This is depressing

Well,

1.) In recent weeks, I've started to use an encrypted VPN, so I have an IP in Sweden now, and not even my ISP knows what I am doing. It just looks like encrypted web traffic, like at your bank! As a result, I am like the ginger bread man. You can't catch me!

2.) Good point. I thought this was illegal under the Data Protection Act. I wonder if there will be any litigation by people being sued against the ISP's.

Totally agree!!

There are many more products that suck than are great...all have a cost. But data based products are the only ones people seem to think its ok to take for no money just because they dont think they are worth it.

If a car was rubbish you couldnt take it for free and use the excuse it was rubbish!!!

I think the bigger point is the data protection issue that matt raised

The same reason why so many people downloaded the latest Slipknot album.

ZINGER!

Sorry, could not resist.

To be honest, most didn't. The people doing the suing have the use of a company called Davenport Lyons who rely on an anti piracy group based in Switzerland (note, out of the EU). Lots of these letters have been sent to people who simply didn't know how to download or have never even heard of the game.

It's a flawed system, and people are getting scared and paying up.

It's a wonderful money making tactic, don't you think?

But a car is a tangible object. Not a digital file which can be copied infinite times.

not really....because if people have not downloaded it, then they are safe.

and anyone who has should know how to get rid of the evidence...they need people to just blindly pay because it would cost a fortune to check the PC of every person accused.

People who get a letter and pay up without fighting it....deserve all they get.

IMHO, the best way to combat such organisations is to simply ignore them, and recommend alternatives when you speak to other people.

There's one time when I think it's fair to do what people nonsensically call "stealing", and it only applies to software. There are times when you have a non-commercial need for a piece of software (e.g. data recovery or educational), which you cannot possibly afford. In such a case, the publisher had absolutely no chance of getting a sale from you, although you stood to suffer by not making use of that software. I.e. by "stealing", nobody was worse off, but by not "stealing" someone would suffer, you.

It is for such cases why I think some commercial software companies should have much more pervasive free trials or free versions, so as to legitimise such uses.

Although having said all that, use free and open source software whenever and for whatever you can, then none of this is an issue. Consequently, you don't have to be criminalised for having the same needs as everyone else, but not having a fat enough wallet.

Because of what I've just said above, I do not think it is fair to say this as a blanket statement.

Sure you could say it in some cases, but not all.

I agree with more or less everything that you said.

One thing though, I feel the 'old' content industries deserve, and need to die. Not only for the good of the consumer, but for the good of the industry themselves.

I pirate because
1.) I'm poor.
And
2.) I cannot justify giving these arseholes my money.

If they stop suing people on disability benefits and children, stop making crap and stop using DRM, I would be happy to pay for things.

But in the mean time...

Let me just say that it is less expensive to settle than go to court.

That's why people settle.