Your views on downloading/burning? Games, mp3s...

[Petrosjko]

Well, on the topic of movies- I've watched downloaded movies in the past, but the method to my madness was to see if it was indeed worth the ticket to see it in the theater. I've been burned by Hollywood products too many times in the past to just go in on the strength of a cool trailer, these days. If I like the download, I'll drop the cash for the theater. If I don't, fuck 'em for making a shitty movie. I think that's the biggest threat to the MPAA with regards to downloads, because as was mentioned most theater-grabs are crap quality.

[Solauren]

Music: No different then getting it from the Radio. And anyone that puts out a CD worth buying, odds are I'll buy it.
That being said, no one has put out an entirely good CD in years. Good track or 2, yes. CD worth it? No.


TV Shows: No different then setting up the Old VCR. CD's take up less room

Movies: Only if I can't find it to rent (i.e the local stores don't have it), or if the local theaters are not playing it (I was not about to drive to the other side of Toronto to see House of Flying Daggers). Otherwise, I rent or go see it.
For example, I went an saw both Kill Bills (and enjoyed them), and plan to See Episode 3 in the theaters.

Games: Very few games even get enough interest out of me to be worth checking out. Too much flash, not enough thought.
Abandonware, I'll download. Hell, odds are if I am downloading it, I owned a copy at one time and the diskettes died.
New games, if it's worth downloading, it's worth going out and buying. That's what demo's are for. Deciding that

Books: Saves scanning them and runing the binding.

Applications:
I've been using the same version of Microsoft Office since 1997. Why would I upgrade? Besides, the Developer copy Demo CD for Office is so easy to reinstall and keep it working (grin)

[darthdavid]

Applications:
I've been using the same version of Microsoft Office since 1997. Why would I upgrade? Besides, the Developer copy Demo CD for Office is so easy to reinstall and keep it working (grin)

Have you ever considered open office? The 2.0 release is almost out and I hear it's very spiffy. Plus it's open source so it would be free and legal.

[Dooey Jo]

I only download stuff that I can't otherwise buy. Like music from video games, that are nigh-impossible to get anywhere else. Though I mostly download MIDI files and "render" them with some fancy instruments that I downloaded or ripped from my sister's synthesizer, (since the standard MIDI intruments suck), and that isn't really illegal.

I usually think like this concerning these matters: If I would have worked my ass off developing a game or movie (and I almost have), it would really suck if I didn't get anything for it. Publicity is one thing, but most of the time, it will not put bread on the table, so to speak. On the other hand, I also know how much it sucks to see all of your hard-earned money slowly running away from you because the stuff you want is so damn expensive.

However, if I, for some reason, would want a game from EA games/sports/whatever, I would not have any moral problems with downloading it what-so-ever. Little bitches buying up series and turning it into shit, like the Bond series (the fuck did they call that game "Golden Eye" for anyway? Had it anything to do with the movie, or game? They just hoped that people that had played the other game would recognize the good name and buy it because of it). They deserve it almost as much as MS!!
[/highjack]

[Alferd Packer]

I used to download music before I realized that 99% of it sucked. Since then I've bought maybe two albums a year. Moreover, I stopped downloading music because I my ear can tell the difference between 128 kbps and higher quality. I've since burned all my CDs using the LAME codec and EAC, and the quality of my mp3s is now top notch. If I could get that quality audio off the internet, I'd probably download the odd mp3 from time to time.

I don't download games, because, well, I don't know why. I guess 'cause it's illegal.

I've downloaded movies that I've already owned, but wanted to have a copy on my computer for convenience. It's a real bitch to rip a DVD and encode it into a DivX format, and even worse if you want to do it with a VHS. Far, far easier to download it.

[Assassin X]

Oh i finally remember why i dont copy movies...even if wanted to, its to much effort.

[wautd]

If its good, i'll buy it. If its mediocre/bad (stuff that I wouldnt bought anyway) i might copy

[Andrew J.]

I believe that downloading music (or anything else, for that matter) for free is totally illegal and takes money away from the rightful owners.

I do it anyway because I have no morals.

[Faram]

I have goten burnt once to many on overhyped pice of shit games.

Now I D/L all games and if I really REALLY like it I'll buy a copy.

I blame untrustworthy reviewers and magazines.

[Enforcer Talen]

Seeing as how this is the best Forum ive ever been too and you all are actually intelligent people and arent afraid to state an opinion and are open minded...

What is your view on downloads/burning of any sort? Mp3, videos, games....etc?

Just as a rule lets try not to like flame anyone because im sure everyone knows people wont change what they do.

-I dont download music. Simply because music is boring. If i actually like a song i buy the album. If i do DOWNLOAD music its always game music and you cant usually get game music anywhere , and if you can i buy it. Dont burn music.... thats what IPOD is for.

-Videos i dont care about downloading or burning because i buy them.

-Games i download and/or i buy. Usually the ones i download are really old like Duke 3d..etc and sometimes new because .....many reasons.

Oh and by the way i dont share any of them...ever.

Next...

I like downloading things, and sending them to friends. it lets me get a wide taste of music, and if I really like it, Ill buy the cd. I did that for dimmu borgir. I view it as much the same as someone loaning you their cd to listen to - if you like it, youll buy it.

from a bigger point of view, the less barriers we have to trading information, the better. one language, instant communcation, and no paperwork barriers, it should erase a lot of the problems that have caused us trouble in the past centuries.

hard to dislike a guy you trade music with, neh? even if he is from your evil rival country. . .

[Vertigo1]

Music: I download when I can as a method of sampling. If I like what I hear, I buy the CD when I have the cash. If not, I keep the song(s) while I save up. If its just one or two songs out of an album that I like, fuck the CD. I'm not paying $15 - $20 for a disk that only has two songs I like. If I don't like the song, it gets sent to the file 13 folder.

Games: Since game demos are few and far between anymore, I'll download (or lately ask a friend to burn me a copy) the game just to check it out. If I like it, I'll buy it when I can. If not, delete. If its abandonware, its fair game as far as I'm concerned.

Movies: I don't even bother for two reasons. One, I don't have the necessary bandwith to do so. Two, for the time it would take for me to download a movie, I could drive 7 miles down the road and buy it for under $20 and be back well in advance. Hell, I can just drive across the highway and rent it if need be.

TV Shows: I only download those that I missed episodes of if possible. (and only if I forgot to leave my computer on since I have a capture card partially for this very reason....)