Keeping Free Software Free

It's down to us, we should BOYCOTT! it's the only language big business understands.

 

I'll drink to that. Amen.

 

That's already happening in very small circles since the sony incident ... unfortunately it likely isn't going to be a mainstream thing - Generally people aren't aware ... even many of those that have heard the rumblings, likely don't understand the ramifications. I'm sure there will be a grassroot movement, that will have an effect - but to what degree? I haven't bought any digital entertainment content since the sony issue ... no games, no movies, no theater visits, no music ... nothing - my disposable income goes elsewhere and will continue to do so.

I'll join you for a few.

It's funny, really any and every restriction will eventually be bypassed ... I don't think these companies understand what the implications will be. Currently there's a small minority envolved with pirated content, as they become more aggresive with their restrictions/protections ... they'll push it more and more mainstream. Together we may kill the industry as we know it ... the content will evolve from what it is now as a result of non-economic viablitiy - Blogs/podcasts etc. may in the end become the source of our media. How long will it take to bypass Output Content Protection Management, High-Bandwidth Digital Copy Protection and anything else ... likely not too long. I don't have *any* pity on those industries, they brought it on themselves with their greed ... they've priced themselves in to extinction.

Good on them

 

It has happened many times in the past where greed has been the downfall of some very large companies. look as if it going to happen again in the media indurtry although in a slightly different manner.

 

If you designed a software product for sale and discovered that it was being pirated, and realized that each pirated copy represented a loss of income for you, would you be concerned? What would you do about it?

 

(I would) Ask myself, why?

The only way to combat piracy is to work with people (consumers), ways to do this are:

lower your price
increase the quality,
offer better after sales service, etc, etc

IT'S SIMPLE anyone can tell you this.

DRM will not stop piracy, it is so easy to copy (duplicate) DRM products it's not even worth mentioning anyone can do it!!!

betauser2

 

That's a different kettle of fish. There isn't any way to stop that really ... unfortunately. The cost of protection controls are passed on to the end-user ... but really they aren't that effective; if at all. Everything done can be undone. They (music/movie business) were better off "before" they made it such an issue, highlighting their "whining" is only making more mainstream ... to me; they shot themselves in the foot and continue to do so - their greed is their down fall.

 

What, if in your own honest opinion, you had done all of those?

Unfortunately, there are people who have no scrupples about stealing. I've seen people brag in newgroups that they have *never* paid for any computer software.

At the other end of the scale, you come to those who purchase one license for something and install it on multiple systems. It's all the same - you are stealing from the owner of the license.

I'm not defending DRM, or any similar protection devices, just adressing the core of the problem.

 

Agreed

 

Indeed greed is their down fall

Furthermore if this is their war against piracy they will be fighting a war they cannot win. Their (big business) behaviour will only increase the resistance.

It's starting to sound like world politics at the moment.

 

This is simply a hypothetical question the answer is they haven't.

bragging is one thing doing is another. What you have to realise is that it cannot be stopped in the way they are proposing/acting

Again they should ask themselves why? is it because purchasing a 2nd copy is too much? when they have already purchased (paid for one)

I think dog has gone to the core of the problem (Greed).

 

The trouble with DRM is that it always treats all users as the enemy, regardless. Treating your customers as the enemy is definitely not the way to succeed in anything. And as we often see, when you treat all users as the enemy, the honest ones lose a great deal and the dishonest ones find other ways around the new measures. The end-game is always that the honest people finance measures and suffer many restrictions whereas those intent on theft and fraud will continue to steal and defraud.

It still amazes me why anyone with a brain still thinks that DRM is anything but a ridiculous idea that will never work properly. But then I remember that corporations are like huge greedy people with minute brains, so their continued efforts to impose DRM restrictions on us end up proving that assertion.