Downloading Games

[mapes]

You can't steal intellectual property. You can pirate or plagiarize IP. That's not the issue here. I'm just saying it's not the same as stealing a car. It doesn't cost Bethesda a thing if I were to download a copy of Fallout 3. (which I do own, mind you.)

I'm not really arguing the ethics of piracy here - I'm just making an important distinction.

This is a very valid point that Karl makes. Code is an infinite good and a car is not. It is a potential sale that is lost.

[Hammy]

This is a very valid point that Karl makes. Code is an infinite good and a car is not. It is a potential sale that is lost.

I know what you mean Mapes, I mean slammin heroin is not the same thing as smoking some weed, right? But they are both consumption of drugs that are still illegal, and in the same comparison, stealing is stealing- whether it be Grand Theft of Petty Larceny.

Great point though Mapes, I never looked at it that way until you said it.

[mapes]

I know what you mean Mapes, I mean slammin heroin is not the same thing as smoking some weed, right? But they are both consumption of drugs that are still illegal, and in the same comparison, stealing is stealing- whether it be Grand Theft of Petty Larceny.

Great point though Mapes, I never looked at it that way until you said it.

I still don't download songs or games. For me it's mostly a quality control issue. Either the song is ripped badly or worse yet the IDv3 tags are all wrong. I'm extremely anal retentive about how my music is tagged. Yes I know there are bulk taggers. Some of them are even extremely sophisticated. Still it's seems not worth my time.


Hammy as for your customer who installed wrongly on multiple cpu's...you asked "Have you read the EULA" Yes I have on most and most are as clear as mud. Some software vendors are cool and let you install on multiple cpu's but, you can only use it on one cpu at a time. MS I think still does this. Some EULA's forbid you from even making a backup copy. A right that is granted under fair use. EULA's are not clear and it's easy to get confused. Thats why whenever I look for software I prepend Open Source in my search to avoid some of this silliness.

[WalkinTarget]

So what do we think about a pre-beta software download that was given out early to devs, but not released to the general public ?

Windows 7 is available on torrent sites, but MS isn't charging for the beta build. It will be released to the general public December 18, but I consider that fair game compared to a retail game that is available on shelves, but still on torrent sites.

Trust me, I wholeheartedly endorse buying a retail game if you want to support PC gaming and developers of said games, but I've seen examples of beta or demos being sold for a small amount, which is wrong on all levels to me.

[Gimmie2]

I've seen examples of beta or demos being sold for a small amount, which is wrong on all levels to me.

Some of my friends experienced this 1st hand, with the Halo3 beta, they regretted it from day 1.... (mostly because CrackDown was a horrible game)

[Toryu72]

I try to get Beta of COD5 working for me but nada..umm some virus and that kinda fun, well not fun..

People and no demo so far...weird.. I mean like Red Alert 3 no demo, no sp for COD5 etc etc..will be a long list.

I say weird!