Hard Light Productions Forums

Off-Topic Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: Zarax on September 23, 2004, 08:36:43 am

Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: Zarax on September 23, 2004, 08:36:43 am
Ok, it seems that MPAA adopted the same unefficent behaviour as RIAA...
Here's what was posted inside a very legal and official tech support newsgroup (a cookie to who finds it)...

Quote

See:
http://www.respectcopyrights.org/

I suggest you remove the illegal copies of the movies you have already
downloaded as soon as possible - you have been reported. It is illegal to
download movies and there are heavy penalties imposed on those who
participate in such illegal activities. You are not invisible on the
internet, and authorities can, and will as they have already done, track you
down.


Frankly, i'm a bit sick of that, especially since it followed a totally unrelated post of someone asking help...
Will they ever learn?
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: Flipside on September 23, 2004, 08:47:42 am
Back Ocean! Back I say! You must obey me for I am the MPAA!
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: Zarax on September 23, 2004, 08:51:02 am
Personally i'm not going to clash with MPAA, i don't live in US but they can still create me some problems there...
I'm simply talking about the fact that RIAA failed badly with a similar strategy, and i don't think MPAA will do any better this way... Especially using fake organizations as grunts...
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: Flipside on September 23, 2004, 08:56:37 am
It was like in Glasgow Central Station, and that rather dodgy 'modified' detector van, which allegedly detected anyone downloading illegal movies ;)
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: Zarax on September 23, 2004, 08:58:22 am
LOL!
It would be sounding all time here in Italy...
We got almost as much piracy as eastern europe...
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: Tiara on September 23, 2004, 09:16:35 am
You know, the funny thing is that these organizations can't even penetrate a few proxies. I've got a single proxy set up. And last year I got a similar message through Kazaa (when i still used it) when I was downloading a few old Trek episodes. In that message they posted my old proxy IP;

"viruswall3.starhub.net.sg"

:lol: According to them, I live in Singapore. :lol:

These people are just a bunch of dumbf*cks :p
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: Flipside on September 23, 2004, 09:21:20 am
:lol:

I presume they check what people are downloading by offering the video up for download themselves and seeing who 'bites'?
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: Blue Lion on September 23, 2004, 09:45:43 am
How dare they be upset at you guys stealing movies! It's mob mentality people!
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: Tiara on September 23, 2004, 09:48:24 am
We ain't stealin' no movies, we just ain't payin' for 'm!

:D
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: vyper on September 23, 2004, 10:38:13 am
They're pissing about and it's annoying. They expect respect for using scary wording.

They'll more likely to get a veneral disease and since I doubt MPAA or RIAA staff ever get laid....
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: Zarax on September 23, 2004, 10:39:49 am
The only thing i regret is that i cannot reply there unless i want to get some people really pissed at me...
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: karajorma on September 23, 2004, 11:43:46 am
I've been saying for years that the MPAA needed to learn from the disaster that the RIAA had trying to enforce copywrite and stop the same problems occuring to them.

Now they are rapidly running out of time. The technically literate amongst us already know how to download movies. With a couple of years everyone will know how and then they'll be in exactly the same position as the RIAA are now.

You really have to wonder why they believe that they can copy exactly what RIAA did but yet somehow get different results. :rolleyes:
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: Zarax on September 23, 2004, 11:48:08 am
Well, they're going to race to HD in order to make downloads more difficult now...
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: ionia23 on September 23, 2004, 11:52:22 am
Interesting.  I love the mentality that states those who work in the arts do not deserve to be paid for their work.
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: aldo_14 on September 23, 2004, 12:10:12 pm
It's the publishers I grudge paying.  Y'know, like the ones that plough millions of pounds into financing ****e all image no talent pop groups.

Of course, P2P actually makes me buy more music, so the 'less money' arguement is clearly bollocks in my case.
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: Lightspeed on September 23, 2004, 12:10:52 pm
@ionia: Considering they get 0.001% of the money spent on the product that's not a valid argument. :)
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: ionia23 on September 23, 2004, 12:15:00 pm
Right.  because artists are already being ripped off by their own promoters, a little more won't hurt.  Ya.  I'm familiar with this territory.
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: vyper on September 23, 2004, 12:43:51 pm
It's cheaper.

Now that's some interesting territory.
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: Lt.Cannonfodder on September 23, 2004, 12:57:04 pm
Quote
Originally posted by karajorma
Now they are rapidly running out of time. The technically literate amongst us already know how to download movies. With a couple of years everyone will know how and then they'll be in exactly the same position as the RIAA are now.


Really, I think almost everyone I know downloads movies and games. It's so easy already, even my brother who doesn't now a thing of computers ("Drivers? Are we talking about cars now?") downloads stuff each and every day. And all of his friends do the same.

