Stop the swappers

[MargeB]

These people who got busted for file sharing: why do they do it? Why would anyone want to put a bunch of files up for everyone else's gain, no gain to themselves, and at risk of prosecution? duh!!!!!!!

[coffers1]

Correct me if im wrong but when you use kazaa it searches for other peer to peer users, if they have uploads enabled your machine will download it from theres.  The file may only have been there because they had copied on to there pc from a cd or they have downloaded it from someone else....If everyone turned off the upload option then there would be no point having peer to peer.  Some people will cancel your download if you have uploading turned off.  They probably think that if they are taking the risk then you should too....Thoughts from people more technical than myself?

[Headtime]

Well there is a gain for themselves. Because by allowing your files to be shared, means that people won't ban you from downloading from them without sharing any files yourself.

It's kinda the way it works..Although, you can in theory not offer any files yourself - but that is not really in the spirit of things. If someone is downloading off of me, but not sharing their own files I would ban them from downloading further.


It's an interesting legal point. Because although you are allowing your files to be downloaded, surely it is the person who is downloading them who is infringing copyright laws. Is it not similar to a person shoplifiting from an HMV store?

[jake-the-peg]

No it's not similar to shoplifting from HMV.

In that case you are taking a physical object with a specific value to a store which will then have to be replaced at a cost to the store.

It's more like photocopying articles from magazines and giving them away so that people don't have to buy the magazine. Or maybe recording films or TV programs and keeping them rather than buying the DVD or video. 

[ursula62]

But it is still stealing - you have not paid for the product.

[MargeB]

I think it's a little different from stealing. If I go into my local Tesco, I take off their shelves an apple, and walk out. Tesco paid for the apple, and paid to put it on their shelf, and expected it to be sold. My stealing costs them about 5p cost, 20p would have been paid to them by someone else.

If some student thinks 'hey, I've got broadband, let's start downloading old elvis tracks, always wondered what he sounds like'....but they would never have gone out to buy elvis records. This is a victimless crime then. There would never have been the sale of an elvis record to that person, and no opportunity now lost due to their actions.
I'm sure there are plenty of downloads that take sales from shops, but not all of them.
I do think these actions are illegal, and break copyright laws. But I cannot seem to bring any tears to my eyes for the record companies or shops. The number of times they have taken �12 from me in exchange for what turned out to be a piece of rubbish that I never again listened to....
Maybe the balance is being redressed.
I also heard the argument that it deprives the artist of the rewards due to them. I found this very convincing, I am most concerned that Robbie Williams may not be able to upgrade his yacht this year.

[jake-the-peg]

The breaking of music copyright has been going on for years. There were "home taping is killing music" campaigns in the 80's - What are all those blank tapes used for? Dictaphones?

However the record companies are now squirming, their profits are down and file sharing is now making it much easier and faster copy music than nipping around to a friends with a fist full of tapes.

So we're seeing major PR offensives - the law hasn't changed it's just that the record industry is now taking it seriously and is spending money trying to plug this hole in their profits.

There seem to be two or three main tactics:

1/ Create a climate of fear; You can't sue everybody so go out hard for the website operators and a few token nobodies so people will be scared that they will be prosecuted.

2/ Try to promote the "It's just the same as shoplifting" tack - especially good with the "Daily Mail" sector 

3/ (more with pirate DVDs) try to convey a message that it supports organised crime/terrorism message.

I don't think it's a victimless crime it's just that not many people have any sympathy with the victims.

[netibiza]

Oh dear - I'm a 60yr old pensioner and love downloading the oldies.  Is there a remote chance that I'll be caught and fined - I live in Spain and use Limewire and Bearshare.

[jake-the-peg]

I think you're the kind of person the record industry would crawl over hot coals to avoid prosecuting :c)