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Piracy Stats Don't Add Up

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the someone-went-out-on-a-limb dept.

arenam writes to tell us Australian IT is reporting that a recent briefing for the Attorney-General's Department prepared by the Australian Institute of Criminology draws certain piracy statistics into question. From the article: "The draft of the institute's intellectual property crime report, sighted by The Australian shows that copyright owners 'failed to explain' how they reached financial loss statistics used in lobbying activities and court cases. Figures for 2005 from the global Business Software Association showing $361 million a year of lost sales in Australia are 'unverified and epistemologically unreliable,' the report says."

17 of 258 comments (clear)

  1. in other news by macadamia_harold · · Score: 5, Funny

    Figures for 2005 from the global Business Software Association showing $361 million a year of lost sales in Australia are 'unverified and epistemologically unreliable,' the report says.

    In other news, the sky outside appears to be a "blue" color, and when dropped, most objects behave in a "falling" manner.

    --
    Push Button, Receive Bacon
    1. Re:in other news by Umbral+Blot · · Score: 2, Funny

      Word on the street is that the pope is catholic too, and that bears shit in the woods.

      --

      Philosophy.
    2. Re:in other news by salec · · Score: 4, Funny

      Regarding your sig and this topic: "#6. When describing the size of a treasure, a pirate is required to exaggerate by at least 130%."

    3. Re:in other news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      No circus bear, even if there was a catholic one, ever became a pope!

  2. Re:Think of the people you're hurting. by daranz · · Score: 2, Funny

    See, that's where RIAA and company get their statistics - they equate every posting of that to one bankrupt CD store.

    --
    This is a sig. It is appended to the end of comments I post.
  3. Re:First Impression by jazir1979 · · Score: 1, Funny

    TPS is from the US, so we can forgive the poor grasp of English.

    Sighted is used correctly in this instance.

    --
    What's your GCNSEQNO?
  4. Epistemologically by Flying+pig · · Score: 2, Funny
    There ought to be some kind of celebration that this wonderful (and actually quite useful) word has actually made it into print, in what seems to be a government report. Literacy is not yet dead. And in Australia, even better.

    Perhaps the most suitable punishment for lying lobbyists (is there another kind?) would be to be beaten over the head with philosophy textbooks until they coluld tell their episteme from their noesis.

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    Pining for the fjords
    1. Re:Epistemologically by indifferent+children · · Score: 5, Funny
      word has actually made it into print

      Bush used this word three days ago. Granted he was trying to discuss the beliefs of Episcopalians, but technically he did use this word.

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      Censorship is telling a man he can't have a steak just because a baby can't chew it. --Mark Twain
  5. Re:Reasoning by XaXXon · · Score: 1, Funny

    That IS an equation. Just.. for the record.

  6. Re:For the LAST time... by Pink+Tinkletini · · Score: 3, Funny

    Nice try, but I doubt the pro-piracy blowhards on this site will catch the irony. They'll just keep stealing and stealing other people's IP until there's nothing left to take. Thieves aren't the brightest of folk, after all.

    --
    And now, a PSA from David Lynch.
  7. Re:Reasoning by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny
    Of course they dont want to share how they come up with their data. They know that simply equating downloads to lost sales is not an accurate prediction.

    Sure it is. Hell, I lost $4 million in record sales last year because I haven't put out an album and don't have any musical talent. I wonder who I can sue.
  8. Re:First Impression by $RANDOMLUSER · · Score: 2, Funny

    TPS_Report is correct, "cited" is the proper word. Didn't you get the memo?

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    No folly is more costly than the folly of intolerant idealism. - Winston Churchill
  9. Did They Check by Digital+Vomit · · Score: 3, Funny
    copyright owners 'failed to explain' how they reached financial loss statistics used in lobbying activities and court cases.

    Did they check their ass? That's usually where these statistics are pulled out of.

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    Modern copyright is theft of culture from everyone and it retards the progress of the useful arts and sciences.
  10. Yes of course... by Chaffar · · Score: 2, Funny

    [RIAA representative puts left pinky next to corner of mouth] This year we will lose... 100 BILLION DOLLARS !

  11. Re:For the LAST time... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Calling those theft are just helping ruin the English language.


    Like that sentence...

    You're right about the rest though :)
  12. Re:For the LAST time... by jidar · · Score: 5, Funny

    yeah exactly! Which is why I've been downloading this same Pantera album over and over for 12 years. I figure if I can get all the copies downloaded before the pirates do then people wont be able to steal it anymore.

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    Sigs are awesome huh?
  13. And downloading is not "piracy"... by geobeck · · Score: 2, Funny

    ...unless you say "YARR!" while you're doing it.

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