Yeah, defending the privacy and freedoms of the average citizen is such a hassle. So much so that I'm going to continue with my ordinary, pathetic life instead of fighting for them even when my own freedoms have been violated.
Which is what got us into this mess in the first place. The government should not be able to do much of anything without the consent of the people (majority vote).
Oh, please! You're such a silly conspiracy theorist! Do you honestly think the government would ever do us harm? Please. They're just so trustworthy! Besides, we have the constitution, and as we all know, that is always followed! Oh, and acknowledging problems is such a waste of time. In the time I could spend doing that, I could buy 100 pairs of brand name clothing and be a cool kid!
What are you hiding? Why are you not willing to put your privacy at risk for our ever so trustworthy government? You wouldn't be opposed to this if you had nothing to hide!
Yes, they are. It's a pity, however, that when trees are cut down, more often than not they're not replanted. That and we use so much of them that any restoration will take years and years.
"Even homework is assigned and answered online, so there's little room for "showing your work.""
If they don't know what they're doing, it's ultimately their fault. They can find other means to practice and show their own work to make sure they know what they're doing. Their education is in their own hands.
Really? Save them? Do they not realize that pirates aren't actually taking anything? All they're doing is copying data. The only argument they seem to have is that artists/businesses 'lose out' on "potential profit," which doesn't make any sense. For one, it is likely impossible to steal profit that only exists in the future of an alternate dimension where the artist/business made more money. Second of all, doing so much as exercising your right as a consumer to not buy a product means that you're stealing profit that the artist/business could potentially have had. Therefore, competition between businesses and consumer choice must be eliminated because when people are allowed to choose where to shop and what to buy, profit that others could, potentially, have had is stolen.
Also, it sickens me how they put down methods that allow people without money to obtain textbooks for free (without taking anything) that, in turn, allow those people to continue with their education.
Yeah, like perhaps doing something noteworthy with the new release. Not many people want to buy (or even move to, even for free) a new OS that barely does anything that their old one can't. It's simply a waste of time and money for a lot of people, including me.
"I agree that by pirating software you weren't going to buy anyway you do not harm the company you pirate from."
Piracy never harms anyone. Unless of course you're going to use a "potential profit" argument, in which case I answered that in my previous comment.
"However, you ignored my other point."
I didn't ignore it. I was merely saying that when media is pirated, nothing is taken and no harm is done. The pirate uses their own time to copy data that is in an infinite supply.
Why not? You're not harming them (as you're not actually taking anything), you're just copying data while not rewarding them with your money. In reality, the general pirate doesn't hurt or help anyone because they don't actually take anything.
If you say that they take "potential profit," then you're just as guilty as a pirate of doing that (even though it's likely impossible to take profit that only exists in the future of an alternate dimension where the artist/business made more money). Every single time you decide not to buy a product, you're 'taking' profit that the artist/business could potentially have had. Therefore, under using the "potential profit" argument, you can conclude that both consumer rights and competition between businesses hurts legitimate artists/businesses because they rob them of profit that they could have potentially had.
"But breaking the law doesn't show up on my list of valid choices."
Breaking the law has little to do with what is right or wrong.
"I realize that I'm merely purchasing a license to play it"
This right here (aside from DRM) is another reason I don't even buy games anymore. If they're going to treat their customers like this, I'm not going to reward them with my money.
So, you want the game but don't necessarily support their methods? Pirate it. Continuing to support these idiots will only make it worse to the point where even you might avoid their future games because of the terrible DRM that they may contain.
"If it's on your Facebook status, and you don't have it covered with restrictive privacy settings"
I thought that (at least, I heard they used to) Facebook sold some of your personal information no matter if you had them hidden with 'privacy' settings or not. Is that not true?
"Once you think about it, that's also what many of the Western leaders want, but don't have the means necessary to get it."
Their power seems to be coming in a little bit slower. They're trying to push for hideous laws and treaties that so blatantly violate the freedom of the people. The worst part is that many of the people don't even know what they are.
"Then the US government can concentrate on rooting out US music downloaders."
I think they should do just that. Maybe they should also get the army involved! These pirates that are 'stealing' profit that artists/businesses could potentially have had must be stopped at all cost!
Slashdot Mirror
"but refusing can create such a hassle"
Yeah, defending the privacy and freedoms of the average citizen is such a hassle. So much so that I'm going to continue with my ordinary, pathetic life instead of fighting for them even when my own freedoms have been violated.
"Republic"
Which is what got us into this mess in the first place. The government should not be able to do much of anything without the consent of the people (majority vote).
