StarDestroyer.Net BBS

Well this is it I guess. My little brother and I were arguing about warez (me in favor, him against) and how dad still supports it. (he bought warez too, until this) ('bought' = buying CDs at like $3 a pop) That night while I was away my bro must have said something really persuasive to my dad, because when I came back I see a huge stack of empty CD jewel cases on the dining table and a mountain of warez CDs gone, apparently, and they tell me that I have one week to get rid of my warez or they will do it for me.

Well, what would you say to me? Should I mumble something about the free software movement and lock up my stuff somewhere they can't find, or should I comply?

They are including music CDs in this. Should I talk about the evils of RIAA? What sites do you recommend that would show its evils most succintly?

Just now I told my dad that if he would pay for replacing all the warez with legit copies I will throw the warez away. I'm not too concerned about the software situation because as of now I have little need for warez (i.e. I don't use the illegit software anymore) but even if our deal goes through with the music CDs, it would just be a huge chunk of money going into RIAA's coffers, of all things

The situation is complicated by the fact that while stuff like Kazaa are legal, warez copies of music CDs probably ARE illegal--but the music pirates have always been my heroes, like

Warez has become a "movement?"

The free software movement has nothing to do with warez, but with things like Linux.

You mentioned that the music to be found on P2P nets like Kazaa is legal. If that's true, your dad shouldn't have any problem with the music CDs.

By the way, have you bothered to ask your dad what changed his mind? You can't very easily defeat an argument if you don't know what the argument is -- you knew that.

It could be something you could easily counter. Or (scary thought) it could be something that persuades you to your dad's point of view.

Go ask him.

I'm being a damned, unrepentant hypocrite here, and I hate the RIAA as much as anyone, but there is no reason why we deserve hundreds of dollars worth of free shit. I'd just suck it up and deal with it.

Raoul Duke, Jr. wrote:You mentioned that the music to be found on P2P nets like Kazaa is legal. If that's true, your dad shouldn't have any problem with the music CDs.

No, he said that Kazaa is legal but the music content on it is not.

phongn wrote:

Raoul Duke, Jr. wrote:You mentioned that the music to be found on P2P nets like Kazaa is legal. If that's true, your dad shouldn't have any problem with the music CDs.

No, he said that Kazaa is legal but the music content on it is not.

Ah, got it. That doesn't make sense, then, does it? What exactly can be shared on the network legally?

Your dad is a dumbshit. Kill him.

MKSheppard wrote:Your dad is a dumbshit. Kill him.

No, snatch his ass up in a bear trap, like Cosby said.

Raoul Duke, Jr. wrote:

phongn wrote:

Raoul Duke, Jr. wrote:You mentioned that the music to be found on P2P nets like Kazaa is legal. If that's true, your dad shouldn't have any problem with the music CDs.

No, he said that Kazaa is legal but the music content on it is not.

Ah, got it. That doesn't make sense, then, does it? What exactly can be shared on the network legally?

Freeware. Music that you make yourself and decide to share. Stuff like that.

phongn wrote:

Raoul Duke, Jr. wrote:You mentioned that the music to be found on P2P nets like Kazaa is legal. If that's true, your dad shouldn't have any problem with the music CDs.

No, he said that Kazaa is legal but the music content on it is not.

Well, if the stuff that jegs posted about the AHRA is true, then sharing music is legal, as long as you don't sell it.

Vorlon1701 wrote:

phongn wrote:

Raoul Duke, Jr. wrote:You mentioned that the music to be found on P2P nets like Kazaa is legal. If that's true, your dad shouldn't have any problem with the music CDs.

No, he said that Kazaa is legal but the music content on it is not.

Well, if the stuff that jegs posted about the AHRA is true, then sharing music is legal, as long as you don't sell it.

That too. But the RIAA would probably make it pretty troublesome for you to try that.

i'd love to know what your brother said to your dad. its very rare that people change their minds so quickly and easilly and its frightening when they do.

kojikun wrote:i'd love to know what your brother said to your dad. its very rare that people change their minds so quickly and easilly and its frightening when they do.

Maybe if he said that he wasn't going to call the police.

Get rid of your software. Getting stuff like games and Photoshop for $3 is theft.

However, keep the music. Screw the RIAA.

HemlockGrey wrote:Get rid of your software. Getting stuff like games and Photoshop for $3 is theft.

Is it still theft if you do not have the money to purchase the software? I don't have 5 dollars to spend on soda let alone 500 to spend on photoshop, so am i stealing because i downloaded the program so that im familiar with it and will pay for it eventually?

kojikun wrote:
Is it still theft if you do not have the money to purchase the software? I don't have 5 dollars to spend on soda let alone 500 to spend on photoshop, so am i stealing because i downloaded the program so that im familiar with it and will pay for it eventually?

It is theft until you have paid for it.

ok. now, is it morally wrong and worth sueing me for, seeing as how you wont get money from me ANYWAY?

neoolong wrote:

Vorlon1701 wrote:

phongn wrote: No, he said that Kazaa is legal but the music content on it is not.

Well, if the stuff that jegs posted about the AHRA is true, then sharing music is legal, as long as you don't sell it.

That too. But the RIAA would probably make it pretty troublesome for you to try that.

I'd like to see their response when I announce that I'm going to countersue them for some outrageous amount of money under the Audio Home Recording Act. Should be interesting.

s it still theft if you do not have the money to purchase the software?

Um, yes? I don't have money for a car; if I hotwired a car and drove away, I would still be committing grand theft auto.

kojikun wrote:ok. now, is it morally wrong and worth sueing me for, seeing as how you wont get money from me ANYWAY?

Yes and yes, you moron.

HemlockGrey wrote:Um, yes? I don't have money for a car; if I hotwired a car and drove away, I would still be committing grand theft auto.

But in that situation you're taking something from someone else. If I download a song, the company isn't loosing anything but an idea, a concept, mere data that can not be rested from their hands. If I steal a car, the owner cant use it, if I steal a song, the owner can still sell it.

StarshipTitanic wrote:Yes and yes, you moron.

How then? since you have this holier then thou attitude, justify it being morally wrong for me to do something thats not going to hurt the RIAA or Adobe, since I'm INCAPABLE of buying the software anyway. Who am I ripping off, if they're not going to get my money to begin with?

kojikun wrote:

HemlockGrey wrote:Um, yes? I don't have money for a car; if I hotwired a car and drove away, I would still be committing grand theft auto.

But in that situation you're taking something from someone else. If I download a song, the company isn't loosing anything but an idea, a concept, mere data that can not be rested from their hands. If I steal a car, the owner cant use it, if I steal a song, the owner can still sell it.

StarshipTitanic wrote:Yes and yes, you moron. :roll:

How then? since you have this holier then thou attitude, justify it being morally wrong for me to do something thats not going to hurt the RIAA or Adobe, since I'm INCAPABLE of buying the software anyway. Who am I ripping off, if they're not going to get my money to begin with?

The point still remains that you are taking something that doesn't belong to you - you hvaen't purchased it, which is implicit in the act of coming to own the object in question. You, are a naughty boy...

I'm not taking anything, it was offered to me legally by others in accordance with the fair use laws. Spank me.

kojikun wrote:I'm not taking anything, it was offered to me legally by others in accordance with the fair use laws. Spank me. :P

OK - how was it offered to you? Was it offered to you as part of your workplace, as a burnt CD set for use on work computers, when the company owned the full registered version? Or something else...