I no longer dl games, mostly because through modding I've come to realise how hard work it is and those who did all that work deserve to be paid. If I can't afford some new fancy game, I wait. I'm in no hurry. Besides, it's completely different thing to see the cool game box on the your shelf bought with well earned money, than to just dl and delete it once you get bored.
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: karajorma on September 23, 2004, 01:32:55 pm
What I meant is that while any idiot can use Kazaa to download mp3s most find the long download times on that network prohibative when it comes to downloading movies (where the more technical solutions like E-donkey, BitTorrent or of course the completely overlooked Usenet are far better).

Downloading movies isn't as widespread yet cause the download times are too long for most people to be bothered with.
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: Lt.Cannonfodder on September 23, 2004, 01:39:27 pm
Too long? You can get a good quality movie under five hours with a decent connection. And the broadband is constantly spreading, meaning the download times are going down all the time.
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: karajorma on September 23, 2004, 01:48:26 pm
Using Kazaa?
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: Lt.Cannonfodder on September 23, 2004, 01:57:11 pm
Never touched kazaa and bittorrent is most likely the most easy to use p2p programs. Won't take long for it to spread.
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: ionia23 on September 23, 2004, 01:57:54 pm
Yup, even using kazaa you can pop the occasional strong connection.  My utilization of Kazaa is for stuff that isn't available, like Cure concerts from the 'pornography' tour of 1982, or stuff from Shakespear's Sister live,  Ain't that I'm being cheap, I just can't find stuff like that anywhere else.
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: NGTM-1R on September 23, 2004, 02:20:15 pm
Excuse me while I laugh maniacally at the fools. Perhaps they need to be told that doing the same thing again and expecting different results is a form of insanity...

I personally don't download anything they'd even be interested in. Hell, the music I've downloaded I can't even get in the US. I've even tried to import it. I got ripped off twice, and that was the end of that.
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: Flipside on September 23, 2004, 02:28:35 pm
Meh, any music I download is usually stuff I've already owned before. You'd expect something better for £9.99 than a piece of ****e cassete that stretches and starts warbling after under 6 months play :(

So, as far as I've concerned, I've already paid for the music, it's not my problem if records companies couldn't be arsed to spend out for decent quality media.
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: Tiara on September 23, 2004, 02:48:58 pm
I'm sorry, but charging friggin 40 bucks for a f*cking CD is just too much. Untill they magically drop to a reasonably affordable price, I won't be buying a lot of them.
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: ionia23 on September 23, 2004, 02:50:17 pm
Where on earth are you being charged 40 bucks for a CD?  And what currency?
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: NGTM-1R on September 23, 2004, 02:56:22 pm
The United States of America. US Dollars.

This is news to you? $32 or so is about average for a recent release. Cheapest I've ever seen outside of a bargin bin is $20.
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: Stealth on September 23, 2004, 03:12:19 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Tiara

These people are just a bunch of dumbf*cks :p


yeah i don't know if you're aware, but it's not like all the smart people are the outsiders and all the stupid people work for the CIA, FBI, RIAA, etc. etc.  it's actually quite the other way around.  remember all those hardcore viruses that wiped out millions of computers over the last few years?  well guess where the writers of the viruses now work... for one of the above mentioned government agencies.  they have the willpower and they have the funds to hire anyone they need.  i remember one of my professors telling me that when he was in university, some kid hacked the entire university network, took it down completely.  he spent a year in jail, and when he got out Microsoft hired him and he now makes $250k+ per year.  

besides, that message you received was probably some automatically generated type.  if they wanted to find you, i'm pretty sure they can.  they have so many resources available to them it's not even funny.  

i don't personally agree with what they do myself, but that's another story.  and on that note, the last CD i bought was in mid 1999
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: Tiara on September 23, 2004, 04:15:00 pm
Heh, then why did I get a email that was quite personal with the *exact* same proxy as my IP through e-mail a day later?

Sure, in time they should be able to figure that stuff out. But when someone's IP has the word VIRUSWALL in it, even semi-computer literate people should recognize that it isn't a DHCP assigned IP.

Besides, I replied telling them to f*ck off cuz they had no authority whatsoever where I live. Ever since, they never bothered me again. Yet, I didn't stop downloading stuff :D:p
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: Stealth on September 23, 2004, 04:17:47 pm
i'm just saying, never think that you're too "l33t" for a government agency to catch you.  it scares me how much those guys have on their side, as far as personnel, technology, authority, etc.  they can catch you...
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: Tiara on September 23, 2004, 04:23:01 pm
Currently they can't seeing as their are no Dutch laws that allow foreign organizations to interfere with my personal life.

It's something we like to call 'our privacy'. A concept lost on some organizations/people, etc.