Oh, please! You're such a silly conspiracy theorist! Do you honestly think the government would ever do us harm? Please. They're just so trustworthy! Besides, we have the constitution, and as we all know, that is always followed! Oh, and acknowledging problems is such a waste of time. In the time I could spend doing that, I could buy 100 pairs of brand name clothing and be a cool kid!
What are you hiding? Why are you not willing to put your privacy at risk for our ever so trustworthy government? You wouldn't be opposed to this if you had nothing to hide!
"maybe it would be for the book authors/publishers, but nobody else."
Who cares about anybody else? Potential profit is all that matters.
"trees are a renewable resource"
Yes, they are. It's a pity, however, that when trees are cut down, more often than not they're not replanted. That and we use so much of them that any restoration will take years and years.
"Even homework is assigned and answered online, so there's little room for "showing your work.""
If they don't know what they're doing, it's ultimately their fault. They can find other means to practice and show their own work to make sure they know what they're doing. Their education is in their own hands.
Really? Save them? Do they not realize that pirates aren't actually taking anything? All they're doing is copying data. The only argument they seem to have is that artists/businesses 'lose out' on "potential profit," which doesn't make any sense. For one, it is likely impossible to steal profit that only exists in the future of an alternate dimension where the artist/business made more money. Second of all, doing so much as exercising your right as a consumer to not buy a product means that you're stealing profit that the artist/business could potentially have had. Therefore, competition between businesses and consumer choice must be eliminated because when people are allowed to choose where to shop and what to buy, profit that others could, potentially, have had is stolen.
Also, it sickens me how they put down methods that allow people without money to obtain textbooks for free (without taking anything) that, in turn, allow those people to continue with their education.
"When you pay $100 for a pair of blue jeans, you're also being scammed"
But... all the cool kids have those! Anyone without them is a loser!
Yeah, like perhaps doing something noteworthy with the new release. Not many people want to buy (or even move to, even for free) a new OS that barely does anything that their old one can't. It's simply a waste of time and money for a lot of people, including me.
"I agree that by pirating software you weren't going to buy anyway you do not harm the company you pirate from."
Piracy never harms anyone. Unless of course you're going to use a "potential profit" argument, in which case I answered that in my previous comment.
"However, you ignored my other point."
I didn't ignore it. I was merely saying that when media is pirated, nothing is taken and no harm is done. The pirate uses their own time to copy data that is in an infinite supply.
Ah, sorry. I was busy wading through replies that were similar to yours but appeared somewhat serious.
"No, that's not right either."
Why not? You're not harming them (as you're not actually taking anything), you're just copying data while not rewarding them with your money. In reality, the general pirate doesn't hurt or help anyone because they don't actually take anything.
If you say that they take "potential profit," then you're just as guilty as a pirate of doing that (even though it's likely impossible to take profit that only exists in the future of an alternate dimension where the artist/business made more money). Every single time you decide not to buy a product, you're 'taking' profit that the artist/business could potentially have had. Therefore, under using the "potential profit" argument, you can conclude that both consumer rights and competition between businesses hurts legitimate artists/businesses because they rob them of profit that they could have potentially had.
"But breaking the law doesn't show up on my list of valid choices."
Breaking the law has little to do with what is right or wrong.
No, I'm being completely serious. What progress?
"I realize that I'm merely purchasing a license to play it"
This right here (aside from DRM) is another reason I don't even buy games anymore. If they're going to treat their customers like this, I'm not going to reward them with my money.
That was their choice. They should not ban people from a fucking single player game for cheating in it.
So, you want the game but don't necessarily support their methods? Pirate it. Continuing to support these idiots will only make it worse to the point where even you might avoid their future games because of the terrible DRM that they may contain.
"no parental controls for SC2 at launch"
Uh, why would you need that in the first place?
"And your suggested response would be what then?"
Easy: leave people who cheat in single player alone.
"If it's on your Facebook status, and you don't have it covered with restrictive privacy settings"
I thought that (at least, I heard they used to) Facebook sold some of your personal information no matter if you had them hidden with 'privacy' settings or not. Is that not true?
"Once you think about it, that's also what many of the Western leaders want, but don't have the means necessary to get it."
Their power seems to be coming in a little bit slower. They're trying to push for hideous laws and treaties that so blatantly violate the freedom of the people. The worst part is that many of the people don't even know what they are.
What progress?
"Then the US government can concentrate on rooting out US music downloaders."
I think they should do just that. Maybe they should also get the army involved! These pirates that are 'stealing' profit that artists/businesses could potentially have had must be stopped at all cost!
Stolen? What was stolen? I don't see where any 'goods' in the above scenario were stolen.
You have a point. I think their ideas for reform are good, but to appeal to the general public (idiots), they will need to set other goals as well.