Winterwind Productions

A new Random Thoughts is up.

It can be found here!

I'm glad you chose to continue the column instead of end it where, as you put it, it would have ended had it been a paper or some sort. The second half of the column was better than the first half.

"Not affording stuff isn’t really a good excuse why you should get things for free, that’s just not the way the world works. But on the other hand if they get something of the internet that they never would have been able to buy anyway, no one has really lost any money."

You have two good observations there, the first being a moral one and the second questioning the logic behind "lost sales" estimates. The latter is a quagmire. No one can realistically believe that each download equals one lost sale. However, it's also obvious that downloads affect sales to some unquantifiable extent - some sales are lost completely, some are lost partially due to the "trial" approach where the item may not actually be purchased for a period of time past its "trial" (this is crucial for computer games, where the first month or so of sales tend to be important; a person doing the "trial" approach isn't the person paying full price at EBGames the day of release, and is simply more likely to wait several months after playing the "trial" version of the game to purchase it at the later discounted prices), some sales are gained because the "trial" or even the broader availability and convenience of downloading made some decide to purchase anyway, while the reverse is also true where downloading reveals a "buyer beware" situation.

I had a friend who got me interested in computer games when I got my first PC a dozen years ago, giving me copies of Doom, Doom2, Duke Nukem, Heretic, and Shadow Warrior (the latter two I ended up purchasing). I've purchased ever since then.

Part of it is a karma thing, perhaps, and partly because I tend to feel better enjoyment of and connection to things that came about because I worked for them (i.e., "worked" as opposed to time-consuming scouring for a particular download).

I can certainly empathize with those who don't have money, as it's something most of us seem to share in our early 20s at least (although hopefully it's an affliction that begins going away as we hit our late 20s). I had a few years while in college where this was my budget:

Takehome pay: $544
Apartment: - 235
Car Insurance: - 105 (male driver under 25, liability insurance only)
Gasoline: - 75 (to and front work and school)
Telephone: - 25
Electricity: - 13 (it's amazing how much money you can save if you don't run your air conditioner or heater - in Houston, Texas)
Groceries: - 70 (it's amazing how important triple coupons can be when combined with sales, and how tasty tuna salad sandwiches can still be after all those years)
Credit Card: - 20 (basically covering the interest on charges associated with car repairs to keep the 10-year-old car running awhile longer)

which brings us to...

Spending Money: - 1

Sometimes I would splurge and buy a soft drink to treat myself - after thinking really hard and carefully about which one I wanted.

I've certainly never forgotten those several years, and it's made me appreciate the things I have earned and gotten since. And the "no air conditioning and heating" thing even stayed a habit for several years after I could afford some comfort, although I would turn it on when I had people over, of course.

My job was as a bank teller, and I certainly knew of many people who stole (they all got caught, even for stupidly small amounts) but felt no inclination to do so, despite my precarious and seemingly unending financial situation, and the lack of a safety net as my parents were in no position at all to help me, even with groceries.

The point is, we all make our decisions to do what we do, and justify them in whatever we wish, whether or not we're even being truthful to ourselves in our justifications, or whether we choose not to justify at all.

Having worked at a company like Enron, and previously at one of the mutual fund companies censured by NY State Attorney General Elliot Spitzer, I have little sympathy for big businesses' crocodile tears. At the same time, poop runs downhill and if they can help it, nary a whiff of its pungent and unpleasant malodorous memory lingers upstream where corporate profits are made (or "made" in the case of firms like Enron). Ignoring the nauseating spectacle exhibited by Ion Storm-Dallas, anyone familiar with the gaming industry (or for that matter any entertainment industry - from movies to music to poetry to novels) knows that it's very hard at the bottom - despite being the one supplying the actual work and talent. Contracts are typically quite generous - to the business which is taking the risk of the funding (following the business Golden Rule - he who has the Gold - Rules) and the artists and talent are for the most part not exactly treated as royalty since unceremoniously dumping them if profits aren't sweet enough is more the norm.

Presumably, until the U.S. elects another Teddy Roosevelt Democrat-in-Republican's-clothing (who abhorred the turn in his party that occurred starting with his successor), the erosion of rights of those at the bottom to fund the increase of those at the top who utilize them will continue. (Sidenote: here's a little quote I came up with in an IM a couple weeks ago: "Pyrrhic or otherwise empty "victories" tend to describe most of the short-lived gains we eke out from the wretched corporate world that chews us up, sucks all the usefullness, youth, and energy from us, and spits out our almost-lifeless and yet lingering hulls.").

In the meantime, given the way the affluent dump effluent on die kleine Leute (the little people), it's hard to use the "I'm just stealing from a thief" rationalization, as the thief has all the legal means and power to ensure that it's made as whole as it can and its lack of acceptable profits roll down onto someone else's head.

For the vast community of downloaders who fall under the various categories of Spider's column, go right ahead. I choose not to, for the reasons I've stated.

I've been delaying/debating replying to this. I can sleep so... I will reply.

Yes, TV/movie studios need to figure this out.

I personally, for the amount I watch (little to nothing), would much sooner pay per episode, or pay for a subscription to a service to DL a TV show than have cable (which I refuse to have).

Any watching of the TV I do is either wtaching DVD (which I buy) or renting a movie.

Well, this *has* been argued back and forth to death already.

Personally, I buy some stuff, dl some other stuff- for different reasons. Some music I download because I can't find it anywhere, some music I dl because I won't pay for it anyway. When I do DL something really good, be it anime, piece of music or game, I try to go out and buy it if I have the money.

Oh, and I have a pirated version of Photoshop on my computer. I'm sorry, but I just won't pay 5000+ SEK for that program, wonderful as it is. At least, not until I start using it for commercial purposes.

good article, Spider! I think it ended a bit abruptly,perhaps a few examples of those types of people,and some quotes would have been nice.Figures and surveys I don't know if I'll ever trust

Also I disagree with the last point about people not affording creating a no-loss situation.When there's a will,there's a way.I think it's a loss situation because the knowledge that they have an alternative to I dunno saving up for ages(I don't believe the majority of these people will remain unable to buy that item all their lives),deprives them of the push needed to do it.

Yian: Yeah, doing research would have greatly improved the article. Maybe I'll try that sometime in the future.

In all seriousness though, this column has always been about getting out what's on the top of my head, but given that I am currently studying to become a journalist maybe every now and then I'll try and do a proper article. Maybe. No promises (it does take a lot more work after all).

So to your response in regards to broke people. You're absolutely right, if there is a will there is always a way. It's usually about priorities. Like food. And rent.

But in order to qualify to be in this group, the intent must be to stop downloading illegally and start paying for yourself once your situation changes. The only thing that matters in regards to my article is the underlying motivation, not what people say to others to justify their actions.


LT: Downloading Photoshop for personal use is almost not even illegal. Adobe clearly markets their products towards proffesionals or advanced hobbyists. Thus their pricing. In fact, I think Adobe actually profits from having their software being pirated. It makes more people used to their interface which is a strong reason for companies to go with their products and not the (cheaper) competition.