jstorm I've gotta say, you're completely derailing this thread and trolling multiple people unnecessarily.
Its not stealing. Its very similar, but its not the same. Its morally wrong to the same degree I'd say, but that doesnt mean its the same act.
The simple answer to your question is that data isnt tangible.
With theft, the personal you steal from loses something tangible, and you gain. With piracy, the only thing lost is potential. I dont see how it can be any easier to understand.
Both are bad. The degree to which is irrelevant. I'm certainly not defending piracy in any shape, form or fashion.
Wrong. It is stealing. If you tell that you've written a book but can't get it published, then I write write the book and publish it before you because I have a connection in the publishing industry and make millions off of it, have I not stolen your idea?
Also, data is tangible. I am writing this post. It's made of 1's and 0's and they are tangible.
Prove me wrong.
Could you guys please create a thread about the merits and pitfalls of piracy? This is getting boring and it really adds nothing to this thread.
im going to say that its partly cryteks fault for not releasing a demo for PC and PS3, i mean cmon....catering to one console is going to bite you in the ass somehow
As long as you can tell me what a 1 and 0 is made of, I'll concede the point.
If all the pirates truly believe they are not stealing then I suggest they save the bandwidth, head to the local game store, grab whatever game they want, and then walk out smiling to the cashier saying "It's ok I'm just pirating this game."
"Oh, that's fine, you probably wouldn't have bought it anyways right?," says the cashier
"I still may buy it if it's good." says pirate.
"Oh, well perhaps you can go and pirate a new 55" tv while you're here as well." says cashier.
Pirate replies,"You know I can't do that because stealing merchandise in a store is theft and I will go to jail."
It's made of intellectual property. And not just some random thought either. If what you are trying to say is that anything in an electronic form has no basis for meaning/value. I guess that means you wouldn't care if I went into your bank account and withdrew all the imaginary numbers then, huh?
PM me your bank name, username and password if this is what you believe to be true.
I don't understand the morally significant difference between stealing qua "physical object" and stealing qua "intellectual property". Would someone care to explain it to me? Thanks.
what 'this'? that's physical theft. not even close to piracy. it's digital and debatable whether anyone looses out. with physical theft there isn't. you are down a product to sell.
Could you guys please create a thread about the merits and pitfalls of piracy? This is getting boring and it really adds nothing to this thread.
To show that I'm serious (re: my above post), untenable ethical frameworks have a supervenience relation such as "wrongness supervenes on someone's losing out". Now, anyone want to address my original question? Thanks.
Theft is the removal of property. Piracy is not theft, it's copyright violation plain and simple.
At one time, there was a DRM thread generated every couple of weeks depending on the latest developments.
We haven't had one of those on here in a long time, so I think the natives are having withdrawls
These days, I have two primary views on Piracy (there are more):
1. To steal a game.
I'm against this aspect of Piracy in 99% of cases.
2. To remove DRM / Rootkits / etc.
I'm 99% in favor of this aspect of Piracy.
.
Cute answer, but you and I both know youre full of it.
You have no more to add to a conversation than a chimp. Any attempt to actually discuss something meaningful gets met with a guttural grunt of "PIRACY BAD!!!". You seem to want to pigeonhole me into some sort of pirate lover, but no amount of my saying "I do not support piracy" seems to satisfy you.
Edit: It seems the debate was over whether or not "stealing" was the same as "piracy". My posts are aimed at people who think that, beyond the definition, there is a morally significant difference between the two.
This is great. Now you've gone to the level of debasing yourself by insulting me. I'd love to keep this discussion civil, and since you said you'd concede the point if you had nothing to add; do you have anything to add?
Also, I never accused you of being a pirate at all and I'm shocked that you would take my defense of my personal beliefs as being so. I guess if your last line of defense is to get defensive and spew some guttural personal attack then go for it. But the point has been made. I've also not seen one post from you that says you don't support piracy. There's even anecdotal evidence to the contrary, but mostly just you saying that you don't think it's stealing, which I disagree with.
And what do you and I both know? That data isn't intellectual property? I don't understand what you mean.
Wrong. It is stealing. If you tell that you've written a book but can't get it published, then I write write the book and publish it before you because I have a connection in the publishing industry and make millions off of it, have I not stolen your idea?
Also, data is tangible. I am writing this post. It's made of 1's and 0's and they are tangible.
Prove me wrong.