A simple encryption protocol (available at your local Rar client) can and will bust that stupid idea into the dirt. How can anyone automatically tell what kind of content is being distributed?

You can't. You have to actually download the thing, unpack it and see what's inside. Then you blacklist it, the servers get ordered to erase it etc... But a day later another permutation is reuploaded by the pirates. And the cycle continues. Couple that with the various IP maskers, anon proxy servers and such and hunting a pirate become like chasing a ghost.
And if you take one down, there will always be others who want to either profit, "stick it to the man" or just prove that they cannot be caught to take their place.

You end up wasting more money catching pirates than they would have "stolen" via illegal distribution.

The proper way of getting rid of piracy is exactly what Sins has as a game - no invasive DRM and registration key needed for patches and additional content. Hell, I would even make it so that you cannot install and run mods without registering your copy. So if someone wants a free "demo"... fine. They can have them. But they would be missing on a whole lot more if they don't buy the game.

And that's how you do it. Offer a better quality service than pirates. Not by slamming teenagers into jail for playing bootlegged games or trying to shackle up the net...

Firstly, i'm a software engineer, the issue of interlectual property and priacy of it is somewhat an issue i take very seriously.

That being said however, I think entering a dicussion with regards to morales with somenoe who cannot make the distinction between copying music illegally and holding up a car dealership, is probably compariatble to bashing my head against a brick wall in an attempt to satisfiy an annoying itch, so forgive me while i pass on this one.

 

Read the topic again please. the EU REJECTED the law. but it did not stop any member from passing an own law either. So its up to the local democracy. I dont see how the eu hurt anyone in this case.

And why do you praise sweden and ireland?

Seems to work ok for the Chinese Government.

HA
Anyone remembers "Patriot Act", the one thing passed by the Bush administration, to protect us from terrorism? How well did what one go? Wiretapping average American citizens anyone?
Whenever government makes an intrusion into civil liberties, ya should remember the "Patriot Act" as a clear example of such "attempts at security". Trade off between security, be it national or industrial ex., for liberty is unacceptable in my opinion, no matter how well it may seem to be justified.
Well at least that’s what I think on this, and not like politicians ever really care that the "small ppl" think until the time of elections.
CYA

To be honest? I really don't see the problem with this. As for definitions of piracy, well, donwloading something that isn't free without paying or permission from the owner. So yeah, downloading your anime fix, I'd consider that piracy. About the only thing that Microsoft consider piracy that I'd have a qualm with, is loaning a friend a game or other product for a short peroid of time.

 

On another of the comments made earlier, Do you _seriously_ expect me to believe that pirates only steal low-quality goods? I'm not buying that one for a second.

Regardless, it is obvious that this law was cooked up by someone who hasn't got the faintest idea about how the Internet works. You can't ban people from the net. Its impossible. What if they use their friends connection? Or get someone else to open an accout with an ISP? Will you ban them too? How will you know who to ban?

What if my brother/sister/room-mate/whatever is a pirate and you ban our phoneline from having access to the net via any ISP? You just punished an entire group of people over the transgressions of one person. Is that justice? No.

This law is, like many such things, a poorly thought-out idea with little base in reality. It would serve no other purpose but to create a bureocratic gordian knot... well, another one. EU seems to love those.

Not to mention that you cannot keep real hardcore pirates out of the net. There are any number of illegal methods of accessing the net and bypassing blocks, from hijacked accounts to all forms of social engineering to wireless network tapping to name but a few.

Right, what a way to pass. Insult someone and then say they'll pass.

I'd personally say you don't care about intellectual property except your own.

It speaks volumes when you talk about wealthy actors. If they did their work legally, they deserve their money.

That's the same argument any pirate gives. 'Damn those rich people! I'll just steal from them!'

Something tells me your bsing when you say you care about other's intellectual property.

Try educating yourself on what intellectual proptery is, idiot:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intellectual_property

IP is given on a wide spectrum of things. From inventions, to education, to entertainment.

Stealing IP is worse then holding up a car dealership.

If you are a convicted sex offender, you get banned from the internet.

Stalking people online gets you banned from the internet.

Hacking gets you banned.

You use a computer during the banned years and you'll get put in prison.

Laws like this are already in motion. The internet isn't your playground children. You do a crime, eventually you'll do the time.

And idiotic children can raise as much of a stink as they want. Just because your a childish runt who thinks you can do whatever you want, doesn't mean laws shouldn't be in effect to protect the population.

Stealing Ip is the same as stealing inventions. TBH, the RIAA is doing you favors. IP property theft, if convicted, is an easy $100,000 penalty.

This is the real world, kids. You have laws to follow. Follow them or go to prison.

Was that really necessary?

TheDarkKnight2008 Who give's a dumb fuck if you're Software Engineer. And pls don't be a moral fag and try to push your standards to us.

Yeah, that's exactly the