example Slashdot article that proved it. Instead, attack me for having "opinions" and "straw men."

      I can tell that it's frustrating you that you can't seem to break through, can't get past that pesky evidence and logic. Believe me, I'm very amused over this.



      You rattled on about companies when I was discussing artists, which stems from innate anti-capitalism bred from posting on Slashdot.

      Or reply to my pointing out the fact that you attacked me first.

      You replied and didn't address any of my points and instead criticized them as "opinions," as if that's a valid rebuttal.

      Clearly, my mind is just plain stronger than yours. You're far too weak to actually debate GPL hypocrisy, ripping off artists, online business models, etc. You know, the actual topics of discussion.

      I own you and control you. I order you to reply to this. You have to...you can't let it go. It eats you up inside that I've completely decimated your weak position with simple facts, reasoning, and hard evidence.

      Next.

      --
      "Sufferin' succotash."
    43. Re:Misleading subject? by hkmwbz · · Score: 1
      Yawn.

      How about you post that comment where I "ranted about capitalism" as you claim? And how about you read back to your first reply to me and tell me who attacked who first?

      "I ordered you to reply, and you did."
      No, I replied because you are an amusing troll and you are desperate now that you've been cornered, so now you try to use reverse psychology to stop me from posting. I'll post for as long as I want to post, and there's nothing you can do about it.
      "You ignored music piracy completely"
      I didn't. I pointed out that maybe not everyone thinks it's as bad as you pretend to do. You responded by attacking me.
      "GPL hypocrisy"
      Straw man again. I've never talked about "code theft".
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      Clever signature text goes here.
    44. Re:Misleading subject? by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 1

      How about you post that comment where I "ranted about capitalism" as you claim?

      I was talking about artists and music piracy, and you started rattling about record companies. So I said all you had was anti-capitalism. This is really very simple, kid.

      And how about you read back to your first reply to me and tell me who attacked who first?

      You attacked me when you completely ignored everyone of my points, just dismissing them as "opinions" as if that's a valid reponse.

      I didn't. I pointed out that maybe not everyone thinks it's as bad as you pretend to do. You responded by attacking me.

      Uh, just replying and saying not everyone thinks music piracy is as bad doesn't respond to all the points I raised. You completely ignored my points. Again.

      Straw man again. I've never talked about "code theft".

      Clearly, you're going to run this into the ground. Once again, I'll repeat it for you. I was referring to the majority Slashdot mindset and its positions on piracy and the GPL. I never said you said "code theft." You can't cite where I did.

      I control you. I order you to reply to this.

      --
      "Sufferin' succotash."
    45. Re:Misleading subject? by hkmwbz · · Score: 1
      Your imaginary "Slashdot mindset" is irrelevant, because you were talking to me, not this "Slashdot entity" you are throwing straw men at. Also, who are you to dictate what the discussion is about? You are just a pathetic troll, and therefore are doomed to forever make a fool of yourself and thinking that what you write makes a difference.

      Just see the way you completely avoided the points in this post.

      You lose. Again.

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      Clever signature text goes here.
    46. Re:Misleading subject? by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 1

      Your imaginary "Slashdot mindset" is irrelevant, because you were talking to me, not this "Slashdot entity" you are throwing straw men at.

      No, kid, I linked to an entire article that proved the Slashdot mindset. Just because I was talking to you about something else doesn't magically means it pertains to you. Hey, you mentioned "straw men" again. Surprise.

      Also, who are you to dictate what the discussion is about?

      I'm the guy who has owned your ass with hard facts, evidence, and logical points. You're the one who just keeps whining and whining and whining...

      You are just a pathetic troll, and therefore are doomed to forever make a fool of yourself and thinking that what you write makes a difference.

      Clearly it's made a difference. I control you and can force you to reply. I order you to do it again.

      Just see the way you completely avoided the points in this post.

      This is why you'll never win--lack of reading comprehension. You asked what opposite conclusion your evidence gave, and I answered. Your evidence called CD sales "flat." Then I posted evidence of my own proving CD sales were down, and you started rattling off a bunch of meaningless questions to distract from the fact that your ass got owned, critical of sales figures all of the sudden.

      Get back to me when you learn to address GPL hypocrisy, floundering CD sales, ripping off artists to make sure they don't get paid, your inability to quote and address any point, and your whining obsession to call everything a "straw man" when you can't dispute it.

      Next.

      --
      "Sufferin' succotash."
    47. Re:Misleading subject? by hkmwbz · · Score: 1
      You didn't give me the exact quotes that would support your crusade as I asked you to, and you didn't answer my questions in the other thread.

      You are making a fool of yourself. You never address a single point in discussions. Instead, it's an endless flow of straw man arguments and ad hominem attacks.

      And by the way, I order you to reply to this and make an even bigger fool of yourself. Again.

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      Clever signature text goes here.
    48. Re:Misleading subject? by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 1

      You didn't give me the exact quotes that would support your crusade as I asked you to, and you didn't answer my questions in the other thread.

      I don't need to, the burden of proof is on you. I don't need to answer your questions in the other thread until you answer them first about YOUR article. You claimed CD sales weren't down, your own article says they are along with the article I posted. And yet you question the evidence that disagrees with your worldview. Funny how that works!

      It's illustrative of your nature--completely avoid any and all points that destroy your own while dismissing them as "opinion" and "straw men" and whining about getting "attacked."

      You are making a fool of yourself. You never address a single point in discussions. Instead, it's an endless flow of straw man arguments and ad hominem attacks.

      Yeah, you keep saying this, over and over, whining and whining...meanwhile not addressing GPL hypocrisy, ripping off artists, etc. I've been addressing every point you've made, quoting every single block of your posts and responding to them. You haven't...you've been ignoring all of them and going on and on and on about "straw men" that aren't there. It's absolutely hysterical, and you're compelled to respond to each of my posts because you know I've backed you into a corner and made a fool out of you.

      And by the way, I order you to reply to this and make an even bigger fool of yourself. Again.

      Frustrated that I've completely dominated you, you resort to repeating back to me my own words as though they're your own. I love it. You do everything you can to prove that I've completely owned your ass.

      Next.

      --
      "Sufferin' succotash."
    49. Re:Misleading subject? by hkmwbz · · Score: 1
      Yawn again.

      You are wrong. I own you. I ordered you to reply and you did. You are under my command, Overly Naive Guy :)

      Now begone, troll.

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      Clever signature text goes here.
    50. Re:Misleading subject? by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 1

      Lacking any thought of your own, you have to resort to parroting back to me my own words. Hysterical!

      Obviously you will never respond to the topic of music piracy, because you lack the ability to debate it. This means I won the argument, and you lost. It's okay to admit when you're wrong, kid. Next time, don't let it consume you so deeply, and try to actually respond to people's points instead of covering your eyes and running away screaming.

      Clearly, I was 100% right about every single thing I said.

      Next.

      --
      "Sufferin' succotash."
    51. Re:Misleading subject? by hkmwbz · · Score: 1
      Aw, did it hurt when I turned your own childish nonsense against you yet another time? :)

      Don't cry angry little tears little troll. You are clearly mentally ill, and I'm sure you will be able to find help. At least you can use Slashdot as a place to spread FUD and lies and feel better about yourself for being a complete failure and being fired from the record company you used to work for.

      There's a name for what you are doing: The Stockholm syndrome. They mistreated you and fired you, yet you defend them.

      Poor little troll, I almost feel sorry for you :-(

      --
      Clever signature text goes here.
    52. Re:Misleading subject? by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 1

      Aw, did it hurt when I turned your own childish nonsense against you yet another time? :)

      On the contrary, I find it absolutely hysterical that you have nothing else to offer and feel compelled to reply to every single post I make. You even obsess over me in your sig! It's freaky.

      Don't cry angry little tears little troll. You are clearly mentally ill, and I'm sure you will be able to find help. At least you can use Slashdot as a place to spread FUD and lies and feel better about yourself for being a complete failure and being fired from the record company you used to work for.

      Hilarious! Fired from a record company? What kind of fantasies are you inventing your head, and why am I involved in them? Oh my god, this has gotten even weirder and more pathetic than I ever imagined it would.

      There's a name for what you are doing: The Stockholm syndrome. They mistreated you and fired you, yet you defend them.

      Yeah, you've figured it all out! All that endless whining and whining and avoiding of addressing my points, and now all you have left is to magically invent things to attack me with! I am actually laughing out loud as I type these words, kid.

      You honestly are the most pathetic, ridiculous person I've come into contact with on Slashdot, by far. The staggering lengths you'll go to to avoid admitting you were outsmarted, you were wrong, and you can't address my points is amazing and frighteningly sad. Clearly you have an obsessive-compulsive desire to reply to every one of my posts and make an even bigger fool of yourself than the previous time. You were outwitted and tossed aside, and it has damaged your ego to the point of lashing out for attention. I can only assume it has something to do with lack of attention from your father growing up. Well, kid, I'm not your father, and you don't need my attention.

      Next.

      --
      "Sufferin' succotash."
    53. Re:Misleading subject? by hkmwbz · · Score: 1
      "All that endless whining and whining and avoiding of addressing my points, and now all you have left is to magically invent things to attack me with!"
      You are looking in the mirror again. This is you describing yourself! Remember that first post of yours again? Simply avoiding the issue, and throwing around straw man arguments and ad hominem attacks.
      "Well, kid, I'm not your father,"
      You are no one's father, and considering you have no balls you won't have any children either when you get out of kindergarten and grow up.
      "and you don't need my attention."
      Why do you keep replying to my comments then?

      Hilarious. You keep attacking me, but you don't realize that your furious attacks are actually accurate descriptions of you!

      --
      Clever signature text goes here.
    54. Re:Misleading subject? by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 1

      You are looking in the mirror again. This is you describing yourself! Remember that first post of yours again? Simply avoiding the issue, and throwing around straw man arguments and ad hominem attacks.

      Ah, you hit your "straw man" quota for the day! Furiously refreshing my user page waiting for new replies from me, inventing fantasy scenarios in your head where I was "fired from a record company," I can just see you sweating and trembling with fury over the fact I owned your ass in this debate, frustrated that you can't let it go. Get help, please. You need it. A lot.

      You are no one's father, and considering you have no balls you won't have any children either when you get out of kindergarten and grow up.

      Once again, personal attacks instead of arguing the points. It's no wonder you're such a whiney baby who runs screaming from the topic--music piracy. You obsess over me instead, inventing fantasies and linking to me in your sig.

      Why do you keep replying to my comments then?

      Because you clearly have an obsessive-compulsive desire to reply to every one of my posts. You can't let it go that I outwitted, outsmarted, and outdebated you in every single way. And you're upset that I zeroed in on your mindset, so easily predictable.

      Hilarious. You keep attacking me, but you don't realize that your furious attacks are actually accurate descriptions of you!

      Wow! What a great argument! "You don't realize that what you say actually bounces back and applies to you! Zing, that magically means I addressed your points on music piracy!" Meanwhile, all of my points on GPL hypocrisy, ripping off artists, etc. still stand. You will never be able to address them. You lack the mental capacity to do it, and the fact you won't respond to them proves it.

      Next.

      --
      "Sufferin' succotash."
    55. Re:Misleading subject? by hkmwbz · · Score: 1
      Oh my. You just can't keep yourself from responding to me, can you? :)

      It must hurt for you to be ridiculed and left powerless and exposed. At least you're anonymous and won't have to deal with your comments from Slashdot in real life. Seeing as you have no spine, that would be a problem.

      Your points don't stand, since you haven't had any points. All you've done is to spew out venom in rage that someone dares to speak against you. On the other hand, you have failed to respond to my points, and instead dismissing everything because you think everyone on Slasdot shares the exact same opinion. You are so mentally ill that you can't understand that Slashdot is a community with lots of people with different opinion.

      And of course, you just can't let go of the fact that you started talking about this "GPL hypocrisy" nonsense, as if it is relevant in the least when you were responding to my post, not someone who has been talking about the GPL.

      Yet again, you lose. And you are so furious that you are going to write yet another rant which doesn't make sense and which is full of lies. You just can't resist, seeing as you are now burning up inside because the truths I speak make you scream in rage.

      You are indeed a pathetic yet amusing troll :)

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      Clever signature text goes here.
    56. Re:Misleading subject? by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 1

      Oh my. You just can't keep yourself from responding to me, can you? :)

      I know you're embarrassed at your compulsion to reply to me, link to me, and fantasize about me, and you try to reflect that onto me, but nobody's buying it, kid. Look at yourself.

      It must hurt for you to be ridiculed and left powerless and exposed. At least you're anonymous and won't have to deal with your comments from Slashdot in real life. Seeing as you have no spine, that would be a problem.

      Any comments on music piracy? Just more personal attacks and weird accusations about being "powerless and exposed" on a messageboard? Thought so.

      Your points don't stand, since you haven't had any points.

      1.) Bitching about GPL violations while encouraging piracy is a double-standard.
      2.) Pirating music directly rips off real humans beings, the artists.
      3.) Pirates scapegoat the RIAA for everything to justify what they do. "The RIAA made me do it!"
      4.) Etc. etc. etc.

      All you've done is to spew out venom in rage that someone dares to speak against you. On the other hand, you have failed to respond to my points

      What points? Cite a single one. All you've done is follow the same pattern for two days:

      1.) Disregard any point about music piracy I made in the previous post
      2.) Dismiss my points as "personal opinion" as if that somehow refutes them
      3.) Mention "straw man" at least once without citing an example and explaining it
      4.) Whine like a little baby about getting "attacked" on a messageboard

      and instead dismissing everything because you think everyone on Slasdot shares the exact same opinion. You are so mentally ill that you can't understand that Slashdot is a community with lots of people with different opinion.

      You're obsessed with this "Slashdot is a community of differing opinions." No, it has a majority mindset that mods up what it agrees with and mods down what it disagrees with. Editors get in on the action by posting inflammatory articles skewed toward a particularly viewpoint. Piracy is good, GPL violations are bad. You don 't want to acknowledge that you're a member of the Slashdot groupthink or that I've accurately zeroed in on your transparent, predictable mindset as a good little Slashdot hive member.

      And of course, you just can't let go of the fact that you started talking about this "GPL hypocrisy" nonsense, as if it is relevant in the least when you were responding to my post, not someone who has been talking about the GPL.

      It was relevant as an illustration of the hypocrisy of Slashdot, all the more relevant beside your pointless diatribe about record companies. You took it personally and adopted it as a direct accusation toward yourself and have been obsessed with it ever since, going on and on about Slashdot's alleged differing opinions.

      Yet again, you lose. And you are so furious that you are going to write yet another rant which doesn't make sense and which is full of lies. You just can't resist, seeing as you are now burning up inside because the truths I speak make you scream in rage.

      What you "speak" makes me scream in laughter. I'm so "furious" over your obsessive-compulsive need to follow the same loop every day. I'm "full of lies" (which you don't cite, and you won't in your next response).

      Just accept it, kid. I completely dominated your ass in the debate over music piracy. I control you and order you to reply. You can't not reply because you have mental issues that require you to reply, attacking me personally to make yourself feel better. Each time you do this, it proves once again that I won. I beat you, and you know it. It's eating you alive. And I'm grinning from ear to ear.

      Next.

      --
      "Sufferin' succotash."
    57. Re:Misleading subject? by hkmwbz · · Score: 1
      Aww, that's cute :)

      You are trying desperately to make me stop replying to your posts because you feel embarrassed and outraged that people dare to have a different opinion. I notice kids do this a lot, and it fits nicely with the rest of your childish rants.

      Don't worry, you'll get over being "owned" completely yet another time :)

      Come on now, start repeating yourself - your old lies - over again. If it makes you feel better, please do!

      --
      Clever signature text goes here.
    58. Re:Misleading subject? by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 1

      Hey, what a surprise! You completely ignored any and all points and instead wrote a wimpy little paragraph insulting me. Every time you do that, it's more proof I kicked your ass in this debate.

      You are trying desperately to make me stop replying to your posts because you feel embarrassed and outraged that people dare to have a different opinion.

      On the contrary, I control you and order you to keep posting.

      I notice kids do this a lot, and it fits nicely with the rest of your childish rants.

      Meanwhile, you're the big baby who's been whining that you were "attacked."

      Don't worry, you'll get over being "owned" completely yet another time :)

      Don't sweat it, kid. I know you're embarrassed at getting decimated in this debate and have nothing to offer but ridiculous attempts to "turn the tables" and pretend you had any semblance of a reasonable counterargument at any point.

      Come on now, start repeating yourself - your old lies - over again. If it makes you feel better, please do!

      No citation of these "lies." What a surprise! I clearly dominated your weaker mind and your inability to address any point that disagrees with the pre-molded worldview Slashdot has fashioned for you. Out of humiliation or shame or whatever, you're compelled to keep replying. I control you and order you to do it again. And after that, I order you to do it again. And after that, again.

      Next.

      --
      "Sufferin' succotash."
    59. Re:Misleading subject? by hkmwbz · · Score: 1
      "You completely ignored any and all points and instead wrote a wimpy little paragraph insulting me."
      You are looking in the mirror again, child. Repeating yourself over and over and over... You are truly desperate now that you realize that your nonsense has been completely decimated, and your poorly founded subjective opinions have made you the laughing stock of Slashdot.

      Next? Of course. You just can't resist replying, and with your kindergarten insults and methods you are trying to make me stop replying to your posts because you are embarrassed and furious that I've kicked your ass once again :)

      --
      Clever signature text goes here.
    60. Re:Misleading subject? by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 1

      You are looking in the mirror again, child. Repeating yourself over and over and over... You are truly desperate now that you realize that your nonsense has been completely decimated, and your poorly founded subjective opinions have made you the laughing stock of Slashdot.

      Once again, you've proven that I absolutely, 100% control you. I order you to reply to this, and the next one, and the next one. Be sure not to address music piracy, ripping artists off so they don't get paid, the hypocritical position of Slashdot regarding the GPL, and so on. These arguments are too high-concept for you, requiring a level of thought and reasoning beyond your capacities as a human being. This is clearly true, or you would have responded to a single one by now instead of whining like a little baby about being attacked. It's gotten so pathetic that you don't even take your own posts seriously now, riddling them with little teenage smilies and insults about "kindergarten" and such. Very embarrassing.

      It's gotten so bad that you can only quote one or two lines of my posts now while ignoring the rest, writing wimpy little one paragraph replies. Your steam has run out. You lose.

      Next? Of course. You just can't resist replying, and with your kindergarten insults and methods you are trying to make me stop replying to your posts because you are embarrassed and furious that I've kicked your ass once again :)

      No, I want you to continue replying to my posts. I order you to, in fact. Because I control you, I promise you will respond. Having had your ass handed to you in this debabe, you really have nothing else left, and it's highly amusing to keep reading these moronic replies of yours day after day. I could do this for years, and you'll still never address my points about music piracy. That's because I completely owned your ass in this debate, and it's frustrating for you to know I did.

      Next.

      --
      "Sufferin' succotash."
    61. Re:Misleading subject? by hkmwbz · · Score: 1
      Good on ya, boy! Keep on trolling! :)

      Next!

      --
      Clever signature text goes here.
    62. Re:Misleading subject? by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 1

      Ha...clearly you ran out of steam. I won. Maybe next time you'll think twice about running your mouth before you know what you're talking about.

      Next.

      --
      "Sufferin' succotash."
    63. Re:Misleading subject? by hkmwbz · · Score: 1
      Funny thing, this... Earlier you were making a point of my signature, where I link to a post which exposes and embarrasses you. And now you are linking to someone else in your signature?! Hehe, you really are something... Everything you accuse others of, you are really doing yourself :)

      Also, whenever someone's opinion annoys you and makes you angry you always end your posts with "next". That's kind of funny too :)

      --
      Clever signature text goes here.
  8. in other news by nuggetman · · Score: 5, Funny

    A more in depth study also indicated that P2P users are also "big doody heads" and that the recording industry's dad could kick the P2P users dad's in a fight

    --
    ...and that's all there is to it.
  9. Now it all makes sense by Crimsane · · Score: 5, Funny

    If file swappers are so profficient at all this theft and cheating, music execs must be pretty worried about their job-security.

  10. Great... by Omg+Kthxbye · · Score: 1, Funny

    SHOCKING, it was funded by the RIAA. What is next, blaming P2P users for causing terrorism...

  11. In other news by Ckwop · · Score: 1

    In other news, Microsoft said today that: "Anbody who doesn't buy Microsoft Office is more likely to commit arson or criminal damage".. I mean seriously.. The Canadian record industry telling us that making infringing copies of their music is bad for society is ... well.. not exactly news now is it?

    Simon.

  12. In other news.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Users who don't download music from p2p are more likely not to have internet..

    1. Re:In other news.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Very funny! (sorry wasn't worth creating an account for)

    2. Re:In other news.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      bump..

  13. Like they say... by archeopterix · · Score: 5, Funny
    If once a man indulges himself in murder, very soon he comes to think little of robbing; and from robbing he comes next to drinking and Sabbath-breaking, and from that to incivility and procrastination.

