lekguan 0 Report post Posted October 20, 2003 Bulkie, personally, my MSofficeXP and WinXPPro are all liscensed copy, because I bought student price one ($199 for XPPro and $299 for office). Some things are indeed expensive. Software I agree, especially games, and sometimes, they just aren't worth the amount you pay for. If you were to buy every single copy of software you own in the computer, either you are very rich, or you are already broke now. However, I find that prices of certain things are worth the amount you pay for, and they are very affordable. DVDs aside, VCDs are very affordable nowadays. At $20 a copy and $6-7 for a Chinese movie, I don't see why you cannot afford it, and have to get a pirated one for about a quarter of the price you are paying. CDs as well, maybe you don't buy all the albums just to listen to a song each, but if you are listening to about 3 songs or more in a single album, you ought to buy it. I don't see why you can't afford it as well. It all boils down to your conscience, If you say you don't have money to get a $50 game/software, yep, I agree that they overcharge and you cannot really afford, but please don't tell me you cannot afford a $20 album/VCD, because your conscience is definitely worth more than the $10 or so that you save. And in case you don't know, these money go to the SS. you are feeding the SS groups. Think about that. And for downloading music, I think that the quality you get in an album is definitely worth it, as compared to the quality you get for a downloaded song, even though its free. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bulkie 0 Report post Posted October 20, 2003 Lekguan, Whether software, cds, dvds, vcds are worth it or not to buy as originals is not the point im trying to derive at. What I'm trying to pull through to some ppl's thick brains is that the poor might not be able to afford it. I buy lotsa dvds and cds and i find them to be worth all the while coz of the superior quality as u may have already mentioned. As for feeding SS groups....hmm.....don't we feed money to legitimate organisations as well? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
av98m 0 Report post Posted October 20, 2003 (edited) Lekguan, To me, its either you choose to to buy originals only, or take advantage of cheaper pirated products. I don't see how buying pirated software and games is any less "going against your conscience" compared to buying pirated music and vcds/dvds. The development costs for software/games is by no means cheap, and costs have to be recouped, just like that for music cds. You cannot criticise people for downloading music or buying pirated CDs if you yourself buy pirated game software or DVDs, justifying your actions by saying that they are not "worth it". Others might not find the price they have to pay for music CDs "worth it" Buying pirated products of any kind is wrong, because none of the money you spend to pay for them goes back to the product's developers. Of course, if you stick to your principles across the board and do not actually buy anything(pirated software, games, dvds/vcds etc etc, which by the way all feed criminal organisations, not just music cds) that is not original, I salute you. If however, you choose to selectively support the music industry by buying originals but half the software in your PC is pirated, none of your DVDs are original etc, well, there's this saying about a pot and kettle...and another one about casting the first stone... Edited October 20, 2003 by av98m Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Huma Dragonbane 0 Report post Posted October 20, 2003 U make it sound as if the poor ppl have got something against u. U make it sound as if ur a big fan of anti-piracy. Good on ya mate. If so, pls dun even download mp3s for sampling purposes becoz thats already considered stealing in the eyes of the law, irregardless or whether u keep or delete them. Lets do a simple test by taking a look at some of the stuffs u use daily. 1. The OS (operating system) ur using. Issit a legitimate copy that you bought? Or issit a pirated one or an original u borrowed off a fren. Allow me to remind u as long as the copy is not urs, its not legitimate. 2. Common software like MS OFFICE. Oh pls don't tell me u bought the original one for a few hundred bucks. 3. You being a young singaporean, havent u bought any pirated vcds or dvds at all? 4. As I've stated above, mp3s u've downloaded off the net via p2p. If any of these is fulfilled. You have already violated piracy laws. So go take a piss urself instead of getting pissed by poor ppl who support piracy. Of coz u might just be one of those Mr.Nice kinda guy who does everything strictly abiding by the law. If thats the case then...........i'll APOLOGISE. Actually for sampling purposes I go to official webbies, other than that....hmm...can't think of anything else close to piracy... You've to realise, not everyone believes in piracy or is a cheapskate. As I've said before, just because one is poor doesn't give the person the right to steal. Anyways apology accepted. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
