ahtist:

dergrossefritz:

Sorry about my rage post earlier, here’s a more reasonable post about my feelings on SOPA amd PIPA…

Gabe Newell, the head of Valve, which I believe is one of the greatest video game companies in existence today, had this to say about the problems of pirating:

“The easiest way to stop piracy is not by putting antipiracy technology to work. It’s by giving those people a service that’s better than what they’re receiving from the pirates… . If a pirate offers a product anywhere in the world, 24 x 7, purchasable from the convenience of your personal computer, and the legal provider says the product is region-locked, will come to your country 3 months after the US release, and can only be purchased at a brick and mortar store, then the pirate’s service is more valuable.”

Why do these large corporations seek shelter from the government when they have no on else to blame but themselves if piracy is a problem to them? These music and movie industries are in trouble because they’ve put themselves there. These people who think they can overcharge for movies and music, then get completely defensive and offended when others offer their services at a better rate and quality than they can provide.

Do they really think that they can stop pirates? I don’t believe even they’re stupid enough to believe so. The internet has millions of ways to share files outside Megaupload. All the government has done is mildly inconvenient pirates and captured seven people, in comparison to the millions of providers and the billions of downloaders that are out there. They did it for show, I believe, wanted to flex their big government muscles and act like they’re in power of the situation. They essentially cut off the head of a Hydra in an attempt to scare away the Hydra later.

I believe the motto of capitalism and especially the United States is: ‘Competition is the life-blood of the economy’, right? Well, Hollywood, you’ve met your largest competitor. It’s up to you now, do you adapt or do you die?

Accurate. Piracy won’t go away. Most of us who do download, and those who share the files know lots of different ways to transfer them. The hydra is a good metaphor, because if you don’t know a hydra is a mythological beast with many many heads, and every time you cut off a head more grow back in it’s place. So they cut down Megaupload. Does the government really think they’ve even touched the tip of the iceberg? 

This. Movie/Record companies… have you SEEN steam??? It’s brilliant! I’d much rather get my games from the legal providers, especially because I know if I wait long enough there’ll be really great sales and stuff (and pre-loading for immediate release)…. Just use yer noggins!

It does make sense that the gaming industry is one of the first/most successful implementors of this though, as the bulk of a game comes from computers/programming/etc. I love that a lot of pirated games come with special coding to screw you over/for hilarious results, too.