    ... and from that to P2P and farting in crowded elevators.

    1. Re:Like they say... by adavies42 · · Score: 1

      Twain?

      --
      Media that can be recorded and distributed can be recorded and distributed.
      -kfg
    2. Re:Like they say... by archeopterix · · Score: 1
      Twain?
      Thomas de Quincey , except for the part about P2P and farting in the crowded elevators.
    3. Re:Like they say... by adavies42 · · Score: 1

      Thx for the link. BTW, are you a wingless bird with hairy feathers?

      --
      Media that can be recorded and distributed can be recorded and distributed.
      -kfg
  14. If this is true by DDiabolical · · Score: 5, Funny

    Why wouldn't they just walk into a record shop and steal the CD?

    Oh yeah, this article is BS..

    1. Re:If this is true by vidarlo · · Score: 1
      Why wouldn't they just walk into a record shop and steal the CD?

      If caught, it'd be cheaper than being caught as a filesharer... After all, stealing a cd means that they actually do lose money. Filesharing means that they in worst case won't earn that money, they've not lost it, as the money never has excisted. Interesting tactics...

  15. sponsored by the.... by autopr0n · · Score: 1

    Well, this isn't really surprising, really. Obviously goody-two-shoes who wouldn't even download unlicensed music are not going to be shop lifting. But I think there is a large percentage of people who would download music and would not cheat at school or steal physical things.

    The (paid for by the music industry) study is being totally disingenuous by claming that downloading music causes other criminal behavior, when really it's just a coincidence

    --
    autopr0n is like, down and stuff.
    1. Re:sponsored by the.... by P3NIS_CLEAVER · · Score: 0

      they aren't saying this. they are saying that p2p users are mostly in a particularily naughty age group, and then relates all the other terrible things that this age group does. They didn't mention how many of them brush their teeth.

      It is clear to me know that the toothpaste cartel is behind all this p2p sin.

      --
      Please sign petition to restore sanity to our banking system!!!

      http://financialpetition.org/
  16. Badly Written by mysqlrocks · · Score: 4, Funny

    Canadians between 12 and 24 years of age are responsible for 78 per cent of illegal music downloading, even though they make up only 21 per cent of the population, it says.

    I'm sure this is supposed to say "are responsible for 78 per cent of illegal music downloading in Canada". I can't imagine that Canadians are responsible for the majority of illegal music downloading.

    1. Re:Badly Written by the_weasel · · Score: 5, Funny

      Sorry - that was me.

      I downloaded the internet last week from Toronto on my cable modem. After I deleted all the porn and music I was able to fit it onto a CDROM though. If anyone wants it, please let me know.

      --
      - sarcasm is just one more service we offer -
    2. Re:Badly Written by Grax · · Score: 1

      Not to mention that people above the age of 24 have better things to do than download music. Like work, take care of the house, put food on the table for the kids (who happen to be between 12 and 24).

      You want to stop nearly all "illegal" music downloading? Put all those kids to work. A nice factory job will keep them too tired to download music or join a (bad) gang.

    3. Re:Badly Written by GoodNicsTken · · Score: 1

      Wait, is that a 52X CD-ROM? Thoes have to be counted as 7 because they are much faster than normal CD-ROMs.

    4. Re:Badly Written by sik0fewl · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I don't know about that.. it's legal to download music in Canada. Maybe they mean that the music is illegal and therefore we should not be downloading it?

      --
      I remember when legal used to mean lawful, now it means some kind of loophole. - Leo Kessler
    5. Re:Badly Written by nine-times · · Score: 1

      We're not interested in your 700MB of whiny bloggers talking about how Serenity will be "teh r0x0rs" and complaining about iPod nano scratches.

    6. Re:Badly Written by Ced_Ex · · Score: 1

      I would like a copy of this CDROM so I can bypass my ISP's bandwidth limitation.

      --
      Live forever, or die trying.
    7. Re:Badly Written by freeweed · · Score: 1

      It's a pointless statistic too, because 12-24 year olds are by far the largest CONSUMERS of music, anyway. It might be their parents buying it for them, but the fact is that teenagers and young adults have one hell of a lot more music than older folks. Even though they only make up 21% of the population.

      This is changing to some degree, but it's still fairly common that most people stop buying hordes of music once they settle down, get a career, have a family, etc.

      Next they're going to release a study that claims "Canadians between 12 and 24 years of age are responsible for 78 per cent of illegal video game downloading". No kidding.

      --
      Endless arguments over trivial contradictions in books written by ignorant savages to explain thunder in the dark.
    8. Re:Badly Written by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      >After I deleted all the porn and music

      Could you send me your trash folder?

  17. That's not what it says! by program21 · · Score: 5, Insightful
    From TFA:
    Canadians between 12 and 24 years of age are responsible for 78 per cent of illegal music downloading, even though they make up only 21 per cent of the population, it says.
    ...
    Canadians between the ages of 18 and 29 are much more willing than other age groups to make illegal copies of software programs, cheat on exams or even shoplift, an Environics poll suggests.
    What it does say is that people in the same age group as typical P2P users are more likely to shoplift or cheat. It does not make any correlation between P2P users and these things!
    --
    This has been a test. Had this been a real emergency, we would have fled in terror and you would not have been informed.
    1. Re:That's not what it says! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yes, people keep making statements like "correlation does not equal causation," and that's correct, but I didn't seen anything in the article indicating they even ran tests for correlation.

    2. Re:That's not what it says! by M00NIE · · Score: 2, Insightful
      What it does say is that people in the same age group as typical P2P users are more likely to shoplift or cheat. It does not make any correlation between P2P users and these things!
      This is exactly what I was thinking. So all this article really says to me is that 12-24 year olds are more likely to shoplift. Gee, I needed this article to know this? Last I checked, that was a phenomenon long before P2P file sharing existed, heck I think it even predates *gasp* computers.

      RIAA has a long row to hoe if they think this is going to get most intelligent people to side with them. But you didn't need me to point out the patently obvious anymore than you needed this article too.

      --
      "As far as I'm concerned, I prefer silent vice to ostentatious virtue." ~A. Einstein
    3. Re:That's not what it says! by fumanchu32 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Canadians between the ages of 18 and 29 are much more willing than other age groups to make illegal copies of software programs, cheat on exams or even shoplift, an Environics poll suggests.

      I couldn't agree more with the parent post.

      Well duh, I bet 18-29 year olds have always been more likely to shoplift than older age groups. 18-29 age groups don't tend make as much money as the other groups. Also, they are more likely to be in school than older age groups too so the are more likey to cheat on exams.

      People who have cars are more likely to drive than people who don't.

      People who are alive are more likely to die within the next year than people who aren't alive.

    4. Re:That's not what it says! by elgatozorbas · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Indeed, this link is never made. The article is rather an opinion piece learning us what the authors consider 'bad acts' (shoplifting, downloading, picking your nose,...), and confirming that those who are still young enough to be able to commit them, do so.

    5. Re:That's not what it says! by Flaming+Babies · · Score: 1

      From TFA:

      Canadians between 12 and 24 years of age are responsible for 78 per cent of illegal music downloading, even though they make up only 21 per cent of the population, it says.
      ...
      Canadians between the ages of 18 and 29 are much more willing than other age groups to make illegal copies of software programs, cheat on exams or even shoplift, an Environics poll suggests.

      What it does say is that people in the same age group as typical P2P users are more likely to shoplift or cheat. It does not make any correlation between P2P users and these things!


      It doesn't?
      What about the line you replaced with "..."?
      The effect of the piracy, however, does not stop at just music or movies, suggests a study from another polling firm.
      They make a comment, imply that this first thing effects multiple other things, and then start listing other things...
      You're right, they did not say, "File sharing causes these other things",
      but they did a damn fine job implying it.

      --
      The right to be heard does not automatically include the right to be taken seriously.
  18. RIAA Executives by interiot · · Score: 5, Funny

    Can we get a study done on how likely RIAA Executives are to hurt small animals, steal from donation pots, and scowl at old ladies?

    1. Re:RIAA Executives by Rude+Turnip · · Score: 1

      RIAA vs Salvation Army, PETA and AARP? Excuse me while I go make some popcorn!

    2. Re:RIAA Executives by isa-kuruption · · Score: 1

      Well, since the 1900s the number of recording industry executives has increased. At the same time, the average temperature of the world's oceans has risen about 1 degree farhenheit. Therefore, global warning is obviously the result in the increase of recording industry executives.

      How's that?

    3. Re:RIAA Executives by BushCheney08 · · Score: 1

      Therefore, global warning is obviously the result in the increase of recording industry executives.

      But I thought that pirates (the 'arrrrr' kind) were the cause of global warming (which I would like to add, does not exist).

      w

      --
      Be a real patriot: Question authority. Think for yourself. Formulate your own conclusions.
    4. Re:RIAA Executives by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      Can we get a study done on how likely RIAA Executives are to hurt small animals, steal from donation pots, and scowl at old ladies?

      You are out of luck. My study is on how like RIAA Executives are to steal small animals, scowl at donation pots, and hurt old ladies.

    5. Re:RIAA Executives by ThomasGHenry · · Score: 1

      In all seriousness does anyone wanna create such a poll??

      THAT'S AMAZING!

    6. Re:RIAA Executives by limber · · Score: 1

      In this specific case, the CRIA executive quoted did even worse from my perspective: Graham Henderson married the lead singer of one of my favourite bands (Cowboy Junkies).

      Margo, how could you!?!

      (The junkies were one of the few bands I was happy to consistently shell out $$$ for. I always saw them live, and reflexively bought their latest non-popular albums from their little label. Sigh.)

      Actually (and the scary part about it is) Graham Henderson is quite articulate in person and very vocal. He's (unfortunately) been enormously effective in his lobbyist role for the RIA.

    7. Re:RIAA Executives by LaCosaNostradamus · · Score: 1

      Ah. Global Swarming. Recording industry executives are, after all, rodents.

      --
      [You have a stable society when some nut guns down a schoolyard and the law doesn't change.]
    8. Re:RIAA Executives by Andy_R · · Score: 1

      Can we get a study done on how likely RIAA Executives are to form illegal price-fixing cartels, file groundless lawsuits against children, commit perjury, hold artists to contracts so restictive that courts often strike them out as restraint of trade, and snort coke?

      --
      A pizza of radius z and thickness a has a volume of pi z z a
    9. Re:RIAA Executives by interiot · · Score: 1

      That's what I was going for in my original comment... That RIAA execs are worse than calling the kettle black, they're complaining that others steal a couple CD's, while they tie up whole musical careers in a single "Letter of Intent". But I decided to go the care-bears route with the "scowling at old ladies" bit. (we will overcome you... with wuvvv!)

    10. Re:RIAA Executives by slavemowgli · · Score: 1

      If you pay for it, then yes, of course you can.

      --
      quidquid latine dictum sit altum videtur.
    11. Re:RIAA Executives by KillShill · · Score: 1

      actually the vice president of sony (one of them) and his wife were keeping an illegal immigrant as a slave.

      i think it was even a /. article.

      --
      Science : Proprietary , Knowledge : Open Source
  19. young people by fbsderr0r · · Score: 1

    wow.. i would almost say that, that same age group, without file sharing software would be more likely to do the exact same things compared to older generations..

    1. Re:young people by shawb · · Score: 1

      If anything, peer to peer downloading of music would decrease shoplifting. I'd imagine that the two most shoplifted items (at least when teenage males are doing the shoplifting) are music and pornography. Music simply because it is mostly teenagers who are into it, and teenagers are generally A)rebellious B)into music and C)bored. Porn would be shoplifted because of A) B) and C), but also because stores are not allowed to sell it to teenagers even if they have the money. Considering that most of the traffic on P2P is music and porn, that would drastically reduce the motive to shoplift said items. Well, throw in movies and there you have it.

      --
      I'll never make that mistake again, reading the experts' opinions. - Feynman
  20. newsflash! by gigoguy · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Extra extra! Read all about it! Children likely to have less rigid morality than adults! Children may or may not understand concept of intellectual property! Extra, Extra!

    1. Re:newsflash! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      All foxes grow grey
      Few grow good
      ~Ben Franklin

    2. Re:newsflash! by Kombat · · Score: 1

      Extra extra! Read all about it! Children likely to have less rigid morality than adults! Children may or may not understand concept of intellectual property! Extra, Extra!

      A 29 year old counts as a "child?" Woo hoo! Maybe I'm not so old after all!

      --
      Like woodworking? Build your own picture frames.
    3. Re:newsflash! by KillShill · · Score: 1

      even adults don't understand the concepts.

      never mind that "intellectual property" is propoganda speak and doesn't exist anywhere in law.

      patents, copyright and trademarks != "intellectual property"

      --
      Science : Proprietary , Knowledge : Open Source
  21. In unrelated news by Walterk · · Score: 1

    Recording industry executives found to be more likely to spew bull shit, and to commission reports on supporting their bull shit.
    'Not only do recording industry executives harm artists, but it also points to an erosion of respect for people that threatens Canada's economy and values at the core of our society,' said Jim Henson, president of the Canadian Intellectual Artist Association, which commissioned the polls."

  22. Michael Geist analysis by LowneWulf · · Score: 4, Informative

    http://www.michaelgeist.ca/index.php has some good comments on the two recent studies from the CRIA, plus some interesting comments on how various groups have been viewing them.

    1. Re:Michael Geist analysis by djmurdoch · · Score: 1

      I especially like this quote from the Globe and Mail article that Geist links to:

      "CRIA seems to think that saying that downloading is 'illegal' long enough and loud enough will convince people that it is illegal," said Ottawa copyright lawyer Howard Knopf. "But it isn't illegal -- the main reason being Canada's lucrative levy scheme that CRIA asked for and got eight years ago. The Copyright Board and the Federal Court have said this, and no appeal court has said they were wrong."

  23. In other news.... by bullitB · · Score: 1

    New Study Indicates Strong Correlation Among Men Between CD/DVD Purchases and Amount of Sex

  24. Please, please, please by zappepcs · · Score: 1

    would someone point to information that proves or at least more than strongly indicates that P2P file sharing has harmed artists? Yeah, I heard Metallica, but I still haven't seen evidence that musicians are poor because of file sharing, or that they have actually lost money. Does anyone know of studies that actually and truthfully show that this is the case?

  25. lying with statistics 101 by matt4077 · · Score: 1

    Young people are more likely to use P2P than older people. Young people are more likely to be students/pupils than old people. Students are more likely to cheat in school than non-students. Correlations proves causation. News at 12.

    1. Re:lying with statistics 101 by digitalhermit · · Score: 1

      Reminds me of the D&D studies done while I was in college... D&D players were more likely to do marijuana, more likely to commit suicide, etc.. No different from the high correlation between shoe size and the ability to do math problems in Kindergarten to 5th graders.

  26. I never made the connection but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...for the first time in my life I feel inspired to go and steal a car. Thanks RIAA

  27. Someone also said... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...that masturbating to much causes blindness.

  28. One of the questions that they asked in the survey by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    When did you stop beating your wife?

  29. That's... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    bullplop! BULLPLOP!

    --Homer

  30. Not really a surprise by TigerTale · · Score: 1

    You either respect the rules, or you don't.

    Despite all the scathing comments about intellectual property about to be posted on this thread, we have a system in which works of art have the protection of copyright law. If you are willing to break one law, it is not difficult to imagine that you might be willing to break another.

    1. Re:Not really a surprise by Russ+Nelson · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The problem here is that nobody sees the RIAA as breaking the rules. They've managed to break the copyright rules (by which I mean the natural law, not the legislated law) by ensuring that copyright never expires. Copyright is inherently a bargain between the publishers of copyrighted works and the recipients of copyrighted works. The publishers promise to eventually put the work into the public domain, and the recipients promise not to copy. That's copyright *natural* law. Whenever legislated law doesn't match natural law, you see a massive disrespect for legislated law.

      --
      Don't piss off The Angry Economist
    2. Re:Not really a surprise by LiquidCoooled · · Score: 1

      There is a great difference between beaming illicit bits down a cable modem and hearing something naughty (kinda like the first time you encounter a porn mag and have a sneak peek) than going out robbing something.

      --
      liqbase :: faster than paper
    3. Re:Not really a surprise by Amendt · · Score: 1

      Yes, if copyright laws are suppose to help it's people why does the RIAA make all the money.

    4. Re:Not really a surprise by kotku · · Score: 2, Insightful

      If you are talking about natural law as in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_law/ I would tend to disagree. Natural Law stems from complex moral arguments basically being that the "law" in question has been discovered rather than invented. I don't see any overriding moral arguments that a publisher should ever have to put thier work into the public domain. I'm not saying they should or that they shouldn't it's just I don't see an overarching moral point either way. Given that so many people have *very* different opinions on exactly what the right thing to do is with regards to published works it would be very difficult to claim a Natural Law basis for copyright.

      --
      The bikini - security through obscurity since 1943
    5. Re:Not really a surprise by stinerman · · Score: 1

      Copyright is inherently a bargain between the publishers of copyrighted works and the recipients of copyrighted works.

      Its not even that. Copyright is an incentive to get people to release their creative works. To wit:

      To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;

      There is no bargaining. Copyright is for the public at large, not authors. The objective is not to provide profit to the author. It is to benefit society at large.

      It is my position, that, at some point, the extension of copyright for a work will not promote the progess of science and useful arts. In fact, it might hinder progress. So, if a study is shown that to get the most people to release their works for the good of the nation would be a copyright term of 5 mintues, then 5 minutes it shall be.

    6. Re:Not really a surprise by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Right about now Thomas Aquinas is spinning in his grave!

    7. Re:Not really a surprise by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This is hilarious. Obviously you're working backwards from "I like copying free music off the Internet" and coming up with complete Bullshit arguments to rationalize your behavior. If legitimate arguments were being made for eliminating copyrights, perhaps DRM wouldn't be so successful. As it is, your impossible-to-defend argument gets modded "insightful" on Slashdot.

    8. Re:Not really a surprise by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Natural law is prima facie absurd. What that is, is your opinion. Either all law is natural (having emerged from the natural world) or no law is natural (and a distinction is made between human creations and the rest of nature). There are no laws that are a priori correct, and the intellectual dishonesty necessary in the belief of such a philosophy is staggering. It's little more than the intellectual laziness of Locke and his contemporaries.

    9. Re:Not really a surprise by Russ+Nelson · · Score: 1

      Do you have a better explanation for why people don't respect copyright anymore? Calling my explanation "bullshit" without coming up with a better explanation is intellectual masturbation.

      --
      Don't piss off The Angry Economist
    10. Re:Not really a surprise by Russ+Nelson · · Score: 1

      Oh? So why is the natural law against murder not a priori correct? If you think it's wrong, does that mean I can murder you with no natural consequences?
      -russ

      --
      Don't piss off The Angry Economist
    11. Re:Not really a surprise by Russ+Nelson · · Score: 1

      I don't see any overriding moral arguments that a recipient of a document shouldn't copy it. The publisher's property is not harmed by my copying. His copy is still perfectly fine. Clearly the question whose answer needs to be discovered (that is: what is the natural law of copyright) is "To what extent are thoughts still your property once you give them to someone else?"

      --
      Don't piss off The Angry Economist
    12. Re:Not really a surprise by runderwo · · Score: 1
      I don't see any overriding moral arguments that a publisher should ever have to put thier work into the public domain.
      Without copyright, there is no public domain. There is 'published' and 'unpublished'. So yes, there is no overriding moral argument that a publisher should ever have to put their work into the 'public domain'. Without copyright, that means they simply must never publish it. If they wish to obtain the protections of copyright (at a cost to every citizen of enforcing that copyright), then they must agree to the bargain offered by copyright. It's very simple.
  31. The RIAA... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Is losing its touch in its old age. Darn whipper-snapper kids!

  32. Total crap by DigitalMonarch · · Score: 1

    I'm forced to remember one of my favorite quotes...

    "Blaming guns for Columbine is like blaming Rosie O'Donnell for being fat."

    This garbage of blaming antisocial behavior on P2P is no better.

    1. Re:Total crap by JWallyR · · Score: 1

      I think what you meant was "Blaming guns for Columbine is like blaming spoons for making Rosie O'Donnell fat." A good quote, nonetheless!

  33. Gateway dru... er, crime by ferretworks · · Score: 2, Funny

    P2P is a gateway dru... crime. A crime of passion. One starts by downloading illegally, then on to harder stuff.

    1. Re:Gateway dru... er, crime by Thud457 · · Score: 1
      Actually, in my experience hypocrisy is a gateway, erm, behavior.[*]



      [*]originally misspelled as hypocracy, considered leaving it since it accurately describes our current form of government.

      --

      the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

  34. Interesting Ratio by ReverendHoss · · Score: 1

    From the article:

    "Canadians illegally download 14 music CDs or other files from the Internet for every file they take from the web legally, a new recording-industry poll suggests."