N3w_Typ3 0 Report post Posted October 20, 2003 (edited) come on guys .... relax .... people have their ways of views ... over such things ... .... so don't get so worked up over it ...and .... allow others to believe what they thinks is right come on cool down !!! Edited October 20, 2003 by N3w_Typ3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jasonhanjk 0 Report post Posted October 20, 2003 Just what I said, it maybe bad but may also be good. Everyone have their own way of viewing things and that makes everyone different. In this world, there is no right or wrong. 'cos what is right to you maybe wrong to others. So before this goes into a flamming thread, try to look into others point of view. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bulkie 0 Report post Posted October 20, 2003 U make it sound as if the poor ppl have got something against u. U make it sound as if ur a big fan of anti-piracy. Good on ya mate. If so, pls dun even download mp3s for sampling purposes becoz thats already considered stealing in the eyes of the law, irregardless or whether u keep or delete them. Lets do a simple test by taking a look at some of the stuffs u use daily. 1. The OS (operating system) ur using. Issit a legitimate copy that you bought? Or issit a pirated one or an original u borrowed off a fren. Allow me to remind u as long as the copy is not urs, its not legitimate. 2. Common software like MS OFFICE. Oh pls don't tell me u bought the original one for a few hundred bucks. 3. You being a young singaporean, havent u bought any pirated vcds or dvds at all? 4. As I've stated above, mp3s u've downloaded off the net via p2p. If any of these is fulfilled. You have already violated piracy laws. So go take a piss urself instead of getting pissed by poor ppl who support piracy. Of coz u might just be one of those Mr.Nice kinda guy who does everything strictly abiding by the law. If thats the case then...........i'll APOLOGISE. Actually for sampling purposes I go to official webbies, other than that....hmm...can't think of anything else close to piracy... You've to realise, not everyone believes in piracy or is a cheapskate. As I've said before, just because one is poor doesn't give the person the right to steal. Anyways apology accepted. "Of course what I meant by that is that if you download without paying and not getting the song from a legal source. I don't at all. Maybe I might download now and then to sample songs, even then it's from official webbys and if last resort, p2p but I'll delete after a couple of tries. I think it's totally wrong and definetly(I think) the reason why the music industry in singapore is suffering. So many shops have closed down, sigh. It's gotten to the point where if you support original stuff you get ridiculed. It really pisses me off how cheapskate some people can be. To think that cd prices in singapore are probably the cheapest in the world. " Just in case ur BLIND or have "short term memory" loss, I've cut and paste the above for reference. U said clearly u use p2p and U'll delete after a couple of tries and it pisses u off how cheapskate some people will be. Mr.Anti-Piracy, I hope u take a close look at urself and do some real soul-searching before u start such whining threads about people being cheapskate and stuff. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Huma Dragonbane 0 Report post Posted October 21, 2003 Hmmm it seems I have, well, I retract my previous statement, I should have said rarely instead. I've stopped sampling entirely as it is. Hey I didn't call you a cheapskate, I was referring to people in general, if you do steal music well then, that's too bad. Is it wrong to not believe in piracy? Why does one get mocked for not believeing in it? Why would I need to do some soul searching? I'm not the one ripping off people's hardwork or stealing it for that matter. Doesn't really make sense does it? To do soul searching when I'm doing the right thing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bulkie 0 Report post Posted October 21, 2003 Retract ur previous statement? Why the hell would u wanna refer to the general "stealing" public as cheapskates when u urself used to sample music? Sure you're not ripping off people's hardwork now. I'm not mocking u for believing in that. I'm just puzzled by the fact u can actually whine at ppl "stealing" when u used to do that urself. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Huma Dragonbane 0 Report post Posted October 21, 2003 I do not steal, at the very most I sampled. No different from me going to a cd shop and checking the cd out. Also if that's the case, sampling through an official website would be wrong too. I do not download any song which I've heard before, just those that I've no idea about and has been recommended to me by my friends. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bulkie 0 Report post Posted October 21, 2003 Dude, taking something and putting it back later is no excuse. Sampling something from an official website is obviously legal. But U mentioned u used p2p programs as well ? Hey do u even have the slightest idea what ur toking about? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Absolute0 0 Report post Posted October 21, 2003 We can do without the sanctimonious arguments. Who, in his/her entire life, has never commited some crime or other? It's good to have moved on, but that doesn't give anyone the right to condemn others because in retrospect, you weren't any better. Quit "whining", it would be better to look at things from a more objective perspective, rather than act like a saint. Let's keep this forum fun and harmonious. Period, and Cheers! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bulkie 0 Report post Posted October 21, 2003 Ah yeah we all love saints don't we? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
N@Z 0 Report post Posted October 21, 2003 Keep the discussion civil guys. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jasonhanjk 0 Report post Posted October 21, 2003 Oh man... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites