# (Illegally) downloading "free" music, movies etc - have you/do you **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 8, 2012, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegally-downloading-free-music-movies-etc-have-you-do-you/630872 "2012-08-08T15:56:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegally-downloading-free-music-movies-etc-have-you-do-you/630872/21 "2012-08-09T21:16:47Z")
It’s hard for me to grasp the ethical distinction between playing a song on YouTube and copying the sound for that YouTube clip to my computer and playing that. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegally-downloading-free-music-movies-etc-have-you-do-you/630872/22 "2012-08-09T21:22:06Z")
Not since the Napster daze. Male, 45. ---
**Author:** ![oreally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ab992/32.png) [@oreally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oreally)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegally-downloading-free-music-movies-etc-have-you-do-you/630872/23 "2012-08-09T22:17:20Z")
> [@Bambro](#): > > I download both music and movies. I have approx. 8TB of films and 375GB of music I have downloaded. > > I know I shouldn’t do it. > > I do it anyway. > > I don’t feel bad about it. ! Wow. You might be our resident Head Pirate. 🙂 I was thinking I have actually downloaded whole season’s worth of TV shows, but they’re mostly things I have seen before and/or are on TV anyway, and I deleted them when I started to need HD space. PS I don’t look my nose down at anyone who does this and I have family/friends in the biz and most of them don’t much care, really. In fact my brother is all for it as it’s like “free advertising” to him, who knows, it might help boost his musical “presence” I guess. Not like he’s exactly counting on selling his CDs to make a living. ---
**Author:** ![Michael63129](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3da27b/32.png) [@Michael63129](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael63129)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegally-downloading-free-music-movies-etc-have-you-do-you/630872/24 "2012-08-09T22:43:36Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > I don’t illegally download. It’s always been stealing to me. If you want something, pay for it. > > StG What if you can’t because they no longer sell it but you want it? That is just what I did when I downloaded a preregistered copy of Visual Basic 6 (full enterprise version; I had a “demo” version but it was too limited), and I did the same thing after my old computer died a couple years ago (this was originally about 10 years ago, don’t know if they still sold it then but they definitely don’t now), this time also saving the download (just in case it can’t be found again and to make it easier to reinstall); as fr why I didn’t just go to [VB.NET](http://VB.NET), I use it for personal use only in combination with my electronic projects (that is, I use the computer as a means to design and test the software, then rewrite it in C for the actual software used in the circuit); besides not wanting to have to rewrite scores of programs, I also downloaded (not illegally) code than enables you to write to a picturebox as if you are writing to an ordinary array and is orders of magnitudes faster (e.g. refresh the entire screen hundreds of times a second using single-pixel operations) than the built-in graphics, used to simulate the display; for all I know, [VB.NET](http://VB.NET) isn’t much better if it still uses calls to Windows, and this almost certainly only works with VB6. If Microsoft is bothered by this, they shouldn’t be because they no longer sell it and thus can’t possibly lose money. Otherwise, all of the other software that I use (I don’t download music or videos and can back up all of my data onto a 512 MB memory stick if compressed) either comes with Windows or I download it as freeware (e.g. LTSpice IV for circuit simulation, Gimp for graphics software, although I use Paint more, various compilers for different microcontrollers/CPUs). ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegally-downloading-free-music-movies-etc-have-you-do-you/630872/25 "2012-08-09T22:48:43Z")
I don’t usually bother with music since its cheap and easy. I’ll sometimes download movies if I’m very poor or need a clip or screencap, or it’s unavailable otherwise. I’ll sometimes download software if I’m very poor or want to try before I buy. When I have money I spend plenty, so I don’t worry too much about it. ---
