[:BLIP:]Re: [Gllug] Fwd: So

[Jim Bailey]

On Fri, Jun 14, 2002 at 04:31:57PM +0100, Martyn Drake wrote:
> Simon Stewart wrote:
> 
> >s/buy/discourage people from pirating/ might have made more sense. Not
> >sure about you, but I don't know many people who routinely pirate
> >films in any case. 
> >
I have a friend who will remain nameless and he is no one on this list.
He owns 5 VCRs 3 DVD players and a PC soon to have a DVD burner.  he has
over 5000 copied videos of films and television including lots of
imported stuff that has never seen the inside of the Censors office in
Soho.  He also however spends over £100 per week on DVDs and about half
of that on music.  Mostly legit copies of stuff he already owns, because
it is cool to own originals but only if they are any good.  Though he
still says he hasn't got anything decent to watch.  Oh yeah did I
mention the widescreen home entertainment systems in the living room,
front room and bedroom. ;)

> My own thoughts on this are somewhat perverse, I suppose (and they're my 
> own - I'm not speaking on behalf of anybody but I, myself and me).
>
My own thoughts are always perverse but I am trying to avoid sites like
that now a days. ;P

> Firstly, the studios are still raking in the money.  They're still 
> splashing it out too.  They're still paying their stars huge sums of 
> money for basically sitting around talking (usually) complete bollocks 
> for 90 minutes.
> 
It is entertaining bollocks sometimes though, in which case I don't mind
paying a reasonable price.

> I remember seeing pirate videos when I was much younger~

Ah the good old days of Furguson Video Star top loaders great kit and
dodgey copies of Driller killer and badly copied 8mm German piss porn with
dogs.

> However, technology has come a long way since then and hence it is easier
> than ever to make copies of videos, DVDs, etc.
> 
It may be better for making copies but I would say the video and DVD
format still has a long way to go before it recaptures the atmosphere
and geeky pleasure of the 8, 16 and 35mm collectors scene.  Yes I know
the 16 and 35mm collectors scene was illegal but this is a thread about
piracy.

Is there anyone out there who remembers the GS1200, Derann Film services?
(I think that was what they were called) and the annual collectors fair at
Blackpool in November. I used two collect 2 reelers of Errol Flynn
swashbucklers and Busby Berkley musicals.  Friends who were much more
seriously into the scene than I was, and wealthier spending hundreds on full
length 8mm copies of Star Wars. At the same time as this was going on
people swapping 35mm copies of Alien for £30 from the boots of cars and
hotel rooms in the small hours.

The things was that these people may of being breaking the law but many
cared and loved film more passionately than many people working for the
majors.  Who often were just doing it for coke, Kudos, and chicks.

> These days I don't buy or use any known pirated material.  I completely 
> disagree with piracy and everybody's lame excuses that the product is 
> crap and can't be arsed to buy it.  If that's the case - don't bloody 
> use it!  Vote with your feet.  If you've worked on something (regardless 
> of whether it be in the media or IT) and you found somebody using your 
> product illegally, what would you do?
>
I pretty much feel the same way though my learning disability with
simple capitalist concepts.  Often leaves me ambivalent to other
peoples misuse of the current system.

I don't pirate software for my own use, I buy my pc games because they
give me so much pleasure I think they are worth the £20-35 I spend on
them.  It also one of the reasons I Donate money and more recently time
to the Debian Project, rather than just use it.

Proudon said 'Property is theft!', I agree with the statement but I also
believe that if I go around 'sharing' that 'property' then I am going to
cause more problems than I solve.  It is much better IMHO if people
share willingly what they have.  The GPL and BSD licences are progress
towards a better future I believe.

Peace Jim

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