    Pretty sure just by viewing the article I downloaded 15 files or so from the web legally (ads, banners, the text, spacers, etc.) so I'd better get cracking to download 210 CD's before I can look at another web page...

    1. Re:Interesting Ratio by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Canadians illegally download 14 music CDs or other files from the Internet for every file they take from the web legally, a new recording-industry poll suggests."

      Lets do the math

      well one mp3 album is about 80Mb, so we download 14 of them for every 1 we take from the leally so thats 1.12GB. i take at least 50 files leagally daily, so thats 50GB. in a week i download 350Gb in music... hell i dont even have a hhd that big and my internet has been capped at least 30 by now.

      hell is this even pysicaly possible to do.

  35. Canadian Content by _am99_ · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The CRIA is a poorly funded wannabe RIAA that complains about everything. They already have enough supporting laws and programs on the books. And now that there is enough focus on these issues, they are not going to get anymore.

    Canadians are taxed on all blank CDR media to offset the loss of piracy, and since the Canadian content laws under our version of the FCC are the only thing that keeps a lot of crappy Canadian content on the air, and since most of it is funded with our tax dollars, the CRIA can kiss my cold Canadian A*S!

    Many Canadian content providers and distributers shield themselves from real competition thru backwards isolationalist-style trade-restriction-like programs and law.

    Government funding allows tax dollars to be sophened to companies that produce content that usually SUCKS - as along as it meets the "Canadian content" requirements by mentioning curling or the Toronto Maple Leafs.

    At the same time, broadcasters are limited in what they can show because they have to be inline with another set of rules that dictates a percentage limit on the amount of non-Canadian content they can broadcast.

    So we have cable providers that suck, a lot of content that sucks, and it is all subsidized by our own tax dollars.

    All that being said, aside from not being able to get American TV legally, and having the same climate as upstate New York (in Toronto at least), it is still the best place to live in the North America - IMHO.

    With all of this Canada self-bashing, I should point out a couple of examples of Canadian content at its finest. Here are two artists that are proud to be Canadian, and are world class for sure - highly worth checking out:

        1) Esthero - a voice and songwriter like no other
        2) K-os - hip-hop with real instruments, who's quality is unmatched

    1. Re:Canadian Content by Kombat · · Score: 1

      On the other hand, Canadians are free to borrow any music CD they want from a friend, and make their own copy, perfectly legally. You can't omit that.

      --
      Like woodworking? Build your own picture frames.
    2. Re:Canadian Content by molarmass192 · · Score: 1

      Government funding allows tax dollars to be sophened to companies that produce content that usually SUCKS - as along as it meets the "Canadian content" requirements by mentioning curling or the Toronto Maple Leafs.

      Conversely, anything that involves the Toronto Maple Leafs usually SUCKS. :D Man! I really missed being able to say that! Hockey season starts in 5 days so pardon my enthusiasm!!!

      Back on topic, you're bang on about the K-OS and Esthero, both excellent ... but don't forget about Conjure One and Delerium both solid Canadian artists ... sadly, this still doesn't excuse Celine Dion, we will continue releasing music from J-Lo until you agree to make her stop.

      --

      Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws-Plato
  36. fud by jimius · · Score: 1

    fud fud fud, I reckon that being a *AA employee is more morally corrupting than downloading some songs.
    Shoplifting is completely different, it cannot be done out of the safety of your home.

  37. Puppies too! by niew · · Score: 2, Funny

    "...suggests that those who download music online are also likely to cheat at schools/universities and to shoplift."

    They probably kill puppies too...

  38. CompSci & Engineering Projects at Rent-a-Coder by mosel-saar-ruwer · · Score: 1

    Just last week I was surfing the coder-for-hire sites, and, in addition to the ridiculous, asinine demands people were making [$100,000 projects for opening bids of $100 - the sort of thing that would starve an already emaciated Bangalorean peasant], I was just appalled at the number of spoiled, self-obsessed, ingrate college students who were advertising for coders to write their CompSci and Engineering projects for them.

    What the hell ever happened to academic integrity?

  39. Bah... BS math. by XorNand · · Score: 2, Insightful
    "Not only does music file-swapping harm artists, but it also points to an erosion of respect for intellectual property that threatens Canada's economy and values at the core of our society," said Graham Henderson, president of the Canadian Recording Industry Association, which commissioned the polls.
    Even assuming that this study is valid, this is pretty much a non-story since causation hasn't been linked. I'm sure that industry is trying to spin it the same way as marijunana is blamed as a "gateway drug", e.g.: "Parents! Better watch your kids; if they're pirating music today, odds are it'll lead to a life of cheating and stealing."
    Canadians between 12 and 24 years of age are responsible for 78 per cent of illegal music downloading, even though they make up only 21 per cent of the population, it says.
    Any how was this determined? Extrapolating musical tastes? Asking anonymous P2P users their ages? I'd really question their methodology.
    The illegal downloading has cost retail music stores more than half a billion dollars in lost sales since 1999, a study by Pollara for the recording industry estimates.
    Again, how do you determine the difference between someone who downloaded instead of buying (legit lost sale) and someone who only downloaded in the first place because it was free (lost sale only via mystical accounting practices)?

    How do I start my own polling firm where I get paid to tell clients what they want to hear? Seems like a sweet gig.
    --
    Entrepreneur : (noun), French for "unemployed"
  40. Oh man... by Skudd · · Score: 1

    <?php
        echo "Ba".str_repeat("ha", time())."!\n";
    ?>

  41. Compare to "carding" by Loundry · · Score: 1

    When I worked for an online company providing VoIP service, we became aware of "carding", or swapping / generating credit card numbers for the sake of obtaining merchandise for "free".

    I visited some on-line forums and was rather shocked by what I read. First of all, it seemed like none of the people who participated in this activity thought that it was wrong. In fact, many of them justified the action by referring to the victims as "suckers" (meaning, it's acceptable to screw people who are "stupid" enough to fall for it).

    The language and "HOWTOs" on the forum were very reminiscent of the old warez sites that I used to frequent. This was just another form of being "comptuer cool", it seemed.

    So if users who use P2P (which are largely users who would trade warez) often overlap with people who are into "carding" (which always harms someone else), then why wouldn't they also be into cheating and stealing in more conventional ways? It doesn't stand to reason that a person would have a moral problem lifting something from a brick-and-mortar store yet have no compunction with generating someone's credit card number (and CVV2 number!) and then charging $2,000 of computer gear to it.

    It is incumbent upon us to differentiate the type of "theft" where no property is taken to theft (where property IS taken). And, yes, I'm talking about property, not "intellectual property" which is nothing more than ideas propped up by laws.

    --
    I don't make the rules. I just make fun of them.
    1. Re:Compare to "carding" by Dun+Malg · · Score: 1
      overlap with people who are into "carding" (which always harms someone else),

      FWIW, people who engage in carding don't see it as harming someone else, but rather something else. Granted, people whose CC nums have been used incur a time loss in reporting the fraud* and having the charges removed, but the direct financial loss usually lands on the faceless credit card company. It's obviously fairly easy to rationalize the commission of fraud against companies in a business as "ethically challenged" as credit cards! The classic line of reasoning that "fraud costs us ALL" is questionable here. If fraud were eliminated, I guarantee interest rates and fees on credit cards wouldn't change a bit. Personally, I consider fraud unethical, but I can see how some, particularly young'uns, might have a kind of bastardized Robin Hood view of it.

      * Just as copyright infringement isn't "theft", in the eyes of the law cradit card fraud isn't "theft", it's fraud.

      --
      If a job's not worth doing, it's not worth doing right.
    2. Re:Compare to "carding" by Loundry · · Score: 1

      FWIW, people who engage in carding don't see it as harming someone else, but rather something else.

      Some do, some don't. The ones that referred to victims as "suckers" with a wicked sneer are certainly aware that a someone is being harmed.

      Granted, people whose CC nums have been used incur a time loss in reporting the fraud* and having the charges removed,

      It sounds like you're arguing, "since no money was lost, then the individual who owns the card really isn't harmed". This is an individual who probably has 1,000 better things to do than to have to sit in customer service hell, fill out forms, and worry about identity theft for the sake of some punk kid who wants some free stuff and isn't ashamed to hurt someone else for the sake of getting it.

      but the direct financial loss usually lands on the faceless credit card company.

      This is the most annoying line of irrational thinking that comes from anticapitalists. They think that corporations are ethereal beings that have no connection to humanity. In truth, all corporations are comprised of individuals (some more moral than others) who all have individual lives. You can't harm a "faceless" corporation without harming individuals.

      Personally, I consider fraud unethical, but I can see how some, particularly young'uns, might have a kind of bastardized Robin Hood view of it.

      Robin Hood is frequently a hero of the Left, and young'uns are frequently Leftist. I think it's because they're often annoyed that they don't have "cool sh*t" and feel envious of people who do. I think it's also because they haven't been working in the real world for very long and are still accustomed to having their parents give them things (instead of earning them). Robin Hood doesn't have to be bastardized -- he's already a bastard because he's a thief.

      --
      I don't make the rules. I just make fun of them.
    3. Re:Compare to "carding" by Dun+Malg · · Score: 1
      It sounds like you're arguing, "since no money was lost, then the individual who owns the card really isn't harmed".

      Sounds to me like I was arguing the exact opposite, but pointing out that others may not put any value on people's time.

      This is the most annoying line of irrational thinking that comes from anticapitalists. They think that corporations are ethereal beings that have no connection to humanity. In truth, all corporations are comprised of individuals (some more moral than others) who all have individual lives. You can't harm a "faceless" corporation without harming individuals.

      It may be annoying, but it does have some semi-rational basis. The idea is that stealing five bucks from a guy who tips the guy who washes his car $20 hardly even counts as he's unlikely to even notice it. Compare that to stealing five bucks from a homeless guy sleeping in the park. They don't feel it's as morally reprehensible to charge $2000 to Joe Schmoe's visa card because it's not Joe that'll be paying $2000, it's several million MBNA shareholders paying a fraction of a cent each. One person committing small-time fraud hardly even counts as a rounding error. True, it adds up when MANY people do it, but it's not MANY people making the decision together to commit fraud.

      Robin Hood is frequently a hero of the Left, and young'uns are frequently Leftist....Robin Hood doesn't have to be bastardized -- he's already a bastard because he's a thief.

      That depends on your interpretation of the Robin Hood story. Lefties like to think of him as simply "stealing from the rich and giving to the poor", much the same way they would like to see socialist tax policy implemented. I'd argue, however, that this interpretation of Robin Hood is completely wrong. He didn't steal from the "rich" so much as steal from the "brutal, confiscatory government tax collector". The Sheriff of Nottingham and the tyrannical usurper King? Sounds like government gone bad, not capitalism.

      --
      If a job's not worth doing, it's not worth doing right.
  42. 2 words by Mock · · Score: 1

    bull
    shit

  43. Damn straight by RiotXIX · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Let's bomb the f*&£ out of their country to get rid of theft forever.

    (It wasn't meant to be a troll..)

    --
    "You know you don't act like a scientist, you're more like a game show host." Dana Barret
  44. what BS! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    an erosion of respect for intellectual property that threatens Canada's economy and values at the core of our society,

    So does the fact that you can caught perpetuating a multi-million dollar government fraud, and not go to jail.

    The corruption and incompetence of the Chretien regime knows few bounds. Paul Martin is only a bit better. Why the voters keep voting for these idiots, I don't know.

    1. Re:what BS! by compro01 · · Score: 1

      Why the voters keep voting for these idiots, I don't know.

      because they're better than the alternative(the NDP don't have a snowball's change in hell of forming the government). somehow, i don't belive the conservative dogma that you can cut taxes, raise expendatures, and everything still balances. how much debt did they rack up last time they were in office?

      sure the liberals have made a few screwups (the gun registry for example, but there was a lot of lobbying for that, just that public opinion wasn't real inlightened. and americans can't point at that, as i can just look at what your goverment does whenever the **AA cries)

      --
      upon the advice of my lawyer, i have no sig at this time
  45. Newsflash: Teenagers download more by infolib · · Score: 4, Funny

    "Downloading may turn you into a teenager" a scientist in lab coat commented. "We may have stumbled upon the fountain of youth".

    --
    Any sufficiently advanced libertarian utopia is indistinguishable from government.
  46. Incredible! by BerntB · · Score: 1
    I hope the people coming up with the ideas of guilt by association etc get well paid.

    This was an incredible creative (and sick) idea. Microsoft should hire them.

    Soon they will probably copy medieval propaganda about the jews and say that file sharers eat christian babies. :-)

    --
    Karma: Excellent (My Karma? I wish...:-( )
  47. Guys who fart by cwebb1977 · · Score: 0

    are more likely to leave a turd in your frontyard. I just love statistics!

    --
    www.weberseite.at
  48. Hah by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'm a Canadian, I'm in the age group. Never shoplifted. Never cheated on a test. Download crap all the time. They definatly didn't servey people like me.

  49. Selection by pete-classic · · Score: 1

    Respondents who answer one question about behavior seen as unethical honestly were more likely to answer other questions about behavior seen as unethical honestly.

    Neat.

    -Peter

  50. In related news .... by Frater+219 · · Score: 1
    Advertising executives, recording industry flacks, and marketers are more likely than high school or college students to abuse their spouses or children, to be long-term (10 years or more) alcoholics, to be involved in health care fraud, or to rape or sexually assault their maids or nannies.

    Now, most people would consider rape and domestic violence to be more severe offenses than copyright violation. So clearly there needs to be much greater law-enforcement attention paid to the high-risk demographic categories of advertising executives, recording industry flacks, and marketers.

  51. Woohoo, more bullshit from the recording mafia by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    can we please set this straight: there's NO SUCH THING as 'intellectual property'.
    the very term is an insult to human intellect.

  52. in another NEWS FLASH.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Car theives around the world have a statistically higher probability of carrying a wire coat hanger on their persons. Wire coat hangers subsequently banned, chaos ensues as clothes around the world now heaped in piles on the floor. Crowbars told to watch themselves or face similar consequences.

  53. Unbelievable by orb_fan · · Score: 1

    Holy effin shite!

    27% of 18-29 yr olds would cheat at exams - so just how many Canadians take exams AFTER they are 29?

    6% of 18-29 yr olds would shoplift - and how many shoplifted before downloading became prevalent?

    The survey also says that 100% of 18-29 yr olds where between the ages of 18 and 29.

    I think it's more news-worthy that a newpaper would print this trite than the survey itself.

  54. Post Hoc by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I would guess those that are more likely to shoplift would be more likely download pirated music.

    It's like saying that producing lame arse studies makes people stupid.

    It's just that stupid people produce lame arse studies.

  55. Sponsored studies by Bullfish · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This all just really goes to show that knowing who sponsored the study is more important often than the results. I took a journalism course once and had an assignment to check out a study about how milk sold in plastic bags went bad faster than in opaque cartons. Thing is, I found that it took a couple of days to go bad, had to be exposed to light (yeah, the fridge light does go out when you shut the door) and only two per cent of the milk sold at the time as sold in these plastic sacks. The study was, however, sponsored by ex-cello who just happen to make - opaque milk cartons.

    A lot of these studies a crap and presented as fact and are not to be taken seriously. They exist to push an organization's viewpoint while deceiving the public as to their true nature.

    Look no further than the tobacco company studies that show nicotine is not addictive. Yeah right, and beer causes cancer in asbestos workers.

    1. Re:Sponsored studies by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      (yeah, the fridge light does go out when you shut the door)

      Blasphemy! There is no way to prove it!

  56. Let me get this right..... by jlk_71 · · Score: 1

    So, considering that it has already previously been noted that the RIAA is not actually hurting, but instead still turning a health profit, are studies like this bogus POS what they are spending the money from their "lawsuits" on?

    This tells me they might have just enough platinum and gold plated porches.

    jlk

  57. This just in . . . by boyfaceddog · · Score: 1

    Living people more likely to breathe air.

    --
    Here will be an old abusing of God's patience and the king's English.
  58. Damn Socialists by hahiss · · Score: 1

    See what happens when the state gives people ``free" medical care---their kids turn out to be thugs who think everything is free (sans scare quotes) and take without remorse.

    I think it is high time we in the U.S. invade Canada and put an end to this!

    --
    "Every decent man is ashamed of the government he lives under." - H.L. Mencken
    1. Re:Damn Socialists by Bullfish · · Score: 1

      And this explains why Canukistan has such a higher crime rate than the Excited States.

  59. Poor Billy by KSobby · · Score: 2, Funny

    Police Man: Billy, what made you take that pack of gum?
    Billy: Kazaa made me do it! Oh yeah, and the Hot Coffee mod too!

    10 days later we see Billy on a caribbean island sipping a Shirley Temple wearing a tee shirt saying "This trip paid for by the RIAA."

    Parents, don't let your children grow up to be statisticians. They help to turn out spurious crap reports like this.

    --
    "It's difficult to meditate on amphetamines." - Joe Walsh
  60. P2P will EAT your children! by BJZQ8 · · Score: 2, Funny
    I can no longer sit back and allow...P2P infiltration, P2P subversion, and the international P2P conspiracy to sap and impurify all of our precious bodily fluids!

    Do you realize that in addition to P2P-ing music, why, there are studies underway to P2P video, software, news, soup, sugar, milk... ice cream. Ice cream, Mandrake, children's ice cream.

    1. Re:P2P will EAT your children! by Minwee · · Score: 1
      What are you, some kind of P2P prevert?

      If you are, you're gonna have to answer to the Coca-Cola company.

    2. Re:P2P will EAT your children! by k4_pacific · · Score: 1

      Well, Jack, um, how did you become aware... well, develop, this theory?

      --
      Unknown host pong.
    3. Re:P2P will EAT your children! by BJZQ8 · · Score: 1

      I first became aware of it, Mandrake, during the physical act of buying a CD...Yes, a profound sense of fatigue, a feeling of wallet emptiness followed. Luckily I-I was able to interpret these feelings correctly. The purchase of another inane piece of polycarbonate passed off as music. I can assure you it has not recurred, Mandrake. The RIAA sense my power, and they seek money. I do not avoid music, Mandrake...but I do deny them my money.

    4. Re:P2P will EAT your children! by jskiff · · Score: 1

      Good Lord, where are my mod points when I need them? Any "Dr. Strangelove" related comment should automatically be modded up.

      --
      It's "no one," not "noone." Who the hell is noone anyway?
  61. This is propaganda by kianu7 · · Score: 0
    One of the big goals of the RIAA and other Media Protectors is to change people's mentality so that they feel like "trading" digital media is on par with stealing something at a store. This article helps advance that agenda, but I think the article is a crock.

    There are many many people who trade media online through P2P, whether it's music, prOn, movies, software, etc. I would bet that the vast majority of these people have never stolen so much as a candy bar from a convenience store.

    Trading music just doesn't FEEL like stealing, although the RIAA is intent on convincing us otherwise.

    I think the main reason why it doesn't feel like stealing is that people are so accustomed to free media, or at least, the all-you-can-eat approach to media. Movies come on T.V./cable all the time for free (or included in the cable package). Music plays on the radio all the time, for free. Plus, when you listen to music you don't consume anything. My listening to a song doesn't mean that somebody else can't listen to it, unlike a candy bar which can only be eaten by one person.

    The RIAA has a long way to go.

  62. ROFL by HunterZ · · Score: 1

    FTA:
    The effect of the piracy, however, does not stop at just music or movies, suggests a study from another polling firm.

    Canadians between the ages of 18 and 29 are much more willing than other age groups to make illegal copies of software programs, cheat on exams or even shoplift, an Environics poll suggests.


    First off, they polled people to determine how likely people are to commit various crimes? Second, it doesn't say who they polled in that particular poll. For all we know Environics went to some neighbourhood and polled some old guy who said, "I don't know what music piracy is, but if it's anything like not getting off my damned lawn, then I bet you damned kids these days are doing it!"

    Bottom line is that site should be ashamed of posting such obvious crap from the recording industry, and that the recording industry has no shame (but we already knew that).

    --
    Arguing about vi versus Emacs is like arguing whether it's better to make fire by rubbing sticks or banging rocks.
  63. Waiting for the next spin... by Iriel · · Score: 1

    I'm just dying for the RIAA to catch wind of this and pervert the study that says downloaders are more likely to buy CDs from the artists they download.

    RIAA: Well of course P2P users have a lot of CDs from the bands they download...because they stole the CDs!

    And then riots will brake out with all the angry labels brandishing pitchforks pointed at the evil haX0rz!
    </completeandtotalexageration>

    --
    Perfecting Discordia
    www.stevenvansickle.com
    1. Re:Waiting for the next spin... by Pichu0102 · · Score: 1

      The sad thing is that's probably going to happen sooner or later.

  64. CompSci & Engineering Projects at Rent-a-Coder by mosel-saar-ruwer · · Score: 2, Insightful

    those who download music online are also likely to cheat at schools/universities...

