Comments on: The cost of piracy http://www.pillarist.org/2010/02/the-cost-of-piracy Wed, 10 Feb 2010 04:07:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Greg Finley http://www.pillarist.org/2010/02/the-cost-of-piracy/comment-page-1#comment-212 Greg Finley Fri, 05 Feb 2010 15:50:08 +0000 http://www.pillarist.org/?p=144#comment-212 I agree that illegal downloading can expose people to music they would have otherwise never heard of. Especially if someone is watching a viral video or something and hears the song in the background; YouTube now often will give users the option to buy the songs they hear from iTunes. This same kind of thing is starting to brew with eBooks. Piracy doesn't seem to be a big factor yet (more difficult to get illegal book copies to your Kindle, etc.), but if they continue to charge roughly the same prices for digital books and they do for printed books, it's going to be. I agree that illegal downloading can expose people to music they would have otherwise never heard of. Especially if someone is watching a viral video or something and hears the song in the background; YouTube now often will give users the option to buy the songs they hear from iTunes.

This same kind of thing is starting to brew with eBooks. Piracy doesn’t seem to be a big factor yet (more difficult to get illegal book copies to your Kindle, etc.), but if they continue to charge roughly the same prices for digital books and they do for printed books, it’s going to be.

]]> By: Max http://www.pillarist.org/2010/02/the-cost-of-piracy/comment-page-1#comment-211 Max Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:32:55 +0000 http://www.pillarist.org/?p=144#comment-211 Can't disagree that it has reshaped the industry, for the better. Can’t disagree that it has reshaped the industry, for the better.

]]> By: CyberMonk http://www.pillarist.org/2010/02/the-cost-of-piracy/comment-page-1#comment-210 CyberMonk Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:11:19 +0000 http://www.pillarist.org/?p=144#comment-210 Though I definitely wandered a bit, the point isn't that piracy necessarily generates revenue (though I would suspect that it occasionally does); rather, the point is that it doesn't always account for revenue lost. It's more likely that the resurgence of the single culture (whereas CDs generally necessitated whole album purchases, which are more expensive) and other factors are contributing to downward revenue trends in the recording industry. I'm not trying to justify piracy, hence the "ignore the ethics for now" qualification. I'm just trying to point out that the economics of big content's arguments aren't always sound. Whether or not the scenarios I postulate constitute stealing, they still factor into the illogic of the "downloads equals lost sales" mantra. Though I definitely wandered a bit, the point isn’t that piracy necessarily generates revenue (though I would suspect that it occasionally does); rather, the point is that it doesn’t always account for revenue lost. It’s more likely that the resurgence of the single culture (whereas CDs generally necessitated whole album purchases, which are more expensive) and other factors are contributing to downward revenue trends in the recording industry.

I’m not trying to justify piracy, hence the “ignore the ethics for now” qualification. I’m just trying to point out that the economics of big content’s arguments aren’t always sound. Whether or not the scenarios I postulate constitute stealing, they still factor into the illogic of the “downloads equals lost sales” mantra.

]]> By: Max http://www.pillarist.org/2010/02/the-cost-of-piracy/comment-page-1#comment-209 Max Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:02:48 +0000 http://www.pillarist.org/?p=144#comment-209 I'm confused. "After all, who wants pesky discs lying around when you’ve a perfectly good hard drive sitting inside your computer? This is good news, right? Wrong, at least if you’re the recording industry. " How does this follow? Isn't the iTunes store a shining example of them thinking this is right? They're eliminating millions of dollars of overhead and the iTunes' store success is awesome for them and the consumers The argument that downloading music brings in revenue is very shakey and can hardly be legitimate. Justifying piracy just doesn't work; outside of creating backups, you're still stealing. I’m confused.

“After all, who wants pesky discs lying around when you’ve a perfectly good hard drive sitting inside your computer? This is good news, right? Wrong, at least if you’re the recording industry. ”

How does this follow? Isn’t the iTunes store a shining example of them thinking this is right? They’re eliminating millions of dollars of overhead and the iTunes’ store success is awesome for them and the consumers

The argument that downloading music brings in revenue is very shakey and can hardly be legitimate.

Justifying piracy just doesn’t work; outside of creating backups, you’re still stealing.

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