Piracy

[Thasmodious]

However breaking said law is going over the line.

So it would be your position that you have never broken the law? Never gone over the speed limit? Never rolled through a stop sign without coming to a complete, resting stop? Never jaywalked? Never downloaded an "illegal" song? Never shoplifted anything? Never had a drink underage? Never took some prescription medicine not prescribed to you? Never enjoyed an illicit substance or two at a party?

Breaking a law is not morally wrong. Breaking laws do have consequences. If you speed, you could get a ticket. If you drive without a license, you could go to jail (I did, but I didn't know my license had been suspended...long story). If you pirate something you could ...well, nothing really, so go ahead!

 

[The Highway Man]

Bought the three core books, read them, didn't like them. No 4e in my gaming diet, no piracy.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

So it would be your position that you have never broken the law? Never gone over the speed limit?

yes I have...and I knew it was wrong I will never try to say that X shouldn't happen...

Never rolled through a stop sign without coming to a complete, resting stop? Never jaywalked?

I don't belive I ever did these...

Never downloaded an "illegal" song? Never shoplifted anything?

never

Never had a drink underage?

yes, infact I drank more between 15 and 21 then I have since 21...and looking back regret almost all of the dumb things I did as a teen...

Never took some prescription medicine not prescribed to you?

Never enjoyed an illicit substance or two at a party?

no and no

Breaking a law is not morally wrong.

this part is debatable...and way out of the scope of enworld...

Breaking laws do have consequences.

DING WE HAVE A WINNER...

Breaking laws do have consequences.

If you speed, you could get a ticket. If you drive without a license, you could go to jail (I did, but I didn't know my license had been suspended...long story). If you pirate something you could ...

recive a C&D or lawsuit...includeing posssible criminal charges (depending on what you pirate)


so now back to this...want to look back at this thread and the others like it...not full of people saying "Gee...X was wrong and I will take the consiqunces"
but full of "Law X is stupid and doesn't count" I am parafrasing of cource...

so lets see here... I used alchol before I was 21...and wish I had not...infact I have not drank anything short of a toast in 5 years...becuse I think drinking is dumb, and I only did it back then becuse I was dumb...however I have several friends that drink still, and enjoy watching them to this day in there 30's and 40's get drunk...do stupid things...and laugh at them.

I broke the speed limit...and payed for my speeding tickets..

now lets look at the 2 sites WotC sent C&Ds too...they pirated IP...and got C&Ds for it (not even a slap on the wrist) and took it down...becuse they knew they were in the wrong...and now there are pages of people complaining and saying X Y and Z is wrong and they knowingly and willing break laws becuse in there mind they are entitiled to break the law when they see fit....

so was I out sick the day in school they tought witch laws are optional???

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

I remember when 40 MB was alot...I remember that my first computer had a hard drive messured in KB...wow thank you Xyxox now I feel old...

Your first computer had a hard drive? Man, kids these days...

 

[xechnao]

however I have several friends that drink still, and enjoy watching them to this day in there 30's and 40's get drunk...do stupid things...and laugh at them.

You like your friends making you laugh while you are playing it safe?

 

[JoeGKushner]

Your first computer had a hard drive? Man, kids these days...

Tell me about it.

Started off with a Tandy that had to swap out 5 and a quarter disks to play games.

Ugh.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

You like your friends making you laugh while you are playing it safe?

yes...it also helps that I have been the des driv since I was 22...so none of them get behind the wheel

 

[Mark]

Your first computer had a hard drive? Man, kids these days...

I had to use a cassette deck with my TI-99.

 

[Appleseeth]

I think we're all forgetting one thing piracy of the 3 core books actually did for 4e, that is make more people buy into the game. Those leaked pdfs made a lot of skeptics who probably weren't going to buy the books at all look through them and make a good, informed decision. I will, in fact give you my timeline with 4th edition to illustrate.

Step 1: 4th edition is announced. I question why they're making a 4th edition, seemingly so soon after 3.5.

Step 2: I go to a preview game of 4e at a local game store with my D&D buddies. It sucks. We make fun of 4th edition, a lot.

Step 3: More previews come out for 4th edition. I am slightly intrigued again, but still generally happy with 3.5.

Step 4: The pdfs are leaked. I download them. There are many unplayable errors in the books, but now I actually understand how 4e is meant to work, which is awesome.

Step 5: I buy the hardcover books and my group has been happily playing 4e ever since.

I suspect this is close to what happened for a lot of 4e players, at least those who weren't on board right away. I recall some blog post somewhere that actually talked about the leaked pdfs and how they apparently boosted sales. I think it was from a WotC employee too.

Another thing about digital piracy in general: People will pay for things what they are willing to pay. If you are losing a lot of customers to piracy, then your item costs too much. Some people will of course never pay for anything, but that's just them. I know it's hard to believe, but people actually do want to pay you for your hard work on that music/move/book, it's just not necessarily the amount you're asking. Just look at the In Rainbows album from Radiohead as a perfect example.

 

[Xyxox]

Your first computer had a hard drive? Man, kids these days...

My first computer had a cassette tape recorder.

My second computer had two 5 1/4" 360K floppy disk drives (they were dual sided and ROCKED, but it was hard to find dual sided disks).