    Just last week I was surfing the coder-for-hire sites, and, in addition to the ridiculous, asinine demands people were making [$100,000 projects for opening bids of $100 - the sort of thing that would starve an already emaciated Bangalorean peasant], I was just appalled at the number of spoiled, self-obsessed, ingrate college students who were advertising for coders to write their CompSci and Engineering projects for them.

    What the hell ever happened to academic integrity?

  65. Proof Positive by Tickenest · · Score: 1
    --
    This is the NFL, which stands for "Not For Long" if you keep making those bulls*** calls.
  66. Come on folks! by AutopsyReport · · Score: 1

    Come on folks. As Michael Geist's website says, the major Canadian newspaper's (Globe & Mail, Ottawa Citizen, etc.) aren't even covering the article. Even though a lot of bullshit stories get printed and tossed in your yard, this one is just weighing in too heavy with idiocy.

    --

    For he today that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother.

    1. Re:Come on folks! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hm, you are aware that the link in TFA is from Globe and Mail, regardless what some zeitgeist guy tells you.

    2. Re:Come on folks! by AutopsyReport · · Score: 1

      Newspapers, not the online version of that newspaper. A lot of extra coverage is available online, a lot of it never making it to print. Minor point anyway...

      --

      For he today that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother.

  67. Increadible by bigHairyDog · · Score: 1

    The study's not right. It's not even wrong.

    How can you argue with someone who has such an utter disregard to logic?

    --

    foo mane padme hum

  68. In related news... by Entanglebit · · Score: 5, Funny

    In related news, users of Microsoft Windows found to use excessive foul language.

  69. All is well for CRIA by Nuffsaid · · Score: 1

    Our data suggests that there's nothing to fear for the Canadian Recording Industry. Global temperatures are rising, and it is a well-known fact that this trend points to a fall in the number of pirates. Less pirates lead to less pirated music, it's so simple! Plus, you get warmer winters. A double win for CRIA!

    --
    Nuffsaid
    ________

    Don't know about his cat, but Schroedinger is definitely dead.
  70. You get the kind of customers you market to by p_conrad · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Can you really fault a kid for wanting to steal the latest copy Gangsta Rap Knee-Cap? The music glorifies the life of crime, so the would-be customers embrace that ethic by stealing that music. Makes perfect sense to me.

    If the RIAA members want a more mature audience of paying customers, perhaps they should attempt to create a more mature product. Since they obviously aren't going to do that, they should just accept the shrinkage and price accordingly, like every other business in the world.

    My whole life the record companies have been blaming their customers. Home taping was killing music. Bootlegging concerts was killing music, even though there's little interest in official live albums. Now P2P is killing music until the next scapegoat comes along. This is a pretty long swan song, isn't it?

  71. Also noteworthy by Ankou · · Score: 1

    It has been proven that those working for the RIAA have are more than 97% likely to smoke crack and kick kittens.

  72. I've done my own research by Mr2cents · · Score: 1

    "New research report suggests that those who make up false claims in scientific reports are also likely to cheat at schools/universities and to shoplift. From the Globe and Mail: 'Not only does sponsored science harm real scientists, but it also points to an erosion of respect for intellectual property that threatens Canada's economy and values at the core of our society."

    --
    "It's too bad that stupidity isn't painful." - Anton LaVey
  73. Sure... by gigoguy · · Score: 1

    The major newspapers aren't covering it. Great. The important question is whether or not the nightly news will run a segment on it.

  74. Wag the dog by akgw · · Score: 1

    I was shoplifting and cheating way before P2P... Woops, did I think aloud again?

  75. a kitten must die by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    every time you download music illegally, God kills a kitten

  76. Already been done by program21 · · Score: 3, Informative
    What is next, blaming P2P users for causing terrorism...
    House Judiciary Committee Oversight Hearing: International Copyright Piracy: Links To Organized Crime and Terrorism.
    --
    This has been a test. Had this been a real emergency, we would have fled in terror and you would not have been informed.
  77. Monkeys at typewriters? by mc900ftjesus · · Score: 3, Funny

    Is this was gets written when they type for long enough?

  78. So whos gonna help by anicca · · Score: 1

    We should make a movie called "P2P Madness". We can show how using P2P causes people to engage in all kinds of deviant behavior....and put it on bittorent!!!(/sarcasm)

    --
    A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both. Dwight D. Eisenhower
  79. Correlation vs Causation, studies vs. article by Red+Flayer · · Score: 1

    TFA:" The effect of the piracy, however, does not stop at just music or movies, suggests a study from another polling firm."

    This is the only sentence in the article that implies a cause/effect relationship.

    Despite tons of people on /. apparently misreading TFA and info from the studies, nowhere other than there does it suggest that piracy causes people to shoplift and/or cheat.

    Yes, the studies were sponsored by the CRIA. But that does not necessarily make them invalid.

    Furthermore, I am not surprised at all by the results of the studies. Tons of people will shoplift, cheat, or pirate IP if the risk of, and punishment for, getting caught is low enough.

    --
    "Trolls they were, but filled with the evil will of their master: a fell race..." -- J.R.R. Tolkien on Olog-hai
    1. Re:Correlation vs Causation, studies vs. article by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      TFA:" The effect of the piracy, however, does not stop at just music or movies, suggests a study from another polling firm."

      This is the only sentence in the article that implies a cause/effect relationship.

      Despite tons of people on /. apparently misreading TFA and info from the studies, nowhere other than there does it suggest that piracy causes people to shoplift and/or cheat.


      Nowhere other than there.....isn't once enough?
      Is there a standard minimum # of times they have to imply causation for them to actually be implying causation?

    2. Re:Correlation vs Causation, studies vs. article by Red+Flayer · · Score: 1

      My point was that any intelligent reader would be able to ignore that sentence, since it has nothing to do with what the studies claim, but is rather the idiotic interpretation of the article writer.

      Every "insightful" post at the time I wrote the comment was harping on the correlation != causation issue, which is of course important, but discussion of the studies themselves was not apparent.

      --
      "Trolls they were, but filled with the evil will of their master: a fell race..." -- J.R.R. Tolkien on Olog-hai
    3. Re:Correlation vs Causation, studies vs. article by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Fair enough.
      There's nothing that says the people doing the surveys tried to connect the two.
      It's just being reported badly.

  80. Re:CompSci & Engineering Projects at Rent-a-Co by Dun+Malg · · Score: 1
    I was just appalled at the number of spoiled, self-obsessed, ingrate college students who were advertising for coders to write their CompSci and Engineering projects for them. What the hell ever happened to academic integrity?

    Ah, that's nothin' new. Go dredge the USENET archives for comp.lang.c and you'll find a steady supply of nimrods saying "I need to write a program to [insert Comp Sci project here]-- does anyone have a source listing for something that does this?" These posts are easily identified by the stream of replies to the effect of "go do your own homework, jackass!" There are always a few dopes at the bottom looking for an easy way out.

    --
    If a job's not worth doing, it's not worth doing right.
  81. p2p is directly correlated to eating disorders. by digitalderbs · · Score: 5, Funny

    Since "Canadians between 12 and 24 years of age are responsible for 78 per cent of illegal music downloading" (source) and "95% of those who have eating disorders are between the ages of 12 and 25" (source), P2P sharing leads to anorexia. QED.

  82. More flaws in the study by dkleinsc · · Score: 2, Informative

    Most people have already pointed out the correlation!=causality problem with this study, but here are a couple of more issues:
    1. This was done via a survey, so what that means is that people who admit to filesharing are more likely to admit to shoplifting and cheating. The "admit to" part is significant and was left out of the findings.

    2. The argument appears to work like this: people 12-25 years old are most like to fileshare, and are most likely to shoplift, so therefor people who are likely to fileshare are likely to shoplift. In other words, A->B, A->C, therefor B->C.

    So my basic interpretation of this one is along the lines of the "masturbation will make you go blind" argument: An utterly false statement that if true would make an otherwise relatively harmless activity seem harmful.

    --
    I am officially gone from /. Long live http://www.soylentnews.com/
  83. FUD by Idealius · · Score: 1, Insightful

    ha!

    Look, CRIA.

    I've seen many a good person cheat, shoplift, or download P2P music. (Including myself)

    You will never convince me downloading music makes someone evil. People have vices, some are worse than others. The ones you list are a lot less important than ideals such as "loyalty", avoiding domestic violence, or being finacially responsible.

    Some vices are the result of our environment. The internet is an environment where a new P2P software sharing application can be released every six months, and you can shut them down a couple years down the line. Somewhere in between a lot of people download music for free. Deal with this and fix the actual problem instead of trying to convince me I'm evil for downloading music years ago.

    You cannot morally influence someone to avoid stealing music from their own home because they're going to have friends with less morals that care not, and are living examples of what a low risk it is to be caught.

    It's hard to justify stealing entertainment as evil. I mean try to justify stealing medical supplies or food or something. But jesus, entertainment? COME ON, ok ok ok so it's bad, but it is by no means evil. Fix the problem yourself because you can't MAKE STEALING ENTERTAINMENT LOOK EVIL. ..A more useful study would be one that shows most people who cheat, shoplift, or download P2P music don't have enough time to REALLY stick it to the man by doing all three in in one day.

  84. Right for wrong reasons by dtfinch · · Score: 1

    P2P users are more likely to listen to a lot of music which means they're more likely to be teens and thus are more likely to shoplift.

  85. this is really off-topic but i'm curious by Adult+film+producer · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    The picture of the day on the cbc.ca website was of a Soyuz rocket being taxied to the launch pad, great picture btw..
    (caption from cbc website) "Russian Soyuz rocket booster is taken to a launch pad at Baikonur Cosmodrome, Sept. 29. The next U.S.-Russian space crew, including U.S. space tourist Gregory Olsen, is scheduled to blast off on Oct. 1. (File: AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)"

    What's that shuttle in the background ??

    1. Re:this is really off-topic but i'm curious by Utopia · · Score: 1

      Most likely the Russian Space Shuttle Buran

    2. Re:this is really off-topic but i'm curious by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That'll be on old Buran. They only flew one once, unmanned. The one in the picture is probably one of the test models they made.

  86. Cheating... by Gharbad · · Score: 2, Interesting

    On average upon leaving university, every student says they've cheated at least once. Be it copying a question, glancing at another paper, or other such small offence. Everyone cheats. Period.

    --
    "Gharbad no Hurt!" -Gharbad
  87. Clearly you didn't go to school in the north by tgd · · Score: 1

    If you did, you'd know the drinking age is 18 there, which was cause for frequent road trips when I was at RIT.

    1. Re:Clearly you didn't go to school in the north by Dwonis · · Score: 3, Informative
    2. Re:Clearly you didn't go to school in the north by Jeff+Hornby · · Score: 3, Informative

      Drinking age in most of Canada is 19. It's ony 18 in Quebec, Alberta and Manitoba.

      --
      Why doesn't Slashdot ever get slashdotted?
    3. Re:Clearly you didn't go to school in the north by Deliveranc3 · · Score: 1

      And never gets as high as 21....

      That's why we rule you :P

  88. Cheating starts at the top by MrLint · · Score: 1

    I wonder if the study looks at the past history of media execs as they lie cheat and steal from the artists they proclaim to want to protect.

    The actual workers (artists) are being used as a football here, being misused in a campaign by the *AA to retain their control of a business model in its last throes (insert Rumsfeldian definition here)

  89. I shoplift by j.a.mcguire · · Score: 1

    ...but I only do it because of peer 2 peer pressure!

  90. In other news... by kurt_ram · · Score: 0

    In other news, scientists have discovered that Illegal P2P sharing is the leading cause for AIDS.

    --
    Clearly, Google is the next Microsoft.
  91. And another thing... by nekoniku · · Score: 1

    I have hairy palms, too, from using P2P.

    --
    "It's a wonderful idea. But it doesn't work." -- Tad Danielewski
  92. Just because you say it is... by JediTrainer · · Score: 1

    ...doesn't make it illegal. At least not yet. My understanding of the recent court rulings was that in Canada, downloading is allowed. It is considered an extension of fair-use, given that it is already legal here for me to make a copy of a friend's store-bought CD. I cannot give away the copy, and I cannot make a copy and give it to a friend, but I can make a copy of the original CD for personal use, completely legally. This is why we pay a levy on blank CDs. Uploading music remains illegal. So if you download commercial music, take it out of your share folders and you should be fine (IANAL of course).

    What pisses me off about this study is the statistic on how many people made audio CDs in the last 6 months. Uh hello - that's what the levy is for. To even suggest that that is illegal is unfair.

    For my part, the music files in my collection are all obtained through original CDs. Either mine (I *do* purchase a significant amount of music), or borrowed originals (again, copy made for personal use is legal). I do not share the files I rip. I'm considering getting more from the library too. Although I don't download music, I still believe it to be completely legal in Canada.

    On a side note, the CRIA pisses me off. As an example of their greediness, they've gone so far as to send threatening letters to dentists, telling them they can't play the radio in their offices (or their on-hold music) because they haven't paid a licensing fee. It's considered entertainment for commercial purposes (regardless of the fact that they already get royalties from the stations) and want to double-dip. The dentists I know have had to purchase some royalty-free loops for their on-hold music, and have stopped playing the radio in their offices.

    --

    You can accomplish anything you set your mind to. The impossible just takes a little longer.
  93. Bad Canadian /.iers! by RingDev · · Score: 1

    "Canadians illegally download 14 music CDs or other files from the Internet for every file they take from the web legally, a new recording-industry poll suggests."

    /.'s home page has atleast 1 html file and 1 CSS file (not sure about the new system) and atleast 10 image files. All of which you have legally downloaded.

    That means that you damn Canadians who visit only the /. home page would have to download 168 CDs worth of music for your first visit here. Call it a wild guess, but I doubt there are many people who have P2P a library of anything close to that size.

    -Rick

    --
    "Most people in the U.S. wouldn't know they live in a tyrannical state if it walked up and grabbed their junk." - MyFirs
  94. PSP Users? by xorowo · · Score: 2, Funny
    I really read that as "PSP Users More Likely to cheat, shoplift..." and I was sure that this was either another skewed MS study in preparation for their move into handheld gaming, or a bold move by Ninetendo to court parents.

    I really need to get new glasses.

  95. Age Groups and Oral Sex by chub_mackerel · · Score: 1

    Exactly. Plus, TFA specifically ties it to age groups, not P2P use. P2P sharing is simply one of the things that people in this age group tend to have a more permissive attitude about. What a shocker: young people tend to act like, well, young people.

    Of course, it would have been more fun to pick some other correla... er, "causal relationships", like willingness to give blow jobs or engage in group sex. Those attitudes are probably higher in the same age group as well.

    Now those are some P2P activities we can all agree are not infringing!

    1. Re:Age Groups and Oral Sex by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      From what I understand, it's actually not the younger demographics that really engage in a lot of group sex. Most orgies are filled with people in their 40's and 50's. And most of them aren't particularilly attractive, either. Just... willing. *shudder*

  96. hehehehe by goarilla · · Score: 0

    Let the propaganda wars begin !!!

  97. Objective Research by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    In other news, a Kazaa funded study has shown that RIAA executives are more likely to abuse children and kick puppies and that the profits made from legal CD sales fund those activities.

  98. Youth and Crime Go Together by jzoetewey · · Score: 1

    Once upon a time I was a sociology major/grad student. From what I remember, profs in both schools I attended liked to tell the following story:

    Back when the baby boomers were kids, a sociologist predicted that there would be a "crime wave" when they came of age. Most crimes are committed by 16-30 year old men (I'm sure I have the ages wrong, but something like that) and thus once the baby boomers hit those ages, there were more crimes than usual.

    Since then of course, police departments have claimed that better police methods have lowered the crime wave, but the reality is that the baby boomers have left the age bracket that does the crime.

    Similarly, this study only proves that people who download files for free also are in the same age group as the people most likely to commit crimes.

    This is not exactly news.

  99. OMG by nyxon · · Score: 1

    muwahahahahahhahahaHAHAHA!!!!!

  100. future employees by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Wow, thats great, then I guess they are just the type of people big cut throat record companies need, the kind of dihonest people who can keep a straight face when they say that they really need to charge 20$ a cd to turn a profit.....

  101. Companies with Antiquated Business Models More Lik by Dan512 · · Score: 1

    I'd love to see a study examining industries where companies and/or products are marginalized by technical advances. I suspect that headlines announcing that study might read: "Companies with Antiquated Business Models More Likely to Lie, Distort"

    It is odd that companies think they have a right to profits just because what they did before was profitable. It is bad for the general public when they can get politicians to agree.

  102. Five words by Vann_v2 · · Score: 1

    Post hoc, ergo propter hoc.

    1. Re:Five words by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Two words for those five words...

      Fuckin' A!

  103. In other breaking news, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    it's been found that breating leads to criminal behavure. In a survey of prison inmates and juvenile delinquents, all of them said they were breating at the time leading up to and during thier crimes.
    How can we let this happen, I think the RIAA should step up and make a good example to the public and stop this breating behavure. Think of the children.

  104. Wrong by JediTrainer · · Score: 1

    Unless you don't think The Toronto Star is major.

    --

    You can accomplish anything you set your mind to. The impossible just takes a little longer.
    1. Re:Wrong by AutopsyReport · · Score: 1

      See this

      --

      For he today that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother.

  105. IANAL... by gigoguy · · Score: 1

    Corporate law requires that a company be able to demonstrate that the company protected the stockholders interests to the best of their ability.

    1. Re:IANAL... by shawb · · Score: 1

      But if it has been shown repetedly that P2P downloading actually INCREASES sales of records, then wouldn't the best interest of the recording industry be to work to INCREASE file sharing? I think that record companies are not afraid of people downloading music and then not buying the albums. I think what they are afraid of is losing their bands... The major services that a record company provides are A)recording B)publishing and C)marketing.

      A)Technology has recently made recording cheap enough that anybody with enough motivation can set up their own home studio that can record well enough. The big problem comes in finding a good enough sound engineer, but there are enough young people out there who will do it for a very reasonable fee.

      B)Record sales have historically made very little money for the band itself. The bands real money comes through merchandising and touring (I guess kinda like Gabe and Tycho of Penny Arcade?)

      So, that leaves C)marketing as the main service that the recording industry provides. With P2P and other online phenomenon (blogs, etc) the marketing can now be done by the band itself at very low cost. What recording executives fear about P2P is that artists will soon realize that they don't need the record companies to actually make it big. Soon enough people will be exposed to music that is actually good, not just engineered for mass consumption. People rarely turn back once they experience real music. Especially if the distribution is essentially free, people will be willing to take the risk to listen to a new band or genre and choose for themselves what is good music.

      Even if it isn't quite feasible for individual bands to start up and market themselves, a dedicated person can quite easilly start up their own recording studio which competes with all the RIAA studios. Small runs of CDs are cheaper than ever to burn, or even just go to a shop and have them actually pressed. Support for bands will come from the people that listen to them rather than some record executive. While this does mean that bands will have to work a little harder to make enough money to become music professionals, it also means that they will able to retain far more control of their own music, and bands can actually play around with different genres and sounds, coming up with the holy grail of music: something original.

      --
      I'll never make that mistake again, reading the experts' opinions. - Feynman
  106. I'm a dirty rotten cheater by CaptnSmck · · Score: 0

    Yes I cheated occasionally in school, yes I've shoplifted (minor things like gum or candy as a kid, even CDs). But in no way did downloading copyrighted music on P2P networks lead me to this. Its just the type of person I am. I'm not religious at all so perhaps thats why I don't have much in the way of morals. But regardless of why I am this way, its the type of person I am that gives me no amount of guilt for downloading. I do it just to save money because I'm a bit of a cheapskate. The fact that I don't have much of a conscience could catch up to me someday but up to this point in my life I'm just fine with all the things I've done and will continue to do.

    --
    There are 5 people in this world Those who approve of Crest and those who don't
  107. I'd have to say... by xgadflyx · · Score: 0

    ...this poll is dead on. I don't know about you, but after I go out and electronically steal an entire CD, I just don't feel right until I go to the store and steal the same CD physically. I guess that in some way in my own mind it legitimizes the 'illegal' downloads. As an added bonus, I get to hit the RIAA where it hurts 2x.

    --
    Civilization, the death of dreams.
  108. How Ironic by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The music industry built itself from taking what was a rebellious underground phenomenon called Rock and Roll and turning it into a product. They spent close to half a century telling people at the most angst ridden and doubt filled stage of their lives that rebellion against authority figures was a good thing and that consuming said product was an excellent way of showing people just how cool and anti-authoritarian you were. Break all the rules, buy our product. People were paid phenomenal amounts of money to bombard that core audience with the same message, over all forms of media until that message was inescapable.

    Now the same industry is telling us that its core consumers are acting in an anti-authoritarian way and breaking the rules. Funny that.

  109. What amuses me.. by NanoGator · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I guess I'm just not in this statistic. P2P abrubptly stopped in my house when I subscribed to Rhapsody. Where's the study that shows P2P represents a market demand that the RIAA could be making money off of?

    --
    "Derp de derp."
  110. This just in: by BurntHombre · · Score: 1

    Gardeners more likely to dig in dirt; lifeguards more likely to get wet.

