"Even if I got rid of all my problems, I'd just go out and get new ones..."

Merry Christmas!
9:13 p.m. on 2004-12-25

... now watch Scrooge hit the internet.

Yes, Scrooge. Known by any other name as the MPAA, the Motion Picture Asociation, who are following in the footsteps of their musical siblings by downloading illegal download sites.

Now, to a certain extent, I can see their point. Sites which provide downloads of computer games or brand new movies - in other words, items you could easily go out and buy, but you're too cheap too - should, I think, rightfully be shut down. After all, whilst it's true that record, game and movie companies demand an insane amount for their products, if you dig about on the internet you can normally pick them up for pretty cheap.

I don't download movies, or games, but I am guilty of using Bittorrent to download tv episodes. Mostly Stargate, although I've diversified into Judging Amy and Lost. With the possible exception of Stargate (in this case, the UK are actually getting episodes before anyone else in the world) bittorrent gives me the ability to watch these shows weeks or months before they appear in Britain. In the case of Medical Investigation or anime such as Monster, I'm downloading shows which may never reach these shores - shows which if I did not have Bittorrent, I would not be able to watch.

But information is not shared freely. Not anymore.

I can see why the MPAA would want to shut large sites down. I don't neccessarily believe their evidence, mind you. Take record sales. Napster was shut down because of fears that illegal music downloads would brutally damage the sale of CDs. Actually CD sales are higher than they ever have been. The distribution of music as a whole is on the increase, legally and illegally.

But bittorrent, to a large extent, is used between individuals. One person records a show off their American tv, then uploads it onto the net. A number of individuals then choose to download the show, and whilst doing so, Bittorrent enables others to download the episode from them.

(Yeah, it's confusing. And I don't really understand it fully either.)

But now the MPAA are busy taking legal action on torrent download sites. Not just US-based ones either. Sites based in Finland and Germany have face legal action, and a popular Slovenian site has closed down to avoid facing a similar fate.

See HERE for more info.

It's not going to stop, of course. As fast as the MPAA shut sites down, new ones will spring up in their place. They can try to shut down Bittorrent, but (aside from its numerous legal uses) there's plenty of alternative software out there that does the same job.

And as they spend millions on fighting individuals to preserve their ownership of shows and movies, where do you think the cost for this will end up? Yup, on the price of that DVD, or your next cinema ticket, or that new album you want. And refusing to pay that price, you'll look elsewhere for cheaper versions.

And there the download sites will be.

It's stupid. Petty. And ultimately... pointless.

In the short term, unfortunately, this means that it's become very difficult for me to find any download sites. When Stargate returns in January, I'll be hard pushed to be able to download it.

And then I really will be pissed.

Listening to: Joe Cocker - Summer in the City

Quote: "So I suck at Prime/Not Prime. Somehow I�m going to sleep tonight."

PS: Anyone tried Kazaa lite? I refuse to use Kazaa because it's so dangerous, but Kazaa lite is supposed to come adware, spyware and trojan-free. Can this be true?

<< >>