Piracy

[Xyxox]

I am well aware language changes, however this change should be opposed because it conflates a violent crime with a violation of limited monopoly.

So you'd have the world stuff the toothpaste back into a tube that got squeezed out more than two decades ago? Copying software in 1985 was called "piracy" back then. The toothpaste is out of the tube. You can try stuffing it back into the tube all you want, it simply won't go back in.

Would you call printing counterfeit copies of the 4e PHB murdering the book?

No, I'd call it stealing the book. Walking into Borders, picking up a copy of the PHB and ripping the covers off would be "murdering the book".

No, that would be nonsensical. So is calling it piracy because piracy has a specific legal meaning.

Piracy has a specific dictionary meaning. Copying software or books without permission is piracy. End of story.

I think the key thing here is why the language has changed. If it was directed by corporate desires, then it should probably be opposed.

Back in '85, I knew a lot of software pirates. I knew a guy that had a collection of over 40 megabytes of pirated software (that was a lot in 1985). Every software pirate I knew called themselves PIRATES!

 

[maddman75]

I'll cop to having pirated books before, though not the 4e ones. I don't like PDFs and rarely buy them - only if its short enough that printing is affordable. And then I still have a product very much inferior to a printed book, so it has to be really cheap. $10 is probably my absolute cutoff for a PDF.

I do like to have them on my laptop for reference when doing game prep, so I'll get PDFs after I buy the books. As posted, it is perfectly legal for me to scan and create a PDF of my own book, therefore I see no ethical problem with downloading a copy. Prove that I didn't do so - data is data, and it doesn't care who copied it.

The rights of copyright holders is way too strong right now. Companies will do best when they stop worrying about it so much, IMO. Most pirates aren't lost customers, they're people with very little money anyway who collect them because they can. They don't do anything with them, and wouldn't buy them if they weren't available for download. IME anyway.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Back in '85, I knew a lot of software pirates. I knew a guy that had a collection of over 40 megabytes of pirated software (that was a lot in 1985). Every software pirate I knew called themselves PIRATES!

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...

 

[Asmor]

IProve that I didn't do so - data is data, and it doesn't care who copied it.

Very well.

md5(your pdf)

md5(someone else's pdf)

Hey, the hashes match! Especially given the noise and random skewing inherent in scanning a book, that's basically 100% proof that you and the other person have copies of the same PDF, meaning either you downloaded it from the same place as them or, even worse, you made a scan of your copy and then provided it to others.

 

[Xyxox]

Very well.

md5(your pdf)

md5(someone else's pdf)

Hey, the hashes match! Especially given the noise and random skewing inherent in scanning a book, that's basically 100% proof that you and the other person have copies of the same PDF, meaning either you downloaded it from the same place as them or, even worse, you made a scan of your copy and then provided it to others.

Google "PDF Editor".

Every PDF can be unique with minimal effort, regardless fo the original source.

 

[Philotomy Jurament]

From the previews, I was pretty sure that 4e was not for me, but I decided to check it out. I skimmed through the Players Handbook, confirmed that 4e wasn't what I was looking for, and decided not to buy it.

 

[Zaruthustran]

I like to have PDFs and physical copies of all books I intend to use. PDFs are better for prep, books are better for using at the table.

WotC has provided digital versions of their content, in a format that's even easier to use than mere PDFs. With all classes, feats, powers, monsters, and items readily accessible in DDI's Compendium and Character Builder tools, there's no excuse for piracy.

 

[Knightfall]

I've never pirated any of the 4e books. I've never bought any 4e books either.

However, I did end up with a few pirated copies of some of the 3e books. However, I felt so guilty having them on my PC that I deleted them soon afterwards.

I have a lot of old [poor] scans of some sections of several 2e books that I had to sell several years ago. However, I bought those books and I kept the scans for my use only. I would never share them with anyone not that anyone would want them because they suck.

 

[Agamon]

I had a legal copy of Pirates! That was a fun game.

 

[Halivar]

WotC has provided digital versions of their content, in a format that's even easier to use than mere PDFs. With all classes, feats, powers, monsters, and items readily accessible in DDI's Compendium and Character Builder tools, there's no excuse for piracy.

This is a very cogent point: it's such a low price-point, and it's so much better than a free scan. I would be interested in seeing if DDI has put a dent in "casual" illicit copying of 4E material.