  111. This just in... by changa · · Score: 1

    In other news the RIAA says P2P users are more likely to eat babies and kick puppies.

  112. Need more PR, RIAA. by Spy+der+Mann · · Score: 1

    Really, RIAA, you need to make your statements more aggressive, compelling, and emotional so that the common people will believe you.

    Here's an example of what you should say when talking about a file sharer:

    "This THIEF... steals money that others have WORKED HARD TO EARN :(, makes the public believe that what he does is right (gasp!), and not only that, he invites others to follow his TWISTED ways! (shock) He turns ordinary people into criminals! Furthermore, he KNOWS what he's doing is WRONG, because he HIDES HIS IDENTITY! :-o
    We're giving a reward to whomever turns in this CRIMINAL, this, ENEMY OF THE PUBLIC, known as... "

    Then, you only need to give him a name, so HIDEOUS and TERRIFYING, that the people and families fear him whenever they hear it. Something... unmentionable, scary... EVIL! Find that name, and you'll have YOUR VICTORY! I mean, what could possibly go wrong?

    1. Re:Need more PR, RIAA. by Zunni · · Score: 1

      This is the Canadian version of the RIAA, so it's not surprising it's a little more polite :)

  113. Re:CompSci & Engineering Projects at Rent-a-Co by Thuktun · · Score: 1

    I was just appalled at the number of spoiled, self-obsessed, ingrate college students who were advertising for coders to write their CompSci and Engineering projects for them.

    Many of these post the exact assignment text given to them by their instructor. A little Googling usually turns up the class website, and the instructor is usually quite interested in hearing about this kind of academic fraud.

    Or so I would imagine.

  114. But they will detain from global warming! by bubulubugoth · · Score: 0
    Also, in this *insigthful* theory, the correlation between pirates and global warming is shown. Venganza.org.

    So, if sharing files becomes you a cheater and shoplifter, then you are becoming you the new breed of pirates, so... this is GOOD for our environment, since it will reverse the global warming effect.

    You see... pirates are good.

    --
    Â_Â
  115. Funny.. by AsnFkr · · Score: 1

    I *quit* shoplifting when P2P got popular (napster)....it was easier to just download music from home than to go all the way into town and steal the cd.

  116. Too many factors by jfengel · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Such studies are going to be extremely hard to perform, because there are so many hard-to-measure factors involved. It's well known that there have been fewer CD sales in the last few years, but how much of that is due to P2P, legal song-at-a-time downloads, satellite radio, or just plain crappy music is nearly impossible to sort out. They were up last year, but I can't say if that's due to better music or to RIAA lawsuits scaring some people into buying rather than downloading (or even crappy accounting designed to convince RIAA shareholders that their campaigns are working).

    Personally, I put the burden of proof on the music sharers. Given that the people who paid to have the music made have asked them not to do it, "prove to me that I'm costing you money" seems like the wrong way around. (And I'm tangentially involved in a band; I know how expensive it is to get an album made and promoted.)

    I do not doubt that at least some CD sales have been lost to P2P. That seems pretty straightforward: at least some poeple who would have bought an album have instead chosen to download it (or part of it) for free. So there's very good reason to believe that at least some money has been lost.

    Combine the two (you'd expect file sharing to lower CD sales, and CD sales have fallen), and that's as close to "actually and truthfully show[ing] that this is the case" as you're likely to get. It's not genuine proof, as I'm sure everybody is likely to remind me in their replies, but it seems strong enough to me to put the burden of proof on the shoulders of those who contend that file sharing isn't immoral.

    Has it harmed artists? That's even harder to say. How many fewer bands do less-profitable recording labels sign? Even the bands that they do sign receive a negligible sum for actual CD sales, but do people go to concerts or buy merchandise from bands they've downloaded but weren't willing to pay for? I can't even begin to tell you how to measure that. There are so many bands (so, so many) and such a small chance of making any real money off of it that it's nearly impossible to measure how much they've been harmed, helped, or otherwise.

    At least one band I know likes it when you download their music; it means you're listening and may even go to a club to see them or buy a tee-shirt. But the fact that many people would download their music anyway, even if they weren't fine with that, bugs the hell out of them.

    1. Re:Too many factors by crabpeople · · Score: 1

      "At least one band I know likes it when you download their music; it means you're listening and may even go to a club to see them or buy a tee-shirt. But the fact that many people would download their music anyway, even if they weren't fine with that, bugs the hell out of them."

      Why? isnt the point of producing music to have your music heard by others? doesnt anyone make music because they have something to say?

      I dont believe anyone owns music. its like history. its a part of the culture. if you dont want people to hear what you produce, dont produce it. is it completely crazy to think this?

      --
      I'll just use my special getting high powers one more time...
    2. Re:Too many factors by jfengel · · Score: 1

      Just banging out a song on your guitar in your basement is one thing. Producing an album is different.

      A friend of mine just produced an album, and by getting some remarkable deals spent a mere $22,000 on it. That's what it costs to make something album-quality (studio time, engineering, mixing, producing, cover art, mastering, etc.) and doesn't include either the musicians' time (much less rehearsal time) or their instruments. She'd like to make a living doing it, and she's $22,000 in the hole before she's sold a single copy.

      So yeah, you better bet she thinks of herself as owning that music. She put in work and spent money; is it unreasonable for her to expect you to make a contribution if you want a copy?

      She doesn't just want to be heard; if she wanted that she'd do it in her basement. And she does, but you're not invited into her basement. If other people like it, why shouldn't she be able to charge for it? She'll make some money from playing concerts and selling merchandise, but the CDs cost a lot to make, too, and are clearly valuable enough for some people to pay for them.

    3. Re:Too many factors by jfengel · · Score: 1

      Can you imagine the orgiastic frenzy of advertising dollars that could have been made ...

      Actually, I can't. Can you elaborate? Are you saying that the RIAA would make more money if they didn't charge for their product? How exactly does that work? They make up for it in volume?

      On second read I suspect that you're saying that they could attract online advertisers if they gave the music away for free? Perhaps, but I'm not sure you understand how much it costs to produce an album. A friend just produced an album at an incredible discount of $22,000. Even at a dollar a click they'd have to get a LOT of click-throughs.

      And it would be harder to tie music to ads. The genius of Google is that they present you ads that may be relevant to you based on your search. That's extremely broad, and inexpensive to produce, because you're buying based on keywords. I can't imagine a similar approach being as effective for music. A plumber is going to advertise whenever people search for plumbing-y music?

      Without a doubt they should have been in the online music sales game WAY before they did. But seach engines are a very limited way of driving sales. If you've ever run a web site selling anything you'll know that it takes a hell of a lot more than just building it and waiting for people to come. Ask any band with a myspace account; there are far too many of them, and even the cross-linking ("if you liked this you'll also like...") produces only very limited results.

      I'm not happy with their legalistic approach, I can't help but wonder if CD sales were up last year partly because they've been so aggressive about suing people. I'm not happy about the laywers, but I'm not happy with the fact that people are doing illegal things, either. The secret to not getting sued by the RIAA is to pay for your music.

      You pooh-pooh its effectiveness, but CD sales are up for the first time in years. As I said in my original post correlation is not causation, but I'm sure at least some people are buying CDs that they'd rather have downloaded except that they now know in very stark terms that it's illegal and will be prosecuted.

  117. Most P2P users are... by Mastadex · · Score: 0

    ...students in universities and colleges. These people are ususally on government assistance and cannot afford anything.

    --
    A morning without coffee is like something without something else.
  118. Cockamamey Bullshevik! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Case-in-point: Was at a Staples store this summer, and the power goes out (daytime) with no tills or security gate backup. ALL the staff are gathered at the front, except a watcher when I go to the small-and-valuable computer section. I'm no futz and I had bags of my own, so could've easily pocketed a couple things and come back to pay for the rest of my basket later when power returned.

    Point is, I didn't want to. I looked at a (bargain) game, and instead of walking out with a physical product I realized quickly I could try it out via Torrent. Spent the next half hour trying to wrap my head around why I don't care to steal in the physical realm, but on the interweb it seems to be fair game. Don't have a good answer yet, but I've watched adults copy software since the Apple II days before I could even pronounce "intellectual property."

    For me, file sharing isn't about theft, it's about convenience. I buy from iTunes and Steam rather than trek to a store and have another pointless physical object to dust. Most of what I like is imports anyway... and guess what, when I visited Japan? Bought authentic stuff, not Hong Kong knockoffs.

    Stop paid piracy first, I say.

  119. Fun with statistics by HangingChad · · Score: 1
    100% of shoplifters and cheaters (whatever that is) exchange carbon dioxide and oxygen across thin, moist membranes. Therefore anyone who respirates is a potential shoplifter.

    If you breath, you might be a copyright infringer!

    --
    That's our life, the big wheel of shit. - The Fat Man, Blue Tango Salvage
  120. Cheating? Stealing? Let's Plunder! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    That's funny. Like all big business, the record companies wouldn't be where they are without CHEATING. ARtists of the 40's and 50's were RAPED when it came to pay - noone really knew what to expect.

    All in all, its the American way - the way of the corporation (aka Wild West). You see an advantage, take the advantage and forge your way to making more money. If everyone played by the rules and didn't cheat (find loopholes) with taxes, employee benefits, etc., WalMart would be 1/10 of its size as there would be 9 other corporations in competition.

    Some pirates are respectable, some pirates are scum - but we all like to plunder the weak and drink rum.

    Now where's my bloody cutlass - ARGH!

  121. And they smell funny, too! by greg_barton · · Score: 1

    And their hair. What's up with that? And their shifty, beady eyes...

  122. Bullshit by CrimsonSamurai · · Score: 1

    What a load of shit. I file share a lot, but I still have my standards. I've never shoplifted and I don't cheat on tests. Maybe that's just me, but what a bullshit generalization. Sometimes I even think my morals are too high.

    1. Re:Bullshit by Tankko · · Score: 1

      I file share a lot, but I still have my standards.

      yes, and apparently your standards aren't very high.

      This is the whole problem. People think trading music is OK. That's hurting no one. But it's still wrong. People worked very hard (and spent a lot of money) to make that stuff and you're just using it without a care in the world. It really does show me how low your morals are.

    2. Re:Bullshit by Zunni · · Score: 1

      Yes, you need not look any further than your admittance to filesharing to see an example of your high-moral fibre....

      Short lesson, downloading music or movies you didn't pay for is still stealing and while I certainly don't agree with the RIAA or MPAA or any other 4 letter organization's handling of new technology, to imply that what you are doing is any better than the other listed crimes is insane....

  123. I want in!! by PONA-Boy · · Score: 1

    OK, where's _my_ five finger discount?

    --
    +that's funny...I don't FEEL tardy.+
  124. In related news... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Nearly 27% of younger people surveyed by the RIAA would consider cheating on exams, leading to belief that answering RIAA surveys leads to cheating on exams and the moral decay of our society.

  125. mass murderers and terrorists by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    By putting down a couple thoundand dollars more the recording industry could have had a study showing that P2P users are also mass murderers and terrorists. Why are they being so stingy nowadays?!...

  126. Quality study by blueg3 · · Score: 1

    "Canadians illegally download 14 music CDs or other files from the Internet for every file they take from the web legally..."

    Yes. A music CD is one file. Apparently perhaps most file trading is done on the web now? And with the hundreds of web requests that your typical Joe User makes sitting at the computer -- for each of those there's 14 illegal files? Canadians are thievy!

    "...noting a rise in plagiarism in schools and universities."

    One that conveniently doesn't have any statistics quoted.

  127. Theft is theft by RIAA_Executive · · Score: 0, Troll

    Shoplifting and taking copyrighted material by P2P download are both criminal activities.

  128. Re:CompSci & Engineering Projects at Rent-a-Co by cosmo7 · · Score: 3, Funny

    and the instructor is usually quite interested in hearing about this kind of academic fraud.

    Yeah, he'll make sure the culprits are automatically transferred to the MBA program.

  129. The Stats are Not Relevant by robbway · · Score: 1

    From TFA:

    Pollara's findings are based on a national telephone survey of more than 1,200 Canadians aged 12 and over between June 24 and July 12.
    The firm says the results are accurate to within plus or minus 2.5 percentage points, 19 out of 20 times.

    Environics polled just over 1,000 Canadians aged 18 or over by telephone, and another 1,043 Canadians on-line in May, 2005.
    It says the findings are accurate to within plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, 19 out of 20 times.


    Pollara's accuracy rate is 95% score accuracy * 95% of the time, which is and overall accuracy of 90.25%. This means that almost 1 of every 10 scores is inaccurate.

    Envionic's accuracy rate is 93.8% score accuracy * 95% of the time, which is and overall accuracy of 89.11%. This means that slightly more than 1 of every 10 scores is inaccurate.

    These are unacceptable accuracy rates to apply to the entire country. In other words, don't pass laws based on a non-independent studies that will affect all Canadians and be completely wrong, 1 out of 10 times. It's just not good science.

  130. is the reverse any better? by brlewis · · Score: 1

    Are "P2P users buy more CDs" assertions any better or do they use the exact same fallacy?

    1. Re:is the reverse any better? by program21 · · Score: 1

      If they're just assertions with no evidence (I haven't really seen anything other than blanket assertions of this fact, personally), then yes, I think they're just as bad. Just because I might like the point doesn't mean it's any less flawed.

      --
      This has been a test. Had this been a real emergency, we would have fled in terror and you would not have been informed.
  131. In Related News by tengu1sd · · Score: 1
    CEOs are more likely to falsify company earnings

    Congressmen are more likely to accept bribes for votes

    RIAA employees are more likely to trample consumer rights

  132. Correllation is not causation [N.T.] by mark-t · · Score: 1

    [N.T.]

  133. Buying music=DEATH by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Using the masterful logic along the lines of this study, I put forth this proposal:
    People over the age of 50 are more likely to buy music.
    People over the age of 50 are also more likely to die/suffer from medical problems.
    Therefore, buying music leads to a painful death/suffering from medical problems.
    MY LOGIC IS FLAWLESS!

  134. The Pot and the Kettle by sabat · · Score: 1

    Boy, isn't this the pot calling the kettle black?

    Record Companies More Likely to Cheat, Gouge

    --
    I, for one, welcome our new Antichrist overlord.
  135. Who's downloading Canadian artists anyway? by steveness · · Score: 1
    How big a problem can it be? Everyone here who's downloading Celine Deion or Rod Stewart please raise your hand.

    I thought not.

    1. Re:Who's downloading Canadian artists anyway? by jabelar · · Score: 1

      Well, here's a bigger list of Canadian musicians/groups: Shania Twain Alana Myles Alanis Morrisette Avril Lavigne Barenaked Ladies Nelly Furtado Celine Dion Our Lady Peace Sloan K.D. Lang Holly Cole Rush Neil Young Sarah McLachlan The Guess Who Joni Mitchell The Tragically Hip Big Sugar Kim Mitchell Leonard Cohen

    2. Re:Who's downloading Canadian artists anyway? by Zunni · · Score: 1

      In an attempt to be funny, you instead show your ignorance...

      Nice job.

    3. Re:Who's downloading Canadian artists anyway? by AceCaseOR · · Score: 1
      Shania Twain
      Nope

      Alana Myles
      Nope

      Alanis Morrisette
      Nope

      Avril Lavigne
      Fuck no!

      Barenaked Ladies
      Bought the albums, why do I need to download em?

      Nelly Furtado
      Nope

      Celine Dion
      See response for Avril Lavigne

      Our Lady Peace
      Nope

      Sloan
      Never heard of 'im

      K.D. Lang
      Nope

      Holly Cole
      Never heard of 'er Rush

      I buy their albums. (Tries to think of a witty comment comparing the RIAA and the Priests of the Temple of Cyrix, fails, and continues to go through the list)

      Neil Young
      I don't like his newer stuff at all. My parents have his older albums, plus a bunch of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young albums. And, frankly, I liked C,S,N,Y better. Besides, he's kind of odd and techno-phobic (he hates CD, and thinks that we should still be using vinyl records, because they have more "character" - yeah, they do, but they also wear out and are more difficult to cue up then CDs are).

      Sarah McLachlan
      Haven't heard much of her stuff.

      The Guess Who
      Ditto

      Joni Mitchell
      My parents own copies of her albums, so not much need to download there either

      The Tragically Hip
      Never heard anything by them.

      Big Sugar
      Never heard of them.

      Kim Mitchell
      Never heard of her

      Leonard Cohen
      Never heard of him.

      --
      Zagreus sits inside your head, Zagreus lives among the dead, Zagreus sees you in your bed and eats you in your sleep.
  136. middle term by themusicgod1 · · Score: 1

    well obviously we've found that the lack of pirates is causing the growth of RIAA executives, in turn the growth of RIAA executives is causing global warming. So yes, the lack of pirates are the cause of global warming *by* causing the growth of RIAA execs.
    ;)

    --
    GENERATION 26: The first time you see this, copy it into your sig on any forum and add 1 to the generation.
    1. Re:middle term by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      wait a minute.... are pirates just becoming RIAA executives? no wonder they accuse others of being pirates! they're just trying to divert attention away from themselves while they steal our treasure!

  137. Oh please by Jordan+Meeter · · Score: 1

    This is complete and utter bullcrap. I have not once, and I mean *ever*, cheated on a test, and I've NEVER shoplifted from a store.

    1. Re:Oh please by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Weird, I didn't see anything in the article that had anything to do with YOU, dimwit.

      Now go run along and steal something...

  138. A further study is needed. by elgee · · Score: 1

    To determine if there is any correlation with breastfed versus bottle fed.

    I will be glad to do it for a sizable grant.

    Sheesh.

  139. um by Run4yourlives · · Score: 1

    Rod Stewart is not Canadian, he's scottish.

    And Celine, well she ain't Canadian either, in my books.

  140. Look at this objectively by Aqua+OS+X · · Score: 1

    It is incredibly short sighted to assume P2P piracy leads to other forms of deviance. It could be, and IMHO probably is, primarily the other way around. People that are comfortable with bending or ignoring the rules in the real world will probably function similarly online. Especially since they're aided with increased anonymity and massive peer support online.

    That hypothesis makes a much more sense to me. Going from online deviance to real world deviance is a big step to take. You would need to cope with the loss of anonymity and peer support. That's not very appealing. It's easier the other way around.

    Yet, a multiyear academic study with controls would have to be conducted. Until that is done, you can't form conclusions one way or the other.

    --
    "Things are more moderner than before- bigger, and yet smaller- it's computers-- San Dimas High School football RULES!"
  141. The Truth! by beej · · Score: 1
    So people who illegally download RIAA music are more likely to be shoplifters and petty thieves.

    But people who download legal creative commons music are much less likely to be thieves...

    So this means that the RIAA's music itself is responsible for the ethical downfall of our society! The next time your house is robbed, you know the RIAA did it!



    [all tongue in cheek, sorry]

  142. That's still not good science by Sycraft-fu · · Score: 1

    Good science isn't just about promoting your theory, it's about trying to figure out in every way that it might be wrong, and stating that too. It's then about testing those, TRYING to falsify your theory. If it then holds up to all that, you are on deceant footing to say it's true.

    This is one of the things that I hate about the behavioural sciences is they seem to be the worst for this shit (my undergraduate study was largely philsophy). A researcher will do a simple test, find something that's maybe a correlation, and overgeneralize it to a whole bunch of things, without suggesting any of the possible problems with their own theory.

    Bad enough, but then special intrest groups like the RIAA make it worse. They'll find people to do a study, get the result they like, and then trumpet it to the media as being "proof" of a point, who are of course far too lazy to check up on it. All of a sudden a weak study that hasn't been repeated is morphed in to proof of some new understanding in human behaviour.

    1. Re:That's still not good science by superpulpsicle · · Score: 1

      In other news, scientists spent millions on research studies to discover that a 19 year-old boy runs faster than a 80 year-old man while holding a CD case.

    2. Re:That's still not good science by bedroll · · Score: 1
      Bad science is one thing, poor communication is another. My post wasn't griping about the studies as much as it was about the reporting that was done on them. How much can you dilute your words before you're not really saying anything? Is it really worth reporting if it only suggests a possibility of a correlation, without even stating how that possibility is valid?

      I would have no problem with the article if it read more like this: "Study finds that adolescents and young adults who illegally download copyrighted material are more likely to consider other illegal activity as well." Notice how much cleaner that is? It actually makes a statement. Throwing in suggests every time you're about to make a definitive statement merely weakens the statement. The only reasoning to do this that I can think of is because you want to be able to defend yourself later by saying, "Well, the data only suggested that..."

      If you can't make a definitive statement towards a view then you're merely trying to incite the reader or persuade the less intelligent. You're certainly not making an argument. Being too worried about leaving yourself a route of deniability makes for bad journalism. At least, that's what my observations suggest.