Unless you are doing something like ordering an assasination over the net and they have DIRECT evidence linking you to the act of crime itself, only then they can act. Besides, having someone's IP will not hold up in a Dutch court anyway. It's not considered to be direct evidence seeing as IP addresses can be faked, rerouted through another one, masked, etc etc etc.
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: Stealth on September 23, 2004, 04:25:37 pm
oh i'm not saying you did something and you're going to get caught for it, because even if you did, it's out of their jurisdiction, i'm just saying... they can find you if they want.  because, well, see the reasons in my above post ;) :D
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: Tiara on September 23, 2004, 04:31:02 pm
Ow, I'm sure they can. But you know what I can do?

Post this on a board;

(http://funfreepages.com/riaa/riaa_love1.jpg)

:lol:

(Not my stuff btw, but my collection is about the same.)
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: Cabbie on September 23, 2004, 04:38:56 pm
At least the CD and DVD manufacturers are getting good business :)
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: Flipside on September 23, 2004, 04:59:11 pm
Funny thing is, a lot of those are owned by.....

Yep, the Recording companies! :D
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: Tiara on September 23, 2004, 05:10:34 pm
Who said I bought them at the retail price? :D
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: aldo_14 on September 23, 2004, 05:18:46 pm
Quote
Originally posted by ngtm1r
The United States of America. US Dollars.

This is news to you? $32 or so is about average for a recent release. Cheapest I've ever seen outside of a bargin bin is $20.


Really?  **** sake, no wonder they're losing sales to P2P (actually, they're not losing sales, they're going up IIRC, but since when did actual facts matter......)

UK price is £14 for new releases in the big chains (Virgin, HMV, etc), but there are quite a few smaller chains (like Fopp) which do the same releases in the £8-10 bracket.

(NB: £14 = approx US$21, 10=15, 8=12, IIRC the exhange rate is roughly 1.5, prob  a bit more)
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: Tiara on September 23, 2004, 05:22:37 pm
Actually, at the current exchange rate, 14 pounds = 25.15 USD. The Exch. Rate is ~1.796:1.
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: phreak on September 23, 2004, 06:17:16 pm
hehe

i get new releases for under $10 at best buy.  and I don't even work there :)

of course the RIAA doesn't give a **** about non-pop music.  download away!
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: aldo_14 on September 23, 2004, 06:51:04 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Tiara
Actually, at the current exchange rate, 14 pounds = 25.15 USD. The Exch. Rate is ~1.796:1.


****ing 'ell.  The dollar has got really weak.... kind of almost makes me regret turning down a holiday to Florida next year.  Almost.
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: Rictor on September 23, 2004, 08:42:45 pm
Wow, I agree with ionia, thats like...wierdness.
Oh and look, dinner just flew past.

Yes, it is wrong, yes it is stealing and no, there is no legal doohicky that allows stealing if only you download it instead of physically steal it. And if they do catch me, they will have the legal right on their side. So, I'm a theif, I don't mind. I realize that in theory its wrong, but thats like stealing from Microsoft, its just so hard to feel bad about it.
Title: really?
Post by: Getter Robo G on September 24, 2004, 08:26:48 am
I guess I can relate. Someone once asked me "why do you have 27 copies of FS disc #3?"  

  I replied "cause I can, what I should have let them get ground up as waste?"

  Being "in the industry" by the barest of margins I find myself getting less and less of the net and more directly from the source (physical cd's)...

  Since my Rocky IV tape disintergrated (which I paid full price for retail years ago) I felt no guilt re-downloaing the soundtrack for my personal use since I ALREADY PAID FOR IT!

As far as movie go I RARELY would ever DL a movie, I fully support the movie industry and whenever a big title comes out that catches my interest I am usually in the front row opening weekend (if I have the $). If I can't then I rent it later on from Blockbuster.  I think I am the "typical" movie goer... If the MPAA decides to follow in the footsteps of the RIAA I think it will make things worse for all parties, not better.

 IF they are smart they will leave things alone and not rock the boat. It will not draw attention to such activities and downplay it as much as possible. Otherwise remember Napster? I think they doubled their membership (I joined after all the press got intense about the site, so I can testify that it influenced me to check it out !!!)
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: Zarax on September 24, 2004, 08:36:08 am
Both RIAA and MPAA needs to improve the quality (not content, but audio/visual) of their products and they will get much less problems...
If you use HD and multichannel downloads become suddenly pretty difficult if you have to download a few dozen MB per song and a few GB per movie, even in compressed formats...
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: aldo_14 on September 24, 2004, 08:40:46 am
CD quality is actually, in my experience, much better than most MP3s anyways.  That's one of the reasons why I buy CDs (that and also simply because I get a box and a cover, and I seem to have developed an affinity for collecting them).

Mind you, i'm a sucker for special editions............
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: Stealth on September 24, 2004, 09:15:41 am
Quote
Originally posted by aldo_14
CD quality is actually, in my experience, much better than most MP3s anyways.


well yeah, of course.
Title: So, someone uses scare tactics...
Post by: Zarax on September 24, 2004, 09:15:59 am
Same here for DVDs...
When i see Kubrick i cannot resist ;)