The Filesharing Conspiracy

Yeah, sorry, TPTB have turned us into a commodity, and it's time we woke up and realised everything SHOULD be free.

Ha, given the number of government employees watching porn, we can only suspect that there's lot of pirated materials on US Government computers.

I guess we'll have to leave the war between government and pirates to the hackers to sort out. Given the government's latest Internet initiatives... I feel sorry for the government...ha.

reply to post by dean007



I absolutely agree with you. In Hungary we also pay tax on everyblank media included memory card for digital camera! And to be honest if I saw a really good film on computer I often decide to go and watch it in the cinema. But I never buy CDs. If a like a band I choose to visit a music festival or concert.

This whole file sharing thing is crazy. When I was a kid we would record songs off of the radio, then we would dubb cassettes, remember that? No one was coming after us for that. It's the same thing as file sharing. I have purchased all of Metallica's cassettes then when CD's came out I went back and bought all of their CD's. Now Lars Ulrich has spoken in front of congress about file sharing and how we're all stealing from him. In a sense he's attacking his fans. How much of my money does Metallica want? When they were first starting out they would have begged for people to download their music to get it out there. Now they want to soak you for every penny you have. Do doctors become doctors because they want to make a lot of money or because they want to help people? Do artists become artists because they have a passion for the arts or because they want to be mega millionaires? I have purchased everything Alice Cooper has ever made because I deem it worthy of my cash and I like his kind of art. In my mind I need to have it and I need the original. As far as Metallica I decided when Lars spoke in front of congress that they'd never get another penny from me even though I am a HUGE fan.

A lot of good points, not much I can add really except this statement by the RZA, and while it may not reflect the attitude of all artists (Prince for example) it is reflective of some. I guess for me, this statement is the difference in being an artist and some guy who can sing, or play an instrument.

When I make music, I make it to be heard, personally. And, if somebody download it, if they heard it, then my job was delivered. Of course I love to make the money. I get million dollar album budgets, so of course there's money involved with it.

But, personally, as a musician, as an artist, the first thing is to be seen and heard. If you're not seen and heard, who cares? I was talking to Jim Jarmusch and he was like, somebody see his film, the guy's happy. He don't care. He wants somebody to see his art and appreciate it and that's how I feel about my music also.

I never got pissed off at the Internet kids with the downloading. In fact, I told them, 'Help yourself. Have a good time.

This topic was recently raised on Question Time on the BBC in the uk. One of the panelists answered:

"It's not stealing because when I take it, it's still there."

He received a round of applause.

In the UK, nearly all DVD's have an annoying advert that you can't skip where they liken downloading movies to stealing a car. It's not the same at all. One involves breaking into someone's car and taking it, and the other is the click of a mouse in the privacy if your home. I'm not saying it isn't wrong, it is and over time it will affect the entertainment/software industries, but it's not the same as stealing a handbag from someone's shoulder.

Sendran.

[edit on 27/6/2010 by Sendran]

reply to post by Skyfloating


Yea I draw, 3d model design, and do creative things for relaxation. Don't care much about money. I do it for the lulz, if anything.

There is of course one problem. I make no money. So this joyride obviously cannot go on forever.

Amongst the mountain of reasons, this is also a reason I am training to become an architect. because it is not digital. The final product is real. You cannot download building. You cannot pirate a construction project. It has to be made with real people working their worth in a real career.

The Architecture-Engineering-Construction industry therefore has a unique position. It is security proof from the problems you listed. I am guaranteed a job as long as the human population is increasing in size and needs new homes, or people want a new home.

That's not exactly a good starting income. But I am good at what I do, so I will get more over time.

I would be foolish to go into non-physical production like video games and art and music. There's no money in it. OK, maybe video games. But that's only because there is an unwritten law amongst video gamers. A universal understanding that most follow. And that is:

that if a game is good, you buy it after you pirate!

Hence why companies like Valve are doing quite well.

Anywho. Maybe I'll design a museum for the old media one day. or a mausoleum.

If you take something that you should have paid for, how is that not stealing? It doesn't matter if there isn't a physical copy changing hands, someone should have been paid for it.

reply to post by BadgerJoe


This generation does not agree with that statement.

null

[edit on 27-6-2010 by Gorman91]

reply to post by SaturnFX

anyone whom is for piracy...please list all the things you give away for free instead of working to make rent.

I spent years developing modules for Tales of Middle Earth.

And I'm hardly unique. Linux, Apache, FreeBSD, SpringRTS...there are a lot of people out there producing content and making it freely available with no expectation of financial reward.

Content creators stop creating content when
they get no reward for sharing their best works.

Have you ever heard of youtube? Do you have any idea how many people are producing content free for anyone to enjoy? Have you ever heard of Sourceforge? Take a look. There are thousands of free, opensource projects that people work on and give away to anyone who wants them.

There's a huge community of content producers on the internet...software, music, video...who are happily producing content and giving it away.

reply to post by purplemonkeydishwasher


Venus Project can set us free if we open our minds:-

www.youtube.com...

EDIT: Open source=mind=open

[edit on 27/6/10 by awake_and_aware]

This is my perspective on the issue of illegal filesharing. People need to understand what they are actually doing and to who.

Filesharing doesnt affect the major labels as much as they like to cry about it. They get a lot of income from other avenues, such as concerts/gigs, licensing, royalties from radio play (which can be quite significant for artists whos tracks are played every hour on every major station), etc. Yes they ARE losing out from sales due to illegal downloads, but they dont tell the whole story.