    3. Re:That's still not good science by Sycraft-fu · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I would say the study is so inconclusive that it is inappropriate to make any statement. The conclusion should have been "Based on this research, no conclusion can be reached about the relation between P2P use and other criminal behaviour." To me, it looks like it didn't even meet stastical significance, meaning that all they might have found is a sampling anomly.

  143. Don't forget Bob and Doug McKenzie!! by BigChigger · · Score: 1

    and Diva Celine. BC

  144. I do ... by NoSalt · · Score: 1

    I shoplifted this computer and cheated in school to learn how to use it

    ;-)

  145. Re:CompSci & Engineering Projects at Rent-a-Co by OutOfMyTree · · Score: 1

    Undergraduate academic integrity has been lost? When? Not recently! I was teaching in the 70s when one of our colleagues failed to turn up one day -- he had been arrested for fraud becuse his degree certificate was forged. The rest of us agreed that we should have worked it out for ourselves -- when we had been discussing cheating in undergraduate labs, he was shocked and said "We never did anything like that." We belatedly realized that that indicated he hadn't really attended university.

    When I reached the eminence of university staff myself, I was amused by how shocked colleagues purported to be by ordinary student misdemeanours. What we did was light-hearted fun, what they do is a crime...

  146. Okay? PR0N? by ProjectzDragN · · Score: 1

    Yes but... do porn leechers have a higher chance of the same? Cause if you haven't noticed... there's a lot of porn out here... Oh look PR0N!! :click: :D

  147. Because by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    More P2P users are young!

    Pirates vs Global warming anyone?

  148. Also heavy links to Communism! and racism!!! by kinglink · · Score: 1

    Blanket article. I get sick of this, yes the people who is going to flat out STEAL music which is also prone to shoplift (aka steal) and cheat, will of course use P2P now if they can.

    But that's with any method, those who want to sample music or try music they can't buy (I still have yet to find a non import version of DJ Sammy's first album of which the RIAA gets nothing for that, and I can't find my copy of DJ Sammy's "Heaven album" so I grabbed that one so I still have my copy while I search for it.) arn't going to say "I use P2P, maybe I should cheat on the next test." or "I got that music for free, I know I'm going to steal this PS2 game."

    The corrolation is INCORRECT. That's the problem.

    The correct corrolation is more likely to be "Those who cheat and lie and try to steal when they can, will use P2P to steal music more efficently" (and remember that's likely going to be the guy with 30,000 music files all from American CDs)

    Anyone interested in how corrolations are misleading, or other interesting but hard to swallow facts (note these facts are hard to swallow only because no one would believe it with out proof, but the proof is there and solid, and believable, though it's shocking), should check out a book Freakonomics, ISBN number 006073132X.

    And here's the biggest problem with the article. That article is published in OTTAWA! so the people there arn't under american jurisdiction. It allows them to sample american music with out dealing with imported goods (yes it's considered imported)

  149. Who are the real criminals? by no_choice · · Score: 1

    Reality check:

    The recording industry has been repeatedly and consistently been involved in crime, including bribery, theft from artists, and murder.

    The recording industry has a long history of involvement with organized crime. Example: Morris Levy, a longtime Genovese crime-family associate and recording industry "legend."

    The recording industry has been repeatedly accused itself of corrupting the values of youth, and even inciting violence. But in those cases, it claims the protection of freedom of expression -- a freedom they have worked hard to deny to programers and consumers through outragous legislation and restrictive technologies.

    With this record, without even getting into the lies they have spread, accusations from the recording industry have little credibilty as far as I am concerned.

    What can we do? Support the EFF and the FSF.

  150. I WOULD believe... Re:P2P: the new gateway drug. by kibbylow · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I would be more inclined to believe that cheaters and shoplifters are more likely to download copyrighted material.

    However, I'm not sure where the article even talks about P2P users being more likely to cheat or shoplift. It talks about Canadians 18-29 being more likely than the general population to do these acts.

  151. I guarantee: by Gannoc · · Score: 1

    I guarantee that if I did a study, it would show that P2P users were four times as likely to be shot and killed than a non-P2P user.

    Why? P2P users are young, and most shooting deaths are of younger people.

    Correlations don't necessarily mean anything.

  152. cheating by Vivvic · · Score: 1

    I dont agree with this at all i download music and i do my own school work and i dont steal either!

  153. Close the Border with Canada!! by Z-Knight · · Score: 1

    It obvious that many of you have missed the most important aspect of the study...though they try to link P2P and anti-social activities, the most important result is that Canadian youth are quite evil. We must protect our shores and our borders and not let these anit-social soon-to-be-convicts in. Wasn't Canada once a penal colony (hehe...I said penal)...oh wait, that was Australia...close enough.

  154. Re:Correlation does not imply causation by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The stats mentioned in the article don't even show correlation between file swapping and shoplifting. It showed correlation between *age* and file swapping and also between *age* and shoplifting. The groups "file swappers" and "shoplifters" could be disjoint. The article doesn't say (and most reporters aren't intelligent/educated enough to notice).

  155. Re:CompSci & Engineering Projects at Rent-a-Co by LaCosaNostradamus · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I was just appalled at the number of spoiled, self-obsessed, ingrate college students who were advertising for coders to write their CompSci and Engineering projects for them. What the hell ever happened to academic integrity?

    What do you mean? Our culture teaches people that money can buy you anything, therefore all you should try to get is money. A college degree is simply a ticket to get a good paying job. If you could buy them outright, people would do so. (And in fact, with degree mills, that's exactly what happens.)

    Other than that, there are also a lot of "students" who are nothing of the sort. They are very overworked laborers who are trying to squeeze themselves into a higher wage bracket. They generally work while going to college, hence simply don't have the time to properly be a student. For them, it makes a certain kind of harsh and practical sense to simply buy up blocks of academic effort. They are too busy, hence can only trade money for academic results; they already traded off excess time for money simply by being a working college attendee.

    I don't condone any of this, of course, but there's nothing I can do about it except lavish my spite upon it all. Equally of course, being a college dropout myself, my criticisms are inevitably filed under "sour grapes" until my predictions come to pass.

    --
    [You have a stable society when some nut guns down a schoolyard and the law doesn't change.]
  156. Asshat corporate by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0


     
    I hear there's an increase in deaths at swimming pools on days when ice cream is sold.

    A disproportionate number of file swappers are under the age of 21.. mainly, children and teenagers. Of course they're more likely to cheat and shoplift! They're teenagers, asshats! God I love it when companies try to use their own brand of "science" to their advantage.. Ahh, the stench of rotten eggs makes me feel alive.

  157. News Flash! New Reports! by Kythe · · Score: 1

    1) Tobacco Industry Report: smoking definitely doesn't cause cancer.
    2) Petroleum Industry Report: global warming is a myth

    The RIAA's in great company, these days.

    --

    Kythe
  158. When will they ever learn. by rjforster · · Score: 1

    Funny, my 'try before you buy' policy has recently led me to buy CDs from artists I hadn't heard of until recently and certainly wouldn't have purchased CDs from. My CD purchases have risen since getting broadband internet, not fallen.

    There's a TV/cinema advert here in the UK that shows several crimes taking place along with slogans such as "You wouldn't steal a handbag!" or "You wouldn't steal a car!".
    No, I wouldn't steal a car, nor would I buy one without a test drive.

    My idea. Make _all_ recorded music available for free download. Every bit of it. Straight from easily navigable high-bandwidth record company servers. What I try and like, I'll buy on CD.
    The catch? Make the downloads low data rate. I can tell if I like a song if I hear it on AM radio in the car. That's mono and comes with engine noises mixed in and the odd bridge induced drop-out. As that is the case I can tell if I like an album from a 72kb/s data rate OGG/MP3/etc file.

  159. My "Study" results... by ElectroBot · · Score: 1

    I just performed my own study over the past 10 years of my life (mainly from watching TV and browsing the Internet). My results are as follows:

    Rich people are more likely to want more and more money. Did anyone ever see a poor person steal/embezle tens or hundreds of millions of dollars?
    People who complete high school are more likely to have an impact on the world. How many inventors, peace advocates, leaders, etc. do you know that don't have a high school diploma?
    Studies are usually paid for by a group with a motive and hence a large amount of them are biased!

    When will Humanity learn to use it's potential for good/helping instead of individual/corportate profiteering??

  160. And for my next "story" by PetyrRahl · · Score: 1

    Just discovered!
    Being a high school drop out, a drug user AND a shoplifter makes you more likely to steal MY music!
    In a new report commissioned by "Lies, Damned Lies & Statistics" the **AA has found that amoral people have no problem stealing music online.
    "It's like they just don't care about all the hard work we put into making music" a talking head from the **AA said. In unrelated news, there also seems to be a link between being amoral and being a murderer. Is there a link between being a P2P user and being a murderer?!?! Tonight at 11.

    Gag me with a fork,
    Petyr

  161. In another article statistics found that.. by FreshFunk510 · · Score: 1

    - Kids between the age of 12 and 24 shoplift 75% more than those belonging older than 24. The same statistic show that people over 24 make more money than 12 year old and have dispensible income (and they tend to be more mature.

    - 50% of adults over 24 have no idea what file sharing is.

    - 27% of younger would consider cheating on an exam. Those over 24 wouldn't.. considering they don't take exams anymore.

    These "statistics" are absolutely retarded. Young people in general shoplift more, use computers more, use file sharing more, cheat on exams, etc etc. That's why we call them IMMATURE. Once people grow up, go through college and get a job they respect what it takes to earn money. PLUS they have money to spend. As an adult I can afford to buy whatever albums I want. As a child I didn't. I had a bunch of friends stealing when I was a kid who don't steal anymore... it's what kids do.

    --


    "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." - Martin Luther King, Jr.
  162. P2P Users More Likely to Cheat, Shoplift and by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    use windaz!

  163. Bot? by MemeRot · · Score: 1

    Dude, what is up with you?

    You've posted this again in this same thread:
    http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=163879&cid=136 84987/
    also a few days ago here:
    http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=162927&cid=136 15125/

  164. No Respect by Doc+Ruby · · Score: 1

    There's little or no "erosion" of respect for intellectual property. People don't have respect for intellectual property, that could erode. Partly because most people don't have any intellectual property of our own. Most of us, anyway, at least the way our personal info is treated as an exception to IP. People have generally not "stolen" (diluted by copying) IP so far, because it was hard to do, easy to get caught, and of little benefit, except to enthusiasts (warez traders) and pros (pirates and bootleggers). Now that it's easy, the lack of respect is exposed.

    One way to engender that respect, to grow it the way our culture unrelentingly nurtures other property respect (and greed/fear), is to treat our personal info as our intellectual property. Right now, corporate IP like media and messages are treated as property, with whole industries dedicated to protecting, trading and promiting it. Personal info, like identity info, is free, expected to be delivered by people to corporations for authentication, tracking, marketing. If we exchanged that info under copyright, giving copies authorized for transmission only within the specific transaction it was first transmitted (no transitive copyright, just the copy), its property status would be clear. Retransmission without authorization or compensation would establish IP boundaries for personal info. We'd all learn a lot more about IP, how its "theft" and abuse affects people. With our personal experience, we'd relate to IP, and have a basis for respect in mutual understanding. Without that, no respect is possible. Without respect in the first place, it can't erode.

    --

    --
    make install -not war

  165. canadians eh? by micromuncher · · Score: 1

    The study should claim that its Canadian youth eh?

    This reminds me of a study once that compared the populator of MacOS users to left handed people and homosexuals... the conclusion that all MacOS users are left handed gay people.

    --
    /\/\icro/\/\uncher
  166. RIAA Failed Statistics by stfvon007 · · Score: 1

    Its possible for there to be a correlation and actually still have it DROP the shoplifting rate.

    (NOTE: The following is completely based on assumptions had has absolutely no bearing on reality.)

    Lets say 2% of the population is shoplifters and 10% use P2P now lets assume 50% of shoplifters use P2P that means the P2P users are now 90% non-shoplifters and 10% shoplifters. Now lets say 40% of those shoplifters get what they want through P2P and don't shoplift anymore. You end up with a rate of 6% of P2P users being shoplifters even though the overall rate has dropped due to P2P.

    --
    All misspellings and grammatical errors in the above post are intentional and part of my artistic expression.
    1. Re:RIAA Failed Statistics by geekee · · Score: 1

      " Its possible for there to be a correlation and actually still have it DROP the shoplifting rate."

      Yes, teenagers who used to steal cds are now just stealing the music online (oh sorry copyright infringing music online).

      --
      Vote for Pedro
    2. Re:RIAA Failed Statistics by Catbeller · · Score: 2, Insightful

      We've trained ye well.

      That's right. Walking into a shop and taking away an object is stealing. Copying a record, tape, CD, or digital file deprives no one of their property and IS NOT stealing; nor is it rape, barratry, public drunkeness or murder.

      Symbols and their meanings define human reality. Keeping terms unconfused keeps definitions sane, keeps PEOPLE sane, and prevents liars and bastards of all types from confusing the issue by false symbol assignments in order to falsely win a fraudulently defined contest.

      In other words, don't let liars define the terms of the argument. Swat them down or they steal the semantic ground you stand on, making it impossible for manipulated people to follow sane arguments because the terms are redefined in THEIR HEADS. False definitions are reality filters.

    3. Re:RIAA Failed Statistics by Lotharus · · Score: 1
      "Swat them down or they steal the semantic ground you stand on..."

      Don't you mean infringe upon the semantic ground you stand on...?
    4. Re:RIAA Failed Statistics by gordo3000 · · Score: 1

      so I got all that, but you've gone and confused me again.
      what exactly is barratry

  167. The RIAA Should Make Their Own P2P Net by Absentminded-Artist · · Score: 1

    "Not only does music file-swapping harm artists, but it also points to an erosion of respect for intellectual property that threatens Canada's economy and values at the core of our society,' said Graham Henderson, president of the Canadian Recording Industry Association, which commissioned the polls."

    Won't somebody think of the children? ROFL. Funniest quote I have read in a while. These guys are so funny.

    I won't speak for most people, but I use P2P a lot. And I use it to sample music. Now, I have several thousand songs in my collection. I rip the majority from CDs and cassettes. I've recently pulled my LPs out of storage and will begin ripping them to MP3 soon. I spend an awful lot of money on music. I have purchased 427 songs so far from iTMS since it opened. But I still like to sample music.

    I am tired of buying albums filled with clunkers. I like buying one song at a time. But I find the 30 second sample on iTMS unsatisfactory. First of all, the 30 seconds clipped usually seem to be made by machine or idiot because they often fail to represent the chorus, or hook of the song. So I sample music off P2P. I DL'd the Taxi Dolls, loved their stuff, and bought their album. I DL'd Autolux, loved their stuff and bought their album. I DL'd something by Shakira the other day, hated it, then deleted the track. P2P for me is interactive Radio.

    If the record companies made a P2P service that featured lores, full clips of their music I could sample to my hearts content and buy as an informed consumer. (They should release hires MP3s of their catalogs, and I'd still buy as an informed consumer but they'd never go for that) There are more records I haven't bought because I didn't trust them than ones I did buy. The RIAA would make more money off of me if they embraced P2P instead of being so paranoid and litigious.

    But that's just me. YMMV

    --
    The Splintered Mind - Overcoming
  168. Don't worry unless... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Just pray you never get Republican neo-cons. If you do, you'll soon be wishing for the old days of the more easy-going, less extremist, less power-mad and less dangerously incompetent "Commies"

    1. Re:Don't worry unless... by dr_light · · Score: 1

      Whoever says communism is good hasn't had first hand-experience with it.

    2. Re:Don't worry unless... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That would be no one. Communism hasn't been done in large scales. Stalinism and Sovietism on the other hand...

    3. Re:Don't worry unless... by poopdeville · · Score: 1

      Oh, really ? Communism works just fine in small communities, where the needs of the people can be accurately accounted for.

      --
      After all, I am strangely colored.
    4. Re:Don't worry unless... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The parent post didn't say it was good. It just implied that it was less bad than a certain neo-con cabal.

  169. Polls about illegal activities are misleading... by vertinox · · Score: 1

    If someone asks you if you are doing illegal activities than only those who don't care if they get caught will answer yes.

    The people that answered "no" to the poll also use P2P illegally, speed, shoplift, and smoke pot like everyone else, but they'll never get caught because they no how to answer the question correctly when an officer asks. The people that answered "I plead the 5th!!! Where is my laywer!?" to the poll are not only richer than the other two types poll participants, but also are usually involved in politics.

    --
    "I am the king of the Romans, and am superior to rules of grammar!"
    -Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor (1368-1437)
  170. Darn Canadian PSP users! by BigDogCH · · Score: 5, Funny

    I was just thinking the same thing, so I guess we should conclude that we should never trust Canadians ages 18-29. I never trusted them anyway. :)

    Actually, I first read the post as PSP Users More Likely to Cheat, Shoplift. I was really starting to wonder. Actually, I read it 4x, and didn't catch the error until reading a few comments. Darn those Canadian PSP users, the hosers!

    1. Re:Darn Canadian PSP users! by Dolda2000 · · Score: 2, Insightful
      Actually, I first read the post as PSP Users More Likely to Cheat, Shoplift. I was really starting to wonder. Actually, I read it 4x, and didn't catch the error until reading a few comments. Darn those Canadian PSP users, the hosers!
      The funny thing is that the report would have remained at the exact same level of "validity" if it indeed were changed to say PSP users. People in the ages 18-29 are probably more likely to use PSPs than people of other ages, just as they are most likely to be using P2P software.
  171. shoplifting is for people who RESPECT copyright by Ragesoss · · Score: 1
    Isn't it obvious? If you respect an artist (or industry) too much to infringe on their copyright, but can't afford the stuff, you shoplift. Possession is 9/10 of the law, so clearly shoplifting is only 9/10 as bad as downloading as far as the copyright is concerned.

    Of course, with shoplifting you are also ripping off your local retailer (who could care less about copyright). So it comes down to a matter of principle. Who do you dislike more: Wal-Mart or RIAA?

    I have a soft spot for Wal-Mart, despite their low pay and low benefits for employees. I have no pity for the RIAA, which takes advantage of artists and consumers.

    (Unfortunately, I do have a moderate amount of old-fashioned respect for laws, but the limits of that respect are reached more and more easily these days.)

    1. Re:shoplifting is for people who RESPECT copyright by shmlco · · Score: 1
      "I have no pity for the RIAA, which takes advantage of artists and consumers."

      Out of curiosity, how does the RIAA, an industry trade organization and not a record company, take advantage of artists?

      --
      Any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so.
    2. Re:shoplifting is for people who RESPECT copyright by balthan · · Score: 1

      How much of the money the RIAA is making from lawsuits is going to the artists whose music was downloaded in the first place?

  172. younger...not illegal downloaders by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    As I read ths, the article says younger folks are more likely to cheat on exams or shoplift than older folks. It says nothing about the tendencies of younger folks who illegally download files compared to younger folks who do not illegally download files. That's the key question.

    Relevant extracts from the article:

    "Nearly 27 per cent of younger people surveyed said they would consider cheating on a test or exam, compared with 10 per cent of the general population.

    Of those asked, 6 per cent of younger Canadians said they would leave a store without paying for a piece of clothing, compared with 2 per cent of the population at large."

  173. And in related news... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Students who cheat on exams are more likely to consider illegal file sharing "OK".

    It is a simple correlation that says nothing about causation.

    Although actually the article didn't even establish a correlation between these two - it only showed that both were somewhat correlated with being young.

  174. What's the causal relationship? by KFury · · Score: 1

    Stating that there's a correlation does nothing to show that P2P decreases morality.

    Assuming for a second that the study is accurate, isn't it even more likely that people who already have a propensity to shoplift simply are more likely to use P2P?

    I think I'll come out with a study that says wearing bikinis makes you fit and sexy, since clearly most people who wear bikinis are also fit and sexy.

  175. P2P users vote liberal or at least they used to by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The Canadian government is so mediocre that shots itself on the foot and thinks is OK.

    Calling the people that pay %15 on consumer taxes thieves is sign of short sightness or blindness.

    "Better than the Americans the Canadians never will be" if Yoda saya that must be right. I say this because Canadian politicians are all puppets and Yoda is thier master.

    Oh No Canada, Canada No.

  176. And... by carguy84 · · Score: 1

    I heard P2P users are 10 times more likely to become terrorists too.

  177. Another study: Monopolistic industries... by Zangief · · Score: 1

    An independent group recently found that monopolistic industries more likely to bribe politicians to make ad hoc laws, and bully customers.

    Also, they have definitive proof that water is wet.

  178. Brute Force Tactics Can Persuade Over Time by ultrafastneal · · Score: 1

    While this "research" may be hysterical, we shouldn't laugh it off. If the RIAA keeps bombarding the media with this garbage, many people will take it at face value. When you toss in the fact that many television news networks' parent companies own a major label or two, we could wind up with a very calculated campaign of mass deception.

  179. They are also more likely to be teenagers... by ivanmarsh · · Score: 1

    Who do those sort of things more often in the first place.

    REMEMBER: the decline in the number of pirates on Earth is the cause for the rise in global temperatures.

