Illegal file sharing on the Internet, what should we do?

I see stickies all over certain forums informing you how to get Vista activated with no problems. So that's highly debatable as Burnsy said.
 
Well I guess it has got easier.

But wasnt Vista cracked before it was released also ?

I'm not implying it was easy when it was first released but certainly do-able.
 
A lot of people pirate XP because it's so easy to (a lot probably bought it originally though), and just have random copies of it lying around which are pirated. Most people though who use Vista have bought it though because it's not as easy to pirate it.

Is it not? I am still on my original dodgy copy of Vista that I have had from a couple of months from launch. Updates perfectly. Coincidently my legal copy of XP Pro gets a pop up asking me to donate further money to MS...
 
A lot of people pirate XP because it's so easy to (a lot probably bought it originally though), and just have random copies of it lying around which are pirated. Most people though who use Vista have bought it though because it's not as easy to pirate it.

Lol if anything it's easier.

It's as simple as:
Grab the proper release.
Boot from dvd and install.
Play games.

It's activated from scratch, you don't even need to type in the cd key during setup, all updates work and passes all WGA checks. All the drm trash is simply removed from it. It's easier to use it than to crack a game or activate windows legitimately.
 
making things cheaper and more easily accessible.

i'm sure many will agree with me on this, that Steam has stomped out a lot of piracy.

the same method won't work with video/music (ie, drm), but if you could download using a steam-like app, then do what you want with the content, people will be more willing to do it..

especially if say this app had 'burn to DVD', 'copy to media player', 'copy to phone' wizard type options within it, aswell as being able to simply browse the media via explorer

we've all used torrents and newsgroups, for linux distros, etc, mainly for the speed at which we get them, then you still have the small hassle of unpacking etc.





having a "one program does all" approach for downloadable media would rock. basically, like iTunes, except cheaper, and not rubbish.

even at 10p per song, 50p per tv episode, £1 per film, they'd make a killing.
This was my point earlier in the thread (page 2 I think) and I was also trying to point out that it's because of the convenience that a lot of people pirate. Hell, I can download from my own PC, and have what I want within a couple hours at most, rather than either order online and wait a few days for a delivery, or go to a shop to buy. Sites like direct2drive are a pain because they have limited number of installations.

Steam has it good tbh. iTunes have it good, too.
 
Lol if anything it's easier.

It's as simple as:
Grab the proper release.
Boot from dvd and install.
Play games.

It's activated from scratch, you don't even need to type in the cd key during setup, all updates work and passes all WGA checks. All the drm trash is simply removed from it. It's easier to use it than to crack a game or activate windows legitimately.

can you still get IE/wmp etc updates though?
 
Steam has to be one of the few companys that have got it very very very close to being right.

Unlimited installs/downloads. Because it is all saved to an account you can never lose your games (unless you lose your account :p) So if you PC was to die today. When you fix it or get a new one you can download the games straight away. No hassle of having to find the discs or oh crap lost the serial code or dammit that was my last install because of limitations dispite having PAID for a game.

Heck they even have weekend sales so you can still pick up bargins every now and then from them. Downloads speeds are always damm good. (I guess that depends quite a bit on your connection)

The only thing bad in my eyes with steam is that they can be rather pricy at times.

As said I think it really is down to convenience factor. Far easier to do everything from your PC rather than having to go to shops having to store CD/DVD's.

On the flip side there are people who do it just because they can.... I am pretty sure though (yes it is an assumtion) that this is quite a low population.
 
I think a lot of people do it though because they want stuff they can't afford.

I mean, if I had bought everything on my PC I'd be broke.
 
Well yes there is that too.

Also with the amount of crap that is being released that includes movies games music and programs. I think people have become a bit bitter over it. Myself included.

I mean some of the games that are being produced now a days are a joke. Very rarely are there demos so people cannot even "try before you buy" The internet gives people that option. Even if it is not legal.

I can bet some people will download a game say install it play it, think holy smokes batman this is the worst game in the world. uninstall it and delete. HEY ! they have just saved themselves 20-40quid !
 
I think a lot of people do it though because they want stuff they can't afford.

I mean, if I had bought everything on my PC I'd be broke.

I don't think that's a valid excuse, especially when it comes to software.

Most programs have a open source or freeware alternative these days.

Want photoshop? Get gimp.
Want MS Office? Get Open Office.

etc.

Sure the professional tools are sometimes better, but if you're a professional, then pay for them.

My rule: if I can't afford it and want it, I'll work until I can.
 
Read much of this thread and thought I'd chip in with my opinion.

File sharing is illegal. Period. People can make as many excuses as they like to justify downloading a game, song or whatever, but that's only for their own piece of mind. I think you have to be horrendously short sighted to think that such activity is morally sound.

Let me be clear, I'm hardly a good samaritan myself. So I'm not casting judgement by any means.

The only issue that I do have, is that quite frankly, if there was not such thing as file sharing, then I simply wouldn't download half the stuff that I do. Record companies also fail to recognise that many of those who download an album illegally may instead go and see that band in concert (where most musicians make their money). If it wasn't for file sharing, I would not have seen nearly as many acts in concert that I have.

To be honest, one could write a thesis on this issue. In terms of solutions, I just don't think there is one. When there's a will, there's a way. No matter how many sites or applications are banned, more will spring up. The relevant industries simply need to come up with ways which make the legitimacy of a product more appealing than having an illegal copy. How they do that though, it the difficult question.
 
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