**Author:** ![flano1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f14d63/32.png) [@flano1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flano1)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegally-downloading-free-music-movies-etc-have-you-do-you/630872/26 "2012-08-09T23:02:06Z")
Good point about Steam; their game sales are the dog’s balls! TV shows. I hate commercials and PVRs give me the shits. Music that I already own, but can’t find. You tube audio for stuff that is impossible to get anywhere else. ( e.g. an Australian punk song c. 1980 called The Cicada That Ate Five Dock. Absolute rubbish but I love it. Only ever found it on Youtube.). As an aside, most people that I know who pirate stuff will then go and buy a legit Blu-Ray, DVD, CD or whatever if they truly like what they’ve first seen or heard; for the better quality, don’t ya know. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegally-downloading-free-music-movies-etc-have-you-do-you/630872/27 "2012-08-09T23:10:57Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > It’s hard for me to grasp the ethical distinction between playing a song on YouTube and copying the sound for that YouTube clip to my computer and playing that. I believe that video owners do get a cut of YouTube’s advertising money. It’s a tiny percentage and I don’t know how it works out for recording artists, but I remember hearing that the “Charlie bit me!” family got a decent amount of money thanks to the success of the video. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegally-downloading-free-music-movies-etc-have-you-do-you/630872/28 "2012-08-09T23:21:59Z")
Same as a few others: Not since the heyday of Napster. Songs are easy and cheap enough to buy now, and the quality is assured. Never downloaded movies.I’ll either get them from Netflix or buy them. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegally-downloading-free-music-movies-etc-have-you-do-you/630872/29 "2012-08-09T23:28:53Z")
The only bootlegs I have is of stuff that the copyright holders have chosen to not make available. I’d have bought legit copies of _The Assassination Bureau_ and _The Big Fix_ and _Castaway_ and _Massacre at Central High_ and _Sleuth_ and _They Might Be Giants_ and _20th Century Oz_ and _Villain_ if it had been an option. But the owners decided not to put these movies out there legitimately. So I looked elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegally-downloading-free-music-movies-etc-have-you-do-you/630872/30 "2012-08-09T23:52:00Z")
Not much into music, and after the Napster event, which was quite a long time ago, I stopped illegally sharing/downloading music. I have downloaded music videos from YouTube, but that’s as far as it goes. In the not-music department, I download a _lot_ of TV shows. My excuse is they’re free-to-air, and I often ge the DVDs afterwards, though I’ve cut back on doing that lately. The only time I’ve downloaded movies was when my TV was on the fritz, and was low on money. Since that brief time, I’ve bought 90% of those I downloaded on DVD, alleviating my guilt (except for one I cannot find, either locally or internationally). ---
**Author:** ![Sassy\_Crab](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5e9695/32.png) [@Sassy\_Crab](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sassy_Crab)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegally-downloading-free-music-movies-etc-have-you-do-you/630872/31 "2012-08-10T00:32:49Z")
For the most part, I only download video games that are difficult to come by in retail stores/online. Companies aren’t making money off of Sega CD games in this day and age, so my guilt is minimal. As for music, I download discographies when I can’t find or afford full albums. If I didn’t spend money on actual band merchandise, I’d feel a lot more guilty than I actually do. ---
**Author:** ![Jaledin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jaledin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaledin)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegally-downloading-free-music-movies-etc-have-you-do-you/630872/32 "2012-08-10T01:27:03Z")
Textbooks, other PDFs of books. I have hundreds of them and don’t feel one bit bad about it – publishers are toilet-bowl, omega predators and writers are stupid, greedy, and sometimes dead. Screw them. Haven’t watched a tv in three years but I see all programs I’m interested in. Disposable entertainment sometimes amusing – don’t care about who lives or dies in the field. Confessions of a self-loathing book and tv pirate. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegally-downloading-free-music-movies-etc-have-you-do-you/630872/33 "2012-08-10T01:30:02Z")
> [@Jaledin](#): > > Textbooks, other PDFs of books. I have hundreds of them and don’t feel one bit bad about it – publishers are toilet-bowl, omega predators and writers are stupid, greedy, and sometimes dead. Screw them. Sounds like justification to me. You sound like somebody who wants to steal things so you invent reasons why your victims deserve to be stolen from. ---