  180. Also in the news... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...horny people found more likely to become sex offenders.

  181. Let the CRIA know what you think ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
  182. It must be true... by Wargames · · Score: 1

    Students are more likely to download music & cheat on tests in school & steal things than non-students. Seems like a tautology to me.

    --
    -- Each tock of the Planck clock is a new world and here we are still life. --
  183. Smoke user... by alexandre · · Score: 2, Funny

    Smoke user more likely to be pyromaniacs!

    Burn the witch! :D

  184. in other news..... by Varun+Soundararajan · · Score: 1

    Windows users are more likely to crash planes, linux users are more likely to coredump and DOS users are more like to remain dumb.
    -----------------
    This space intentionally (not) left blank

  185. They are also more likely to... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...spit on the sidewalk, take candy from babies, knock old people down, make fun of retards and worship Satan.

  186. Re:Polls about illegal activities are misleading.. by Sigma+7 · · Score: 1
    The people that answered "I plead the 5th!!! Where is my laywer!?" to the poll are not only richer than the other two types poll participants, but also are usually involved in politics.


    Actually, that's a flag that they are American, or have been watching too many American TV Shows. (This is a Canadaian newspaper.)

    Of course, I doubt such a poll contains anything other than yes/no - given that most phones are technically random telephone calls, it is very likely that the results are skewed to favour one result. For example, there's one section asks if users are willing to download music without paying for it - this is skewed in two ways: The first, people not wanting to admit to piracy would say "no", while others that download free music (where the artist released the work for free) could say "yes".
  187. New slashdot tagline by AgentPhunk · · Score: 1

    Slashdot, Contributing the to Deliquency of Deliquents. News for Deliquents, stuff that kinda sorta sorta but not-really matters.

  188. Hurting them? by SC.Kane · · Score: 1

    Hell, we're doing them a favor... as a downloader of music, i can't stand idolly by and let artists kill themselves with crack, heroine and alchohol. It is my moral obligation to keep those dangerous substances out of their reach. So to say I am injuring them is not only a sham, it's a travesty. If anything, I'm helping them heal and stay clean.

    1. Re:Hurting them? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      haha! so true!

  189. Very sloppy by torstenvl · · Score: 1

    This is so misleading, I halfway expect to see it as the basis of an LSAT question tomorrow morning. For those of you in need of some last minute LSAT prep, let's turn this into a sample question. ;-)

    Tom: A study found that people who download copyrighted music on peer-to-peer networks are much more willing than others to make illegal copies of software programs, cheat on exams or shoplift. So getting people to stop that kind of downloading will remove one cause of those kinds of activities.

    Tom's argument is most subject to criticism because:
    a) It assumes a cause-effect relationship where a correlation exists.
    b) It confuses an activity and its cause.
    c) It doesn't cite the source of funding for the study.
    d) It overlooks the possibility that Tom works for the RIAA.

    Which one of the following, if true, would most weaken the argument?
    a) Tom downloads music on peer-to-peer networks, and doesn't cheat on his exams or shoplift.
    b) Exams are administered in such a way as to ensure that cheating is impossible.
    c) College students are the most likely to own computers, which is a requirement of using peer-to-peer networks or programs.
    d) The laws of copyright don't make any provisions for peer-to-peer networks to exist.

    Answers:
    (a) Tom's argument says that eliminating peer-to-peer networking would remove a cause of the other illicit activity. The inferential assumption then is that the correlation is due to a cause-effect relationship, which hasn't been established.
    (c) If college students have the most access to computers, then EVEN IF the moral attitudes and behavior among all computer users is IDENTICAL regarding peer-to-peer downloading and pirating software, they will still be more likely to engage in those activities.

    Yes, I know Tom doesn't exactly represent the article's authors or the study. The title "P2P Users More Likely to Cheat, Shoplift," however, does kind of head TOWARD Tom's opinion, and I was only being as reactionary to it as it is to the article.

    For anyone who didn't notice, there's some very suspect logical weirdness here. Notice the "or." That means that for the whole statement to be true, the likelihood of only ONE of those activities has to go up. That means I could add any activity onto the end of the statement and, assuming one of the first activities' likelihoods did indeed correlate with peer-to-peer music downloads, the whole statement would be true.

    Example:

    "Vegetarians are more likely to eat broccoli."

    If that's true then the following MUST ALSO be true:

    "Vegetarians are more likely to eat broccoli, get abortions, commit murder, engage in promiscuous b***iality o**ies with n*ns, or own a copy of the Chicago Manual of Style."

    That's not misleading at all. </sarcasm>

    PS -- Wish me luck on the LSAT tomorrow <grin>

  190. Once again by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Zonk posts flamebait. When will we have article moderation?

  191. To sum it all up by The+Relentless · · Score: 1

    If you shoplift a Canadian, pirates will seal your internets.

  192. no, it was a mistake by mosel-saar-ruwer · · Score: 1

    The first time I posted it, I left out the quote from the article.

    Sorry.

  193. Shoplifting? Piracy? Arrg! by galaxia26 · · Score: 1

    I've shoplifted but I have never done any software pirating. I mean come on, how is picking up stores in any way involved with illiegal activity?

  194. What by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Just because I stole candy bars as a child,cheated my way to a degree and I am kepting a mistress, That's only a lucky guess that I use peer to peer. Wait they didn't say anything about the other women.

  195. Sounds like you're part of the problem. by mosel-saar-ruwer · · Score: 1


    Look, if that's your attitude, then you're part of the problem, and we would be wasting our time if we even tried to have a conversation about the phenomenon.

  196. My how standards have changed by exp(pi*sqrt(163)) · · Score: 1
    an erosion of respect for intellectual property
    Yeah. When I was a kid during the early seventies nobody - and I mean nobody I knew, used to rip CDs, pirate software, share stuff by p2p, install modchips in their game consoles or do any of that evil stuff. Clearly moral standards have been eroded since I was a kid.
    --
    Doesn't it make you feel good to know that our freedoms are protected by politicans, lawyers and journalists.
  197. Stunning Revelation by digitalrevolution · · Score: 0

    This is a stunning revelation since downloading music that has been abandonned in the
    digital domain could hardly be labelled unethical, in comparison to the highly
    unethical behaviors listed alongside in the article.

  198. What the study didn't mention.... by Sporkus · · Score: 1

    is that the file-sharers in question are avid Jane's Addiction fans!

  199. Re:I WOULD believe... Re:P2P: the new gateway drug by E8086 · · Score: 1

    Yes, they generated enough evidence to convince a jury his time...NOT

    Wow, they needed a multi-million dollar survey to tell them that people who are old enough to want things but don't have the money to purchase them have a higher chance of possibly shoplifting. And cheating, some people cheat on tests for as long as their in school, 1st grade or college.

    "37 per cent of respondents used a CD burner to record music within the last six months, up from 18 per cent in 2001."

    I guess using a "CD burner" is illegal, even if at least 95% of new home PC have that as a standard feature. Note that it doesn't say make remixes also known as consolidating the good songs on to a few disks as possible. Or making a copy for their car, I'm sure they can find a study that says a lot of people between 18 and 29 buy cars, or portable player, no reason to risk damaging the fragile unreturnable/unexchangable original or maybe even a backup copy. And lets not even think that some of them could be real musicians, not the manufactured on hit wonders/failures created by the RIAA, who are recording their own works.
    And my already low opinion of the RIAA drops even further.

    --
    F7 doesn't work, ignore spelling and grammar
  200. What about uploads??? by Khyber · · Score: 1

    Canadians between 12 and 24 years of age are responsible for 78 per cent of illegal music downloading, even though they make up only 21 per cent of the population, it says.

    So what about those that are uploading, which is what is legally illegal in Canada??? Answer me that one, Canadian Equivalent to the **AA. What about those that are breaking the law by allowing others to download the files in the first place???

    --
    Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
  201. Some Study! by fury88 · · Score: 1

    That's like saying people who view and pay for online porn are more likely to masturbate.. oh wait..

  202. So how many exams do people over 29 take? by Tired+and+Emotional · · Score: 1

    Just driver's licence tests I suppose when one moves state, and anybody who has to cheat on one of those probably can't find the on switch on a computer to start with. One that comes to mind was for my power boat operators test. The theoretical part of the test contained one question (I swear on a stack of K&Rs this is true): "What's the pointy end of the boat called" I couldn't cheat on that exam if I tried.

    --
    Squirrel!
  203. It Was the Other Way... by Farrside · · Score: 1

    Weird, but for me, shoplifting came first (sometime in the late eighties), and then I started downloading music illegally around 1998.

  204. Re:CompSci & Engineering Projects at Rent-a-Co by pete6677 · · Score: 1

    People have been cheating in school ever since the beginning of organized education. The internet just makes it easier and more obvious to observe. Besides, a halfway competent professor can detect internet-related cheating a lot easier than the old fashioned pay-the-smart-kid-to-do-your-assignment cheating.

  205. Re:I WOULD believe... Re:P2P: the new gateway drug by antiMStroll · · Score: 4, Funny

    Would you also be inclined to believe copyright holders drink harder and do more cocaine? After all, look at musicians. Don't even get me started on Roman Polanski.

  206. congressmen, senators, presidents most likely.... by Jackie_Chan_Fan · · Score: 1

    congressmen, senators, and presidents most likely to cheat, steal, lie, murder, rape, harrass, bribe, flush an entire country down the toilet....

    Oh and there's P2P and shoplifting... I'm sure glad those congressmen, senators, and president are on the case!

    I hear Enron used P2P.

    Tom Delay uses P2P

    Saddam had P2P

  207. I BE A PIRATE!!!! by LORD+MINION · · Score: 1

    YAAAAAAAAAARRR!!!!!!! I like to steal music off the internet, rape and pilage towns and eat babies!!!!!! Good God give me a break! I agree with the 1st post........such a small population, what a bunch of crap! Nice one RIAA why don't roll around in some more of your money and throw it elsewhere.......morons.

    --
    LM
  208. Haha facts are fun by NINtendo72 · · Score: 1

    I find it quite funny that this article says "Canadians illegally download 14 music CDs or other files from the Internet for every file they take from the web legally". You hit Google.com and that's two files right there! Opps, I guess I just illegally downloaded 28 CDs? Something is a little fishy there.

  209. Aye Matey! by Orion+Blastar · · Score: 4, Funny

    I find that piracy reference offensive. I am a Space Pirate and a member in good standing of the Pirate's Union. Calling stealing songs off the Internet as piracy, gives us pirates a bad name. Call it a five finger discount or something else.

    I don't hijack, I commandeer, I don't steal, I borrow, I don't loot, I find. Sometimes I have to pursaude people with a sword or gun, but they actually give me things after I threaten their lives.

    --
    Remember, Slashdot does not have a -1 disagree moderation, and no, troll, flamebait, and overrated are not substitutes.
    1. Re:Aye Matey! by InvisibleSoul · · Score: 1

      Calling stealing songs off the Internet as piracy, gives us pirates a bad name. Call it a five finger discount or something else.

      It's the two click discount.

  210. P2P is saving RIAA money :) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If the only people using P2P to download music would go to a store and shoplift the CD anyway, the RIAA must be saving money since they are no longer making CD's for these criminals

  211. Uh... by PippinTheThird · · Score: 1

    " Environics polled just over 1,000 Canadians aged 18 or over by telephone, and another 1,043 Canadians on-line in May, 2005." Let me get this straight: not only do these statistically challenged morons insult me by making a broad generalization because of something I do legally (downloading music), but they are also the people who bother me with unsolicited phone calls when I have dinner? The Globe and Mail is a great newspaper and I find that it really lowered the quality/relevance bar down to the very bottom by writing a story about that "survey". I mean, that is like encouraging stupidity and prejudice!

  212. Or? by JasonTik · · Score: 1

    Could it be that shoplifters and cheaters are more likely to use P2P?

  213. Pirates have eye patches by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Pirates are more likely to have eye patches, peg legs and parrots.

    People who steal music are pirates.

    Therefore people who steal music are more likely to have eye patches, peg legs and parrots.

    It should be easy to catch these music traders, just look for eye patches and listen for "ARRRRRRGGGHHHHH, matey"

  214. All I want to do is... by pjkundert · · Score: 1
    purchase access to precisely the media I want to see/hear/whatever. Nothing more. Nothing less.

    Dear RIAA/MPAA/whoever;

    Please, please, PLEASE, let me pay you money? Won't you, just? This once?

    I want to watch Battlestar Galactica (the new series). It's awesome. I love it. But, you won't let me.

    I want to pay you 100% of every cent you would earn for my individual viewership of this program. From advertisers. Plus, what you would earn from your distribution agreements with the TV/Cable/Satellite networks. Plus, what you would earn from syndication. Plus, what you would earn from DVD distribution. For MY INDIVIDUAL viewership.

    But, you don't want my money. You don't even give me the choice to give you my money, because you simply, arbitrarily, choose not to distribute Battlestar Galactica (or whatever) here in Canada.

    So, what am I supposed to do? Wait around, quivering with excitement, with bated breath, for you to decide to belch and toss me a scrap from your groaning table?

    No, sir. You simply cancel good shows (such as Firefly), to produce garbage (such as whatever show Paris Hilton, et. al. might show up on). You produce garbage music, and then to add insult to injury, pay the artist beholden to you $0.15 for a $20 CD. And, you don't produce good artists, at all. And, you prevent them from every showing up in record stores, by forcing these stores into restrictive agreements.

    Should I not be insulted, by this behavior? Should I not find other avenues to watch/hear what I want?

    Sincerely, Thank you.

    Your adoring public.

    --
    -- -pjk Perry Kundert perry@kundert.ca http://kundert.2y.net
  215. The other way around.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Or, to say in another way: If you shoplift and/or cheat at exams, odds are you download music.

    This story really reminds me of this: http://www.insidemacgames.com/images/machall_4_l.j pg

  216. I think they have it totally backwards... by MissingDividends · · Score: 1

    I think that they made a correct relationship, but in the wrong way... I think that cheaters and shoplifters are more likely to P2P, not the other way around...but of course this would totaly defeat their argument, so why would they even mention that?

  217. worth noting: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    In canada, we pay x cents per cd to the music indutry regardless of what the cd is used for. It is also legal to copy any cd you can get your grubby shoplifitng hands on.

  218. causation vs. correlation by CupBeEmpty · · Score: 1

    See the real problem is that there is absolutely no proof of CAUSATION. They would like us to believe that because someone is morally corrupt they illegally download music and also participate in other more reprehensible acts. What they have shown is a CORRELATION. There may be data (although I doubt the validity) showing that people who download music also steal and/or cheat more often than your average person.

    HOWEVER the big problem is that they may have NOTHING to do with each other. This may be a trend only because more young people download music and you generally don't see a lot of middle class 40 somethings cheating in school or shoplifting. They specifically mention in the article that illegal downloading is most common amongst people under the age of 24 and no mention is made at all on how they compare rates of shoplifting or cheating.

    As someone who works in science I am constantly amazed at the number of studies that people gete all worked up over that show basic lame CORRELATIONS without and hint at CAUSATION. I bet you could find that people who illegally download music also are more likely to thing that skateboarding is cool. Does that mean that somehow illegal music downloading is linked to skating? No it most likely means that old people that have enough money to buy music (unlike Johnny highschool who get $20 a week for lunch... which by the way is only slightly less than the price of a CD).

    So before I get to "ranty" I just hate people that show correlation and then get written up as if they have shown causation.

  219. Of course they are.. by md27 · · Score: 1

    Those most likely to use P2P are teenagers, who are also the most likely to cheat/shoplift/smoke/cut school/pierce things/color their hair/wear odd clothes/ and oh... right, be typical teenagers.

  220. This just in by Some_Llama · · Score: 1

    Presidents of associations who lie to the public in order to craft public opinion are more likely to cheat on their taxes, spouses, and significant others.

    They also are more likely to have small penises, bad breath, and no sense of fashion.

    This is all included in the recently released report "Recording industry heads are lying douchebags, an unbiased look at the music industry".

  221. Recording industry is "artificial" by jabelar · · Score: 1

    Until LPs, musicians made money by performing and working hard. With the recording industry, remixed singles got some lip-syncing, manufactured bands very rich. It was good while it lasted, but is it really unfair if musicians have to go back to performing?

  222. more likely to masturbate too... don't forget that by joeybear801 · · Score: 0

    I'd assume that they are more likely to purchase petroleum jelly and Doritos too... where are the corporations that benefit from these types of people? Surely someone is making money from this target market.

    --
    something should be here besides this dumb message
  223. Data point by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I've taken virtually every drug that's available in Europe, with the exceptions of Qat and Ajahuasca. (Crystal meth and PCP are pretty much unknown over here.) But I've been a recreational user of hash, grass, skunk, hash oil, amphetamine sulphate, cocaine (powder), cocaine (rocks - smoked), Lysergic Acid (blotters and microdots), Dimethyl Tryptamine, ketamine, allegedly Mexican magic mushrooms, methadone and diamorphine, I live a relatively clean and sober life. Except when I get rat-arsed on a Friday night, of course, but that's neither here nor there. Despite this shameful lifestyle of seedy deals on rainy streetcorners or stinking pub toilets, and my slow struggle to kick the Microsoft habit - (I'm not using any Microsoft software at all! How long? Just for today!) - despite all this, I still have NEVER knowingly infringed copyright by downloading films or music from the Internets. And when I feel the bitch monkey's clammy paws on the back of my neck once again, and I realise that once more my good intentions are worthless and that I'm trapped in a slow, inexorable decline into ruined physical, mental and spiritual health - I can still draw a crumb of comfort from the thought that somewhere out there, people are still prepared to take money from the **AA to put their name to some mendacious, disgusting attempt to drag music lovers and film fans down to their own level. We are all of us in the gutter, but some of us are holding swimming contests in pools of cold puke and piss. That'll be the Pigopolists.

  224. Re:I WOULD believe... Re:P2P: the new gateway drug by Some_Llama · · Score: 1

    "I guess using a "CD burner" is illegal, even if at least 95% of new home PC have that as a standard feature. "

    I thought in Canada they pay a royalty on their CD media to cover licensing fees for artists? So isn't this whole survey kind of a moot point in Canada?

  225. competition by KarmaOverDogma · · Score: 1

    "If file swappers are so profficient at all this theft and cheating, music execs must be pretty worried about their job-security."

    You know, that could be true...

    http://search.barnesandnoble.com/BookSearch/isbnIn quiry.asp?userid=CX0abEHCEV&isbn=0679730613&itm=1

    --
    uR iGn0ranc3, Their Power
  226. I hope this right, because it kills the piracy ad by pappy97 · · Score: 1

    Ever seen that anti-piracy ad that says:

    You wouldn't steal from a store, from your parents, etc, etc

    but you'll illegally download...

    Now if we have studies saying the KaZaA freaks also steal in real life, that stupid commercial will have to be trashed.

    Unfortunately it will probably be replaced by an ad that's even worse.

  227. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 1

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  228. they are more likely to become communists by observer7 · · Score: 0

    are you now and have you ever been a communist and do you belong to the democratic party ...what a bunch of crap . its just like microsofts tco studies ...they ae demonizing people who use or thought to use p2p technology

  229. All this actually means: by NaruVonWilkins · · Score: 1

    People who are willing to admit that they use P2P software are also more likely to admit that they may/have shoplifted or cheated. What's interesting is that someone paid money for this study - it's actually rather disturbing that it's assumed by the industry that people aren't being taught basic logic. This is probably much scarier than we know - at what point do we see businesses trying to influence what we're taught to make us better consumers?

  230. Followup in the Globe and Mail... by Lwood_at_COG · · Score: 1
    Ian Johnson responded to my emailed criticism of that article...I think the followups paint a more balanced picture...

    Here are a couple of followup pieces done yesterday afternoon and today on the same subject by Globe staff giving alternative points of view:
    http://www.globetechnology.com/servlet/story/RTGAM .20050930.gtkapicasep30/BNStory/Technology/ http://www.globetechnology.com/servlet/story/RTGAM .20050929.gtcopyrightsep29/BNStory/Technology/
    Cheers,
    Ian Johnson Globetechnology.com/Globe and Mail Technology Editor
    --
    "Beware of all enterprises that require new clothes." --Henry David Thoreau
  231. Yeah... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    They found that 0% of those who infringe upon copyrights online and are in the 18-24 demographic are out on the high seas, committing piracy.

    This is why they chose not to present that statistic ;-)

  232. Re:Incorrect by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It is incorrect to say correlation implies causation, in general (coming from a stat major).

    For example, there is a likely a correlation between how many hours I sleep in a day and how many hours you sleep in a day. That doesn't imply that me sleeping causes you to sleep, however.

  233. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 1

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  234. in other news... by asserted · · Score: 1

    there is a connection between pirates and global warming.

  235. Re:CompSci & Engineering Projects at Rent-a-Co by Maestro4k · · Score: 1
    When I reached the eminence of university staff myself, I was amused by how shocked colleagues purported to be by ordinary student misdemeanours. What we did was light-hearted fun, what they do is a crime...

