Question about torrents

[Smoblikat]

Say I buy GTA Vice City in a store, would it still be illegal for me to download a copy of the game from online? Even though I already own it.

 

[lxskllr]

Yup. You'd be getting it through unauthorized channels. You could also be getting a "special" edition someone made to lighten your load of cd keys, or other data you don't want anymore.

 

[Smoblikat]

Yup. You'd be getting it through unauthorized channels. You could also be getting a "special" edition someone made to lighten your load of cd keys, or other data you don't want anymore.

Interesting, but simply creating an .iso image from my CD is legal right?

 

[lxskllr]

Interesting, but simply creating an .iso image from my CD is legal right?

A lot of companies would like to say no, but as long as it's only for personal use, that's fine. Of course that's assuming you don't have to break encryption. If you do that you're back in illegal territory. Personally. I wouldn't give a shit with either scenario(barring the possible trojan). You're morally in the right, and that's all that matters.

 

[bigrash]

Yup, still illegal.

 

[Leros]

Illegal, but I would argue it isn't immoral.

 

[Ruptga]

The rules surrounding fair use and digital rights are contradictory and vary based on who you ask. Just do what satisfies your conscience and don't get caught doing anything but buying retail versions.

 

[rudeguy]

Illegal, but I would argue it isn't immoral.

yep

I had a big moral dilemma when I lost one of my BF 1942 CDs. Of course I had legit keys for it and the expansions but it just felt wrong downloading a copy.

I ended up spending $10 to rebuy it so I didn't have to feel like a hacker.

 

[Leros]

yep

I had a big moral dilemma when I lost one of my BF 1942 CDs. Of course I had legit keys for it and the expansions but it just felt wrong downloading a copy.

I ended up spending $10 to rebuy it so I didn't have to feel like a hacker.

I used to justify pirating television shows because I had a cable subscription with a DVR. The crappy DVR was absolutely useless because it would cut off the last 5 minutes of every show I recorded. You could adjust the recording range, but the DVR would reset your recording ranges whenever it updated its guide.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Illegal, but not really immoral. Companies are just greedy and want you to buy it for every PC you have, and if you lose or scratch the CD they'll want you to buy it again. The more times you buy, the more money in their pockets, so they'll make it illegal to avoid any situation that puts money in their pockets.

Imagine if companies who make hand or power tools for example were run like software companies. If you buy a hammer, you are only allowed to use it for one house. If you go do work on another house, you have to buy another hammer for that house. As a contractor you'd have to buy all new tools for every project you work on and they'd have to stay on site at all times.

 

[Number1]

Illegal, but not really immoral. Companies are just greedy and want you to buy it for every PC you have, and if you lose or scratch the CD they'll want you to buy it again. The more times you buy, the more money in their pockets, so they'll make it illegal to avoid any situation that puts money in their pockets.

Imagine if companies who make hand or power tools for example were run like software companies. If you buy a hammer, you are only allowed to use it for one house. If you go do work on another house, you have to buy another hammer for that house. As a contractor you'd have to buy all new tools for every project you work on and they'd have to stay on site at all times.

???
I am not a gamer. Are people not able to play games on different PCs? Just put the DVD in the drive of the machine you want to use?

 

[ImpulsE69]

???
I am not a gamer. Are people not able to play games on different PCs? Just put the DVD in the drive of the machine you want to use?

It's not really a yes or no answer, but it's leaning more and more towards no with every "law" they pass and drm they make.

 

[Red Squirrel]

???
I am not a gamer. Are people not able to play games on different PCs? Just put the DVD in the drive of the machine you want to use?

We all do it, but technically you are not suppose to. It's BS though, but it's what it is. Sadly copyright BS is ruling everything these days and is run by big money hungry corporations.

 

[natto fire]

Illegal, but not really immoral. Companies are just greedy and want you to buy it for every PC you have, and if you lose or scratch the CD they'll want you to buy it again. The more times you buy, the more money in their pockets, so they'll make it illegal to avoid any situation that puts money in their pockets.

Imagine if companies who make hand or power tools for example were run like software companies. If you buy a hammer, you are only allowed to use it for one house. If you go do work on another house, you have to buy another hammer for that house. As a contractor you'd have to buy all new tools for every project you work on and they'd have to stay on site at all times.

Your analogy is not good as long as Steam exists. I know I have used my account to install the same game on many computers. Add in the fact that I paid next to nothing for my games and it really falls flat. Granted, I can only be signed on to one computer at a time, but that makes more sense since I am the one that bought the game and am the only one entitled to it.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Your analogy is not good as long as Steam exists. I know I have used my account to install the same game on many computers. Add in the fact that I paid next to nothing for my games and it really falls flat. Granted, I can only be signed on to one computer at a time, but that makes more sense since I am the one that bought the game and am the only one entitled to it.

True SOME companies allow it, but lot of them don't. It's also not just games, but software. For example you can't install Windows on more than one computer or VM. Everyone does it, but it's technically not allowed.

 

[natto fire]

True SOME companies allow it, but lot of them don't. It's also not just games, but software. For example you can't install Windows on more than one computer or VM. Everyone does it, but it's technically not allowed.

I mean, I'm not disagreeing with your core argument that software companies are greedy, but it's really just clamoring for profits the same way any other company does, no need for vilification. A software company is no different than a grocery store or any other business, it solely exists to create profits. If the companies tactic for creating those profits is over the line of what their customers will tolerate, then profits decline. A smart company will see that and adjust sales tactics accordingly.

Games are software by the way, and EVERY title I have through Steam allows installation on other computers.

Like many other nuances in society, the good people are screwed while the shitty ones skate by. I see it often on the roads and luckily karma kicks in enough to keep me sane.

 

[T_Yamamoto]

Yes.

 

[edro]

It doesn't matter because game companies don't sue like the record industry does.

 

[rudeguy]

It doesn't matter because game companies don't sue like the record industry does.

I think we are debating the moral issue.

But the game companies do monitor. I got a DMCA warning because lil rudeguy downloaded a game that he already owned. I was pissed.