No, the real victims are, unsurprisingly, the independant artists. It is killing small music labels. Labels are making a fraction of the money they were getting in before the filesharing revolution. Many have disappeared due to this. Vinyl releases are limited to all but a few of the more successful labels who have enough of a fan base to cover them.

This is not the only problem that is affecting underground music, but one of them. Its also been hit hard by the "credit crunch" with distributors going under and being unable to pay out. Just to put this into more perspective.

So when you download a file off the internet for free, make sure you know whether you are stealing from someone trying to put food on the table or a faceless corporation.

Besides there is a rapidly growing number of labels and producers who see that filesharing is the new norm, and that its not going to go away. So instead of facing a losing battle they join in the revolution and give away their music for free. Look at the example Radiohead set. People download for free and pay what they want. Its not hard to find free, legal, good quality music.

reply to post by BadgerJoe

If you take something that you should have paid for, how is that not stealing?

Why do you believe that things should be paid for?

It doesn't matter if there isn't a physical copy changing hands, someone should have been paid for it.

Why?

So if you had a neighbor that decided to lend you his movie/game/music, that would be okay I assume. So whether you do or don't have that neighbor, what does it matter? The end is the same in that you get the media for free. I personally believe we should exploit, in a kind way I say that, social connections for all it's worth, it's called teamwork. Whether you have that nice neighbor, or whether or not you have 150 friends that could share physical media, it shouldn't really matter.

I looked at something similar in high school. People could easily share answers to homework, why didn't we do that? Because we're stupid. Each person would only have to solve 2 problems instead of 70. But you know, in the class you did have small groups that were smart enough and maybe 5 would share answers. But what about the rest? People shouldn't have lesser reward for having fewer social connections, because ideally, everyone should be working together. In a way, you're being punished for lack of connection between people....not at all dissimilar to how God functions, but that's something else. Ever notice how Jews believe in teamwork? Yeah think about it..

If you did have a neighbor or friend provide you with all the media you wanted for free, isn't that unfair to everyone else who doesn't have that social connection? Yet it's very possibly happening. Maybe it depends on who you consider, or want to consider, as a friend....how large is that circle?



[edit on 27-6-2010 by ghaleon12]

As a site owner whom makes his own videos and then sells them to others ( I will not make a shameless plug here for my site). I can only imagine how much more revenue I would have if all of my files, DVDs and videos were paid for. I am sure now that I am being cheated out of lots of revenue. Possibly 50% or more, I really can't say.

So I agree that this should not be legal, but it goes on just the same.

I figured the reason the giant studios have not done more to protect their interest had a sinister side.

Congress recently passed a law that allows providers to stop the transfer of files from one computer to another.

I assume that it will someday lead to no one being allowed to send files to another unless the files have been scrutinized and given a permission from the government.

This will of course be used to stop the flow of free information in our future. IF WE LIVE LONG ENOUGH.

People are still greatly under estimating the effects of hydrocarbon poisoning that is being unleashed in the gulf.

Not to mention how they will kill crops FOOD.

I hear many say Obama will never be re-elected he may not need to be, we might all be dead before the next election.

When criminals rule, your the fool.

Originally posted by LordBucket
reply to post by BadgerJoe

 

If you take something that you should have paid for, how is that not stealing?

Why do you believe that things should be paid for?

It doesn't matter if there isn't a physical copy changing hands, someone should have been paid for it.

Why?

The talentless have a new credo, why pay when you can steal? So how exactly do you expect artists to make a living when you steal their work? Oh right you have that land of make believe argument to fall back on where no one pays for anything. So please tell me where you work, that way I can go to your job and take what I need to survive. But I don't know what I can tell my landlord when she asks for the rent, you seem to have all the answers so please enlighten me.

The real conspiracy with this generation seems to be the death of art. Unless you work at Wal-Mart and give up your free time so that everyone can get your hard work for free.

reply to post by LordBucket


Linux and youtube...thats the best you can do.

ok, cool...there is free stuff...wonderful...now explain to me why a person should steal non-free stuff when there are free alternatives.

Why download the movie, Splice, on a torrent when you can pop open youtube and watch someones vlog for a couple hours...according to you, the two are exactly the same in entertainment value and budget...one is free, the other requires payment...

this is like saying...you can get a free dinner at a soup kitchen, so a steakhouse should also be free, because food is food.

reply to post by Skyfloating


This is a very interesting post, OP.

Personally, I like the thrill of saving up to buy something, be it a new book or a new CD to add to a collection. I could never imagine reading a book online/downloading it/whatever it is you do - there is something special about holding an actual book, turning the pages over in your hands, etc. you can't get that with an 'electronic' book.

And music - where's the fun of reading the sleeve notes, looking at the cover picture, on a downloaded song or album? (Good ol'LPs were best of course, but CD's still provide a nice booklet).

Same with movies - I'd much rather enjoy the occasional treat of going to a cinema, sitting there with popcorn and enjoying the film on a huge screen, than just downloading the thing off the internet.

I guess I grew up believing that if you wanted something, you paid for it. All this talk from teenagers of "I can't afford the latest album, so I want to get it for free" is imo, the wrong attitude. Save up until you can get it, then you'll enjoy it all the more.
It's as if people nowadays think that they have a right to have everything right now, on demand.

And yes, of course if we all got music and films and books for free, how the heck would the artists make a living? If I enjoy a piece of music I am more than happy to pay for that - after all, it took talent and hard work to create it.

Finally

If you train yourself to just take what you cant afford...

The only thing your training yourself for is a life of crime...enjoy prison when it esculates to robbery.

[edit on 27-6-2010 by SaturnFX]