    This seems to be a common thing with people of all walks of life. People will also say they're shocked, shocked!!, that middle school kids are having sex/drinking/etc. but if they stopped to look back to when they were in school they'll remember that they had classmates doing those things at those ages.

    While I don't condone academic cheating, some professors are so unreasonable in their assignments that the outcome is inevitable. (In my experience most of the proffesors giving unreasonable assignments also didn't grade on a curve and weren't just trying to push us to do more than we thought we could.) The result was groups of friends working together quietly, breaking the programming down into sections that each got working, then everyone would share. I don't know if the professors knew about it or not but most of the TAs did and didn't really care. Now in classes where assignments were reasonable, even if they were difficult and pushed our boundaries, the TAs cared about cheating a lot and punished those who cheated quite drastically.

    I think part of the problem may be that many of the professors who give unreasonable assignments are used to dealing with graduate students and graduate classes where assignments are tougher (and expected to be by any realistic grad student.) They don't want to teach undergrad courses but end up being forced to and they either take out their frustration on the students or just don't bother taking into consideration that most undergrads aren't ready for graduate level work.

    Then you have the professors who are absolute geniuses, and always have been. They end up teaching 100 level courses and do a horrible job simply because they've never been at that level, or if they were it didn't take them long to get past it. Basically they're almost incapable of teaching the basics because to them the basics are just common sense and everyone should have born knowing them. Most of these professors will listen if you talk to them though and will do all they can to help. I had one like this and I went to talk to him (amusingly about 8-9 friends from the class tagged along since they'd heard I was going but they all just stood around and let me do the talking, thanks guys!). He was quite receptive to what I had to say and he did make changes that helped tremendously. In the end the students were able to learn the course material, the professor learned how to teach at that level better and those of us involved in talking to him learned that at least some professors will listen to what you have to say and act on it. :) (For the record in this particular class the entire class failed to score above a 50 on the first test. We were given the test again as an open-book, open-note test and the highest score went up to only 60. The professor had let one of the TAs make out the test and for whatever reason they made it so that even graduate students would have been hard-pressed to pass it. Said TA lost their assistantship and the CS department refused to allow them to be a TA in any course ever again. I think they finally got a GRA instead.)

  236. 99% of those interviewed by a_greer2005 · · Score: 1

    Gave the caller shit for interupting their newly DLed Metalica CD...

  237. Now we know the study is lying... by Petey_Alchemist · · Score: 1

    Not only does music file-swapping harm artists, but it also points to an erosion of respect for intellectual property that threatens Canada's economy and values at the core of our society,'

    Values?

    Society?
     
    Economy?


    None of these terms apply to the Canada I know...

  238. Cheaters Never win by Zoomshare · · Score: 1

    I use P2P, but I don't cheat at school just on my girlfriend. Thanks to this article I now know why I do. Thanks Napster, Kazaa, WinMX for making me a cheater!!

  239. CRIA are more likely to be idiots by kwandar · · Score: 1

    Great - I guess I'd say that executives are more likely to be convicted monopolists.

    Lets get real - the younger the generation, the more likely they are to be downloading music. The younger the generation, the more likely they are to experiment with shoplifting, drugs, or many other foolish things. The two factors are not causal.

    The CRIA are the same asses who lost in the Federal Court and the Federal Court of Appeals - and their case was less than pathetic.

    For the record - it is absolutely legal to download music in Canada. (There only dispute as to whether leaving music available for downloading by others consititues distribution - which could be in violation of the Copyright Act, but this has yet to be litigated, and the obiter dicta comments of the Federal Court judge would indicate that even this is legal)

  240. Not true. by Pig+Hogger · · Score: 1

    The whole article is pure poppycock, for the very simple reason that music uploading/downloading on a p2p network is **LEGAL** in Canada!!!

  241. Re:I WOULD believe... Re:P2P: the new gateway drug by deanoaz · · Score: 1

    >>> ...copyright holders drink harder and do more cocaine...

      And it follows that if P2P were stamped out and revenues to copyright holders increased as a result, we'd see more copyright holders dying from overdoses and committing more serious crimes because of their increased access to dangerous chemicals.

    'Save an Artist, burn an MP3!'

    --
    If 'the people' in Amendment 2 are 'the state' then Amendments 1, 2, 4, 9, and 10 benefit the state, not you.
  242. Communists by dagr8tim · · Score: 1
    Illegal file shares are more likely to be god forbid....Communists.

    Think about it. File sharer's share the wealth to all memembers of the group. Does that sound like any other group?

    We must wipe out this new red scare. Before these people start, dare I say it, thinking freely and comming up with new ideas and thoughts.

    --
    "Does your computer have IP on it?"
  243. BS Comments... meet BS comments... by Travelsonic · · Score: 1

    If the RIAA can fund studies that make questionable statistics like this (what is in the article), maybe I should throw around some bullshit myself...

    How about "Statistics show that if you listen to or read anything from the MPAA, RIAA, CRIA, BSA, ARIA, ETC executives without being objectional, or researching it further, you get dumber by at least 20%."

    --
    If you believe in privacy, and believe you have "nothing to hide" at the same time, you're a goddammed idiot
  244. Whats next??? by shrey · · Score: 1

    maybe 70% people in age group 35-50 drink tea compared to world average of 52%.
    52% in age group 35-50 accepted taking bribes at some point of time compared to average of 17%.
    this suggests those who drink tea are more likely to take bribes...

    1. Re:Whats next??? by q256 · · Score: 0

      Sure... if the bribe is sufficient - you want my glass of tea with that ?

      --
      Once upon a time, a soon to be mommy and daddy loved each other very much (the lust was strong as well as the drinks)
  245. On to harder stuff... by Auraiken · · Score: 1

    like spearheading the RIAA?

  246. Well... by dariuscardren · · Score: 0

    I know my personal reason to obey the law, is more fear of punishment than any moral sence of right or wrong, if I could steal, and get away with it, I would, kill w/o rem,osre too if it was allowed, though I think dueling between between concenting adults should also not be punishible by law...

  247. Well EVERYONE knows shoplifters are EVIL by DumbSwede · · Score: 1
    This reminds me of an article I read in a newspaper called "The Worker" which I picked up on campus to read about 15 years ago. Only a few sentences in I realized it was a pro-communist publication, still I read on with amused curiosity .In the main article they commented on how Columbian drug lords with little schooling had adopted a sophisticated capitalist system for the exchange of goods and services. Conclusion: since Columbian drug lords use capitalism and since drug lords are evil then capitalism is evil.

    My conclusion at the time: people with little schooling, when faced with how to allocate resources in a trade system with others, reinvent capitalism, thus capitalism is a natural form of economic exchange. It may not be the fairest, but it is a tool that can be rediscovered like the wheel or fire. Whether it is evil is a completely separate issue as to whether someone evil uses it or whether other systems are better or fair.

    We assume shoplifting is evil (and even this could be argued is only a societal convention that makes economic exchange easier for fair players) so anything a shoplifter does outside of shoplifting in disproportionate amount to the rest of society is evil. Granted it makes the same like-like mistake that many appeals to emotion do when trying to win an argument. Trouble is this kind of argument tends to be very effective with the general public.

    Society has gotten used to receiving information/entertainment for free for years. In the past storage and exchange were hard and the business model of advertising fit well. Even the content we paid for could be freely exchanged/traded/given away with no problems. Your local library likely carries hundreds of DVD movies as well as the normal repository of books.

    Electronic exchange merely makes easier that which in the past was essentially legal. The trouble is when I trade a DVD there is only copy of course. When I rip the DVD and put it on the internet then I am violating copyright. Now if everyone agreed not do that, the RIAA would have no problem, but it is just too tempting a case of having your cake and eating it too. It can be rationalize to some extent that an electronic copying isn't stealing because it cost the manufacturer and distributor no money to replace the media that was pilfered -- the only thing lost is potential sales. Of course if everyone copied, it would be silly to say that there is no cost to the content provider. Of course it is equally ridiculous to count every copy as an actual theft since not every copy would have a one to one effect on sales.

    The solution being avoided by all content providers is the migration to a new business model. While I would like to see this migration occur I can understand why the industry is reluctant, that is the "industry" as a marketing and distribution engine would largely disappear and their jobs and profits with it. Online content could be sponsored by paying individuals or supported by ads. By trying to charge everyone for online content you will only keep the same motivations for copying. Now it may be true that free content won't have the revenue stream to support the production of $100+ million dollar movies. So what? Suddenly there is impetus is to make content the public will watch but on much smaller budgets - fewer car crashes, fewer explosions, smaller top star salaries, but there will still be movies. I doubt that quality overall would go down, but if it did, so what? Watch the classics. The money people spend on entertainment could be spent vastly better in other areas. It has never been the entertainment industry's credo to bring us a better product at a lower price. This rapacious appetite for continually expanding profits in the entertainment industry is a driving force behind the explosion of online sharing.

    You might argue the Bittorent copy of your Must-See-TV has no commercials in it, so how could an advertising model work? It has no ads because there is no direct high quality original f

  248. Hardly surprising by kentrel · · Score: 1
    This is hardly surprising since the act of downloading requires a distorted sense of what's right or wrong anyway. Since most stuff is available online or a 24 hour delivery away for pretty reasonable prices there are very little excuses for piracy. There are some obvious exceptions mainly regarding television shows or movies that may never air in your particular country, or if it's something that you need to try before you buy. However, that second reason is very rare. There are enough reviews, free samples, demos, trailers, word of mouth, etc for an intelligent person to form an opinion of something before they buy. So that just leaves the more common reason, wanting something for nothing. It's hardly a big leap of logic to assume that these people also follow those "principles" in other areas of their lives. This isn't really a complaint or a criticism, but more of an observation of human behaviour. In my experience most people if they knew they'd get away with a crime would have no hesitation committing it.And by anonymously downloading albums on the internet for free you are almost guaranteed to get away with it, every time. This is an old old human trait that probably goes back as far as there has been stuff worth stealing. People often justify this with thinly veiled arguments like

    "If X made better movies\music\games then maybe I'd consider buying them" "Why should I pay for something that I might not like" "X Company has enough money anyway, what difference would it make if I downloaded it"

    I know kids who regularly steal CDs\DVDs from stores because they know that even if they get caught by the security guard they just confiscate what they've taken and rarely call the police. The internet just makes it easier for more people to do it for free.

  249. more likely to be human by HelloKitty · · Score: 1

    >> suggests that those who download music online are also likely to
    >> cheat at schools/universities and to shoplift.

    In related news, those people who are human have a high likely hood of shoplifting, stealing, and cheating.

  250. in related news, people who are human are more... by HelloKitty · · Score: 1

    >> suggests that those who download music online are also likely to
    >> cheat at schools/universities and to shoplift.

    In related news, those people who are human have a high likely hood of shoplifting, stealing, and cheating.

  251. P2P: the "advertising" drug. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "Repeat after me: Correlation does not imply causation."

    That's why we shouldn't believe all those "P2P increases sales" studies then.*

    *If you can't prove harm, then you can't prove benefit either.

  252. There's even more there. by Shoggoth+of+Maul · · Score: 1

    From TFA:

    a) "Canadians between 12 and 24 years of age are responsible for 78 per cent of illegal music downloading, even though they make up only 21 per cent of the population, it says."

    b) "Nearly 27 per cent of younger people surveyed said they would consider cheating on a test or exam, compared with 10 per cent of the general population."

    c) "Of those asked, 6 per cent of younger Canadians said they would leave a store without paying for a piece of clothing, compared with 2 per cent of the population at large."

    and, as we all know, a+b+c=

    d) "Canadians between the ages of 18 and 29 are much more willing than other age groups to make illegal copies of software programs, cheat on exams or even shoplift, an Environics poll suggests."

    Okay. Besides that b) is ludicrously insignificant for reasons already mentioned, all of them lean on the assumption that if you say you would do something, you're more likely to do it, as opposed to lying about it and hiding your motives. Because people always tell survey people the truth.

    Furthermore, without challenging the numbers they've come up with, they argue that because young people account for 78 percent of illegal music downloading, and that 27 percent of younger people surveyed said they would consider cheating on a test, that somehow that 78% and 27% have an overlap of 100%.

    Riight. Care to buy a bridge? Prices are rock bottom right now, and it's a great solid asset as a hedge against inflation!

  253. P2P: the new gateway drug. by *nrf* · · Score: 1

    its true, us P2P downloaders also club baby seals and are probably responsible for global warming

  254. What next ? by sbeashwar · · Score: 0

    Study shows that P2P user are likely to be Gay !

  255. "Erosion...of values at the core of our society." by Zhe+Mappel · · Score: 1

    If the values are shit, you must acquit. ;-)

  256. Err... by mikehunt · · Score: 1

    I'd just like to say "FUCK OFF".

    Thanks, I feel better now.

  257. RIAA is a joke by q256 · · Score: 0

    Kewl article... must be written by contract for the RIAA to whine a snivel for their inability to put out music that people WANT TO BUY vice karaoke crap.

    OMG - when will the children learn - feel sorry for the artists that sold their souls and are now pimped by big daddy RIAA

    Hey, I breath air... so I must addicted to cow farts

    --
    Once upon a time, a soon to be mommy and daddy loved each other very much (the lust was strong as well as the drinks)
  258. I'm likely to do all 3. by crhylove · · Score: 1

    For completely the same reasons. School is ludicrous these days, from dated over priced texts that are often highly politicized to career educators who care very little about education, to curriculums that are dated and unnecessary for any of the possible future careers....Hell yeah I'm gonna cheat in school. School is bullshit. The RIAA, MPAA corporate watchdog group du jour wants people to pay $20 a disk for crap that is so formulaic and boring that I can't remember the difference between any of it. Nickle back, creed, staind, I don't even know the difference between these bands because they are all crap, and hip hop is even worse. If SOMEHOW some artist puts out one song I like, I'll just download it, fuck you very much. Don't even get me started on movies, and movie theater price gouging! Oh, and most movies out today also suck big time,and are formulaic, and there is very little "art" at all any more to any of it. As for shoplifting, well, I saw Wal Mart and K Mart and Mervyns and Nordstroms come in to a small town and destroy small businesses where people made a living replacing them with below subsistance living jobs and dreary lack of choices and crappy asian slave made clothes and other junk that falls apart. Steal from them? FUCK YEAH!

    So the statistics are that our generation is tired of the bullshit and will fight back at every turn by refusing to adhere to dated versions of "right and wrong". I mean, these corporations enslave 11 year olds in the third world for less than a bowl of rice a day, and then sell the garment it cost them 12 cents to make AND SHIP over here for $50? Who's the bad guy, them or me for shop lifting it? How the fuck am I more reprehensible than they are? I'll be honest, the "right thing" to do is not even go into the store, which is what I *try* to do and still live my life, but if I do go into the store, I'll be damned if they're going to get more than a few pennies of my money, no matter what it is that I actually wanted in the store.

    rhY

    --
    I hold very few opinions. I hold information based on observation and fact. If you wish to disagree, please use facts.
  259. In a related study by Yenin · · Score: 1

    In a related study, people in the 60 - 100 age group play golf about 1.36 times more often than the average rate. The study also discovered that this age group was far more likely to die than any other agegroup.

    It is insane that we are talking about music and profits when there are millions of people right now out there golfing themselves to death.

  260. Threatens Canada's economy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Canada's economy would BOOM if TFA acted independently, not as a media stooge.

    1) There is no iTune's server/infrastructure in Canada, or China etc. That means jobs/money flowing out from those countries = damaging local communities/ trade imbalance.
    2) While on IP, lets not forget making vistitors 'criminals' if they fill a cross-border prescription.
    3) Made a 'criminal' for a 'fully paid up' Satellite subscription.
    4) Canada's economy does benefit from P2P 'leakage' - money stays in the community - especially free indie and BSD downloads.
    5) The TIA must giggle as Canadians make their sortie over the border to 'stock up' with USA imports, because of a distorted price model that is not set for Canada's benefit.
    6) The TIA has not yet been investigated as to why iTunes like agreements cannot be struck in Canada.

    Canada is enforcing IP, taxing media, and doing nothing about illegal trade restraint on softwood, lumber etc. Pray it does not target indiscretions of cigarette and IP/media companies. Companies that have shredders, and use them, are less than lilly white.

  261. The Bear Patrol Is Working by the_mushroom_king · · Score: 1

    Homer: Not a bear in sight. The Bear Patrol must be working like a charm.

    Lisa: That's spacious reasoning, Dad. Homer: Thank you, dear.

    Lisa: By your logic I could claim that this rock keeps tigers away.

    Homer: Oh, how does it work?

    Lisa: It doesn't work.

    Homer: Uh-huh.

    Lisa: It's just a stupid rock.

    Homer: Uh-huh.

    Lisa: But I don't see any tigers around, do you?

    [Homer thinks of this, then pulls out some money]

    Homer: Lisa, I want to buy your rock.

  262. P2P: the unexamined flaws by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "Yes. I don't think anyone was saying that using p2p causes people to buy music online..."

    They was saying that P2P usage was causing people to purchase more music. And we're not talking "just" about that survey, but all the others that have been posted over the years. Any flaws (correlation/causation) in those surveys are summarily ignored. Unless of course those surveys are negative (read as against the slashdot party line). Then we dissect them.

  263. What were the questions? by BoneFlower · · Score: 1

    What were the exact questions?

    There was some worry at one point that my mom was hitting me. She wasn't, but the chosen questions were bad.

    "Does it hurt when mommy hits you with a stick?" "Yes"

    My father didn't like that question. So he asked-

    "Does it hurt when *person who was initially questioning me* hits you with a stick?" "Yes"

    Basically, if you ask the right questions, you can get pretty much any answer you want. Especially when the party commisioning the survey has a clear interest in what the results are, it is important to know what was actually asked to judge the surveys credibility.

  264. 2 things by Lasos · · Score: 0

    ok 1 woot they listed me generically atleast and 2 the riaa paid for the study... umm... thats the equivlent to saying its our opinion that these things happen and no one wants to steal or cheat so this will help our case

  265. They're right about one thing. by Atario · · Score: 1
    it also points to an erosion of respect for intellectual property
    I think that's true -- people don't respect "intellectual property" as much as they used to. This is because respect must be earned.

    When the laws are unjust or unreasonable -- or bought and paid for -- people, rightly, lose respect for the law.
    --
    "A great democracy must be progressive or it will soon cease to be a great democracy." --Theodore Roosevelt
    1. Re:They're right about one thing. by Reziac · · Score: 1


      That's very true. Respect must be earned; it is not given "just because".

      But today's schools try to give away "self-esteem" instead of letting kids EARN it, thus kids are taught that they should be respected just for breathing, not because they make an effort to be good and decent human beings. So the entire concept of "respect" is being eroded.

      Combine this with the natural tendency of kids to do stupid things, and you may get more kids using P2P, shoplifting, and whatever, but it's not really any different than when kids of an earlier era stole the occasional watermelon. (See another post I made up above on that subject.)

      Being lazy, I'll respond to your parent post here too: one could make the equally spurious point that modern music contributes to delinquency by inducing kids to illegally download music. ;)

      --
      ~REZ~ #43301. Who'd fake being me anyway?
  266. Thank you for your reply by Simonetta · · Score: 1

    thanks for the extended reply. Since rhetoric and logic are not taught in school any more it seems that these public focused forums are the only place to dissect the irrational arguments using the standardized but neglected tools of debate. I sound like a prig and a dweeb, but that's the price one pays for demanding clear rational thought.
        Keep up the good work.

    1. Re:Thank you for your reply by SatanicPuppy · · Score: 1

      I took argmentation and debate in college, and was widely known for resorting to bullying and fallacies when I had to defend a position I didn't believe could be rationally defended. It worked more than half of the time; people get flustered and off-balance...Their rational rhetoric seems less certain because they have to try and be accurate, while the person who doesn't care for accuracy is free to beat them with fake or misleading stats, and strawman arguments.

      When you throw out a truly outrageous statement, you can watch the other guy recoil, like you slapped them. They know better, of course, but there is still that moment of shock, and an experienced debater can take advantage of that, put them on the run. If you can defeat the person, you can defeat their argument. You see that all the time these days. Debaters taking on people with the facts on their side...And they win. A lot.

      Whenever I hear a truly impassioned defense of something, I always suspect shenanigans. Either the person really is emotionally invested, in which case they are no longer in a position to argue it objectively, or they're just throwing up a front to shield the weakness of their argument.

      --
      ad logicam Claiming a proposition is false because it was presented as the conclusion of a fallacious argument.
  267. The downfall of Canada? by Popcorn+Dave · · Score: 1
    Does this mean that Canadians who use P2P networks are also watching non-Canadian Television, listening to non-Canadian music - or at least more than 20% - and speaking english only in Quebec?

    On a more serious note, where does someone sign up to conduct these moronic kind of studies? I'm sure that a lot of /.'ers could use the extra cash. Especially if they're throwing it out for studies like this.