Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jester David" data-source="post: 6546964" data-attributes="member: 37579">I tend to play fast and loose with copyright and piracy. I'll admit to that. I pay for cable and Netflix (and HBO during the GoT window) so I don't feel too bad sneaking the occasional show or old movie. It comes down to convenience: my PVR missed an episode and it's not streamable, or the station doesn't stream to Canada. Or the movie just aired and I missed it and I don't feel like waiting until it airs again, or the movie vanished from Netflix when I wasn't looking. Or my four-year-old wants to watch the same show again and again and I don't want it taking space on my PVR (or it vanished from Netflix). The amount of money I'm spending remains the same and I'm not costing anyone anything because I wouldn't have paid. The difference is now versus when it's on reruns. To me it feels like using one of those location shifting programs with Netflix. Technically against the terms of use. But one of the reasons I pay is the availability of programs, and if those options went away I might be less inclined to pay, so they make more money from me by not looking too closely at my location. And I'm happy to pay. Heck, I'm paying extra and doing the family plan option.Downloading D&D books. Is it piracy if you own the books? As Morrus says, that depends on where you live. In many places it's only uploading that's illegal. And, again, there's the convenience factor. I haven't stolen music in many, many years. Not since iTunes made it easier to just get the one song I really want quickly and easily for a couple bucks. But, since my CDs are in a box somewhere in my basement or garage, I haven't looked at them in years. And occasionally there's a bad copy. So is it piracy to just torrent a copy of that one song to replace one I own and legally have on my iPod that is a little choppy?What if my CD drive goes out? And it's very easy to own CDs and a smartphone or tablet but not a computer. Is it immoral to download because the technology to copy a CD onto a tablet is as awkward as copying a cassette or vinyl album? This situation is very similar to the PDF situation. Making a good scan of a hardcover book is hard on the book, and no everyone owns a decent scanner. And the company is not providing an alternative for people without scanners.But, on the other hand, even if what I'm doing is not wrong, I'm still benefiting from someone committing an illegal act. It could be argued as enabling or validating their actions. If WotC was releasing PDFs this would all be a moot conversation. There'd be no debate as the moral answer would be easy: buy the official alternative. Give money to the company making what you love. But that option doesn't currently exist.</blockquote>

Verification