**Author:** ![Jaledin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jaledin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaledin)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegally-downloading-free-music-movies-etc-have-you-do-you/630872/34 "2012-08-10T01:39:54Z")
Of course it’s a justification. I am talking of academic publishers, though, and it is difficult to separate my frustration with some decisions made in-industry from a simple ‘I me mine’ property grab. TV I don’t know. I suppose I’m guilty on that count of mealy justification, but otoh it’s part of he cost to be the boss I suppose for the networks. Don’t care. ---
**Author:** ![MacSpon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@MacSpon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacSpon)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegally-downloading-free-music-movies-etc-have-you-do-you/630872/35 "2012-08-10T01:52:55Z")
> [@Rubixcube](#): > > I’ve pirated stuff before and I’m sure I’ll do it again. It’s not something I like to do, and I usually try to avoid it when possible. My personal view is that if you can’t get it in a reasonably way legally then it’s free game. When it boils down to purchasing terrible quality junk from dubious bootleggers or clicking a download button I’ll always end up doing the second. Yup. I’ll buy legally if I can. If they don’t want to let me buy … then I’ll consider other options. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Anomie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4491bb/32.png) [@Anomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anomie)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegally-downloading-free-music-movies-etc-have-you-do-you/630872/36 "2012-08-10T18:46:43Z")
Are the court cases/massive penalties still going on? I haven’t heard anything in the press about piracy for years (in Australia). Did the various associations manage to frighten the pirates into stopping, or did they just give up? ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegally-downloading-free-music-movies-etc-have-you-do-you/630872/37 "2012-08-10T19:35:30Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Sounds like justification to me. You sound like somebody who wants to steal things so you invent reasons why your victims deserve to be stolen from. Wondering if you’ve had to run the circus of university textbooks. I call this more ‘civil disobediance’ rather than stealing. Case in point…a $195 grad school textbook that the professor mandated yet was only used for one supplementary chapter (20 pages) out of 400 pages and the publisher has no available early editions or student versions? And the university library only had one copy of? You can bet that the whole lecture hall either had a download or photocopy of it. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegally-downloading-free-music-movies-etc-have-you-do-you/630872/38 "2012-08-10T19:54:43Z")
Little Nemo: > [@](#): > > The only bootlegs I have is of stuff that the copyright holders have chosen to not make available…Castaway… I assume you’re not referring to the Tom Hanks with a volleyball movie? That’s my philosophy as well - the only bootleg I ever bought was a full-season DVD set of Night Court, when I despaired of TW Home Video ever making future seasons (after season 2) available. Now they’ve released through season 6, and I just might decide on principle to buy the legitimate releases. ---
**Author:** ![Kyrie\_Eleison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kyrie_eleison/32/7682_2.png) [@Kyrie\_Eleison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyrie_Eleison)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegally-downloading-free-music-movies-etc-have-you-do-you/630872/39 "2012-08-10T20:54:06Z")
I generally don’t, but I have an exception: I’ll download previous episodes of TV shows I’ve become interested in, on the theory that it’s just time-shifted viewing of something I was already paying for the right to watch. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegally-downloading-free-music-movies-etc-have-you-do-you/630872/40 "2012-08-10T21:40:33Z")
> [@GargoyleWB](#): > > Wondering if you’ve had to run the circus of university textbooks. I call this more ‘civil disobediance’ rather than stealing. > > Case in point…a $195 grad school textbook that the professor mandated yet was only used for one supplementary chapter (20 pages) out of 400 pages and the publisher has no available early editions or student versions? And the university library only had one copy of? You can bet that the whole lecture hall either had a download or photocopy of it. Okay, I’ll concede the textbook market is pretty shady. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegally-downloading-free-music-movies-etc-have-you-do-you/630872.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegally-downloading-free-music-movies-etc-have-you-do-you/630872.md?page=3)