Is it wrong to download illegaly?

i always enjoy this subject. It raises a lot of interesting questions. I myself have obtained copyrighted media and software since I was a boy. I have copied cassettes from friends, I have recorded TV programs with my VHS and now PVR. We used to copy Spectrum cassettes and then Atari floppy's. The idea of sharing media isn't new and is not going away, It's up to the people who supply the material to change with the times and adapt. I don't watch TV at all, I prefer to cherry pick the programs that I want to watch and watch them at a time that suits me. There is the IPlayer and 4od but they are either poor quality, are full of adverts, or are in a format that won't work on the device I want to watch it on. (4od makes you watch 7 adverts now before a program). I much prefer to download it "Illegally" in full HD with all the adverts removed and watch it at my leisure. In some ways the same as people did with VHS recordings, don't tell me you didn't fast forward past the adverts. If the service providers could offer me that, I would not have to download it, but currently they don't. I don't feel I am doing anything wrong or should stop. It's up to them to catch up with the way people want access to media. I download hundreds of albums a year. Some of it from people I know, most of it from people I have never heard of. I can, at my leisure go through them all and see what I think. If I don't like it, I delete it, If its good I will look at buying it if its a fair price, £12 albums are a thing of the past. I hate "things" so I don't own any CDs. with software, I like to use freeware as there is a lot of good stuff about. With paid software I like to try it out, in it's entirety, none of this 30 minute demo or limited features. A good fully featured 30 day trial. If this is not the case I will download the full version for free and try it, If I like it and it does what I want I will buy it. The best way I have seen in recent years, that really seems to work is to offer software for free, with "addons" that can be purchased which are held on remote servers. This way people get the full software from the start and are more likely to buy the addons to add functionality. It's a good scheme that works well, I have used a few myself. Another good method is to store users data on remote servers. That way you can pass the software around as much as you like but its useless without the subscription to your website to get access to your data. Even if the subscription is a one off charge of what your software costs. People having faster and mobile access to data makes this much more feasible

I can honestly say I have never done it. Mainly for the fear of downloading a virus.

If you update your anti-virus software regularly you won't get a virus. If you are downloading music the chances of getting a virus anyway is almost nil. Downloading software has a higher risk but with an up to date anti-virus program it will alert you straight away. I have never once had a virus that did anything on my PC. Its a;; about downloading from the right places. If someone came up to you in a car park and offered to sell you a Rolex, would you buy it? Probably not, its the people that do buy the watch that end up getting the virus.

As far as music goes, how do you know you are missing the most amazing piece of music in the world if you never heard it? Why would you want to download it if you don't know what it is?

Image if the world lived by this theory, what a boring place it would be. Exploring new music is one of my biggest joys, I found out I really like traditional Japanese music a few months ago. I have never been to Japan, and know almost nothing about their music but just by randomly downloading something I now know I do and because of that these bands are getting money from me. The whole "pirate" vibe that's about now is all conjured up by the media. Its been around forever and it will always be around. You might remember the fuss about "The Pirate Bay" website being block earlier this year. That was all hype, the "block" was bypassed weeks before it happened and the website its easily accessed ever for a complete novice. Its impossible to stop. On a lighter note have a watch of this lovely anti-piracy video from the early 90s www.youtube.com/watch Here is a video talking about why Piracy is good in the TV environment. It is very well presented and explains the situation very well. It is an hour long but it is interesting. Even if you just watch the first part your will get an understanding of they way things are. With certain areas the presentation is a bit dated as it is 6 years old. "I want it now" is my favourite quote www.youtube.com/watch

i always enjoy this subject. It raises a lot of interesting questions. I myself have obtained copyrighted media and software since I was a boy. I have copied cassettes from friends, I have recorded TV programs with my VHS and now PVR. We used to copy Spectrum cassettes and then Atari floppy's. The idea of sharing media isn't new and is not going away, It's up to the people who supply the material to change with the times and adapt. I don't watch TV at all, I prefer to cherry pick the programs that I want to watch and watch them at a time that suits me. There is the IPlayer and 4od but they are either poor quality, are full of adverts, or are in a format that won't work on the device I want to watch it on. (4od makes you watch 7 adverts now before a program). I much prefer to download it "Illegally" in full HD with all the adverts removed and watch it at my leisure. In some ways the same as people did with VHS recordings, don't tell me you didn't fast forward past the adverts. If the service providers could offer me that, I would not have to download it, but currently they don't. I don't feel I am doing anything wrong or should stop. It's up to them to catch up with the way people want access to media. I download hundreds of albums a year. Some of it from people I know, most of it from people I have never heard of. I can, at my leisure go through them all and see what I think. If I don't like it, I delete it, If its good I will look at buying it if its a fair price, £12 albums are a thing of the past. I hate "things" so I don't own any CDs. with software, I like to use freeware as there is a lot of good stuff about. With paid software I like to try it out, in it's entirety, none of this 30 minute demo or limited features. A good fully featured 30 day trial. If this is not the case I will download the full version for free and try it, If I like it and it does what I want I will buy it. The best way I have seen in recent years, that really seems to work is to offer software for free, with "addons" that can be purchased which are held on remote servers. This way people get the full software from the start and are more likely to buy the addons to add functionality. It's a good scheme that works well, I have used a few myself. Another good method is to store users data on remote servers. That way you can pass the software around as much as you like but its useless without the subscription to your website to get access to your data. Even if the subscription is a one off charge of what your software costs. People having faster and mobile access to data makes this much more feasible

I can honestly say I have never done it. Mainly for the fear of downloading a virus.

If you update your anti-virus software regularly you won't get a virus. If you are downloading music the chances of getting a virus anyway is almost nil. Downloading software has a higher risk but with an up to date anti-virus program it will alert you straight away. I have never once had a virus that did anything on my PC. Its a;; about downloading from the right places. If someone came up to you in a car park and offered to sell you a Rolex, would you buy it? Probably not, its the people that do buy the watch that end up getting the virus.

As far as music goes, how do you know you are missing the most amazing piece of music in the world if you never heard it? Why would you want to download it if you don't know what it is?

Image if the world lived by this theory, what a boring place it would be. Exploring new music is one of my biggest joys, I found out I really like traditional Japanese music a few months ago. I have never been to Japan, and know almost nothing about their music but just by randomly downloading something I now know I do and because of that these bands are getting money from me. The whole "pirate" vibe that's about now is all conjured up by the media. Its been around forever and it will always be around. You might remember the fuss about "The Pirate Bay" website being block earlier this year. That was all hype, the "block" was bypassed weeks before it happened and the website its easily accessed ever for a complete novice. Its impossible to stop. On a lighter note have a watch of this lovely anti-piracy video from the early 90s www.youtube.com/watch Here is a video talking about why Piracy is good in the TV environment. It is very well presented and explains the situation very well. It is an hour long but it is interesting. Even if you just watch the first part your will get an understanding of they way things are. With certain areas the presentation is a bit dated as it is 6 years old. "I want it now" is my favourite quote www.youtube.com/watch