If you download pirated content and like it...

[GFree678]

... do you normally buy the legit version later?

As an example, I'm a big fan of the newer Battlestar Galactica series. I started off with downloaded eps from torrents and whatnot, but eventually decided to trade them for nicely packaged DVDs. A lot of movies get the treatment as well, music, other shows, etc. Half is due to the fact I prefer the physical packaging and the higher quality of the video/audio, the other half is for legal/moral reasons.

I haven't replaced everything with legit copies though, so the poll is simply asking in the general case, if you download something from an ilegal source and happen to like it, will you normally go out and buy the real thing later?

(Try to keep the arguments about how "illegally" downloaded stuff isn't illegal in certain countries, or how it shouldn't be illegal in the first place. You can keep such topics for the other piracy threads. :) )

[Bachstelze]

I never download pirated content.

[GFree678]

That was 20 friggin seconds after I hit submit!

No time to even read my post. :)

(plus the thread's for people who do, not for those who don't.)

[starcraft.man]

I never download pirated content.

Hey there Hymn, haven't seen ya in a while. Been hiding?

Oh and no comment, thread doesn't apply to moi >.>.

[LookTJ]

I used to pirate before I heard of Linux. I don't pirate anymore because there many great software that are FLOSS.

And I voted No...I'd go after another software.

[GFree678]

Why do people post in a thread when it doesn't apply to them?

In other forums, such actions would be considered postcount++ and hence labelled SPAM. :)

[GFree678]

I used to pirate before I heard of Linux. I don't pirate anymore because there many great software that are FLOSS.
What about music, movies, tv eps? I'm not just talking about software here (although that counts too - I was a big games purchaser in my Windows days).

[Kingsley]

Most of the movies I download, I rarely watch more than once. I could go out and buy the ones I like but why bother? I only watch the stuff on my computer anyway.

[Bachstelze]

Why do people post in a thread when it doesn't apply to them?

In other forums, such actions would be considered postcount++ and hence labelled SPAM. :)

Posts in the Cafe don't increase post count for a reason ;)

[LookTJ]

What about music, movies, tv eps? I'm not just talking about software here (although that counts too - I was a big games purchaser in my Windows days).

As for movies: go to my video rental - Hollywood Video....

As for music: I go to my closest christian store to buy albums after I listen to them on myspace. There's also free music at Jamendo.

TV esps: abc, cbs, abc fam, nbc, fox are the ones I love to watch

[GFree678]

As for movies: go to my video rental - Hollywood Video....
Fair enough. Haven't rented in ages for some reason.


As for music: I go to my closest christian store to buy albums after I listen to them on myspace. There's also free music at Jamendo.
Online Radio for me.


TV esps: abc, cbs, abc fam, nbc, fox are the ones I love to watch
Australia sucks. All the good stuff from the US normally takes ages to get here, and by the time that happens all the twists and turns have been talked about on the net (assuming the show actually keeps getting shown - Battlestar's been a bit inconsistent here for example). No wonder we lead the world in piracy of tv shows. :lolflag:

[LookTJ]

Online Radio for me.
I can't do online radio anymore, my dad won't redo the subscription to Sirius Radio. I can't find any free online radio...besides my local radio station.

[daybreaker]

I have found several bands I would have never heard of otherwise thanks to music "piracy". I estimate at least 75-100 CDs in my collection are a direct result of downloading a band's CD and enjoying it so I go out and buy it (usually, along with previous CDs from that band- most recent example: I have about 12 Sufjan Stevens CDs now, all from downloading Illinois one time). Not to mention the dozens of concerts I've been to of those bands.

In fact, before I started downloading music, I only listened to classic rock, because I thought all mainstream rock sucked. Then I found out there was actual good music out there, it just isnt played on clear channel radio or MTV.

However, I dont download too much music anymore, since Sirius and several independant sites offer enough samples of new music these days that I can finally form an opinion of a CD without shelling out $20 or illegally downloading it first.

As far as movies: I havent downloaded one of those since I graduated college 4 years ago. Just like with beer, I have turned into a snob when it comes to quality, and I cant watch a movie anymore with some dude's head in the way, or all blurry. I will pay the $4 to rent it and watch it on my 60" TV.

[Lord Illidan]

Two sides to everycoin.

With music, I mostly use bittorrent for quite a few reasons.

I am not a v.rich guy, and in Malta prices are quite steep..like 40 bucks for an audio CD. I splurged out once for Evanescence Fallen, and since then I didn't buy one more audio cd. And I've stopped listening to them, too.. I then was going to buy Lacuna Coil's Comalies album..but I said why? It's friggin expensive..it's probably got a load of DRM, and the quality will be <at least to my poor deafened ears> as good as the mp3 version. However, when I get a creditcard, I am aiming to buy some CDs online..

However, there's no escaping the fact that torrents do help sometimes. My sisters are Westlife fanatics, and they've torrented all the songs they ever released..and they still want, and they've also got most of the CD's too..not misers like me :P

Regarding books..I got HP 5,7,6 with a torrent...and read them on a monitor..However, I also got the books afterwards.

Regarding videos..well, if it is a v. good video, I might buy..LOTR is one helluva example. I got the extended versions. Sometimes, me and my family also exchange DVDs..like my uncle loaning me Star Trek, or the Matrix.

Regarding software, well most software I use is open source...with a few exceptions to the rule.

Starcraft - been playing it illegally for years, finally saw it in a shop and snapped it up. Expensive..30-40 bucks , but worth it..Didn't buy WC3 because it was way too expensive, or I can't find it in most shops.