Convincing the Hard of Hearing

One of the main problems that I come across is no matter what I show people, they still don’t want to listen. And I am quite well aware of the lack of statistics and vagueness of the whole topic of illegal downloading. Also the vagueness and lack of any proof people post in return. Still when I show people the results I come up with, and a lot of it is based in hard facts, people still insist on the same old unproven chestnuts.

And it’s not that I don’t respect people’s views, because we are all entitled to one. But whatever excuse the illegal downloader subscribes to, there is one undeniable fact. Downloading illegally is plain wrong! Unfortunately it is that simple statement, which takes a really long time for illegal downloaders to process. Flat out wrong, no justifications, only excuses, some good but most are just plain awful. To state that “I am poor/wasn’t going to buy it/against DRMs”, and so on, really doesn’t give you the right.

I think a lot of this comes from the little white lies that we tell ourselves!

“It’s a big money grabbing publishing house that can take the hit!”

“It harms no one!”

“Software is copying, not theft!”

“I wouldn’t have bought it anyway!”

“I can’t afford it!”

“I hate DRM’s!”

And my personal favourite:

“Hey, **** you *****! I am an illegal downloader and I ****** do what I ******* well please *******. Kiss my ******* you piece of **** next time I **** and I’ll ******* and then ****** while ***** your mother!”

There are some arguments that you just can’t answer back too! Some have valid points, very few mind you, but the rest of the illegal downloaders hide behind them!

In my mind only two points have merit; one, they experience software issues with the DRM product and illegally download it. Second they would like to play the game without the DVD in the drive. But there are crack sites that just host the modified exe file that allow you to play the game!

But both of points have merit because the person has bought the product in the first place!

I don’t think illegal downloaders have realised the severity of it all. And the true means test here is the cracker groups themselves. Who have almost started pleading with people to actually support the publisher companies and buy the products?

[Images of cracking groups, these are the nfo files that come with the cracks and illegal downloads. The message in the red circle is clear with them all support the publishers!]

Jaguar- "Support the companys involved in this release."

Razor1911- "Support the companies that produce quality software!"

Reloaded- "Support the software developers, if you like this game, BUY IT!"

Skidrow- "Support companies, which software you actually enjoy!"

The people to whom illegal downloaders owe so much too, beside the publishing house, crackers are almost begging P2P networks to stop pirating PC games and buy it! And it’s only fair isn’t it, that when you take someone’s work, you’d buy it? If you went into a restaurant and the food was ok, it’s your right as a consumer to complain, or never go back, not to keep going back and never pay! Then claim the food is rubbish, no lasting content, or too expensive.

But I think the main problem these days is illegal downloaders have wrongly justified their position. Using a number of childish excuses to overlook the fact that they are fundamentally stealing a product! Claiming that you wouldn’t buy it in the first place seems like the silliest excuse. This is the biggest contradiction; an illegal downloader is not interested in buying it, but still interested enough to actually steal it. No one steals things because it is worthless!

So the illegal downloader, say a young male, possibly in college who favours games/movies with blood, guts, and killer moves. Why would they download the latest my little pony/ carebears movies? At first it seems to lend credit to the excuse that people download because they can!

But we forget the human traits of storing and gluttony. We call them packrats, where someone will not throw anything out regardless if it is of any actual use. With data, this is even more of a problem. Memory, or hard drive space is so cheap, it seems like a waste not to fill it! It’s been hard coded into our brains, and downloading illegally for fills the very same need. That need to horde and store, just in case we have a bad nuclear winter!

Illegal downloaders don’t do this often; downloading media they have no intention of using, but still hide behind this as if it was the norm. The reason why they download is because after years, you come to realise one fundamental thing. Illegal downloaders have been so glutinous that they have over saturated their viewing content. They have downloaded so much, so when they see a link for something different, "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King", and they think “why not!” Even if they have no idea what it is, but still download just in case!

I suppose what really boggles the mind, and it took me a long time to understand this. Why would you want to illegally download something that isn’t worth something!

I put it to you that Illegal material is worth something, and why people download illegally. And if it is worth something then this means it is stealing!

If it is stealing then is it not fair to contribute something back to the publishers? To keep them going, to allow them to run, and publish more games so you can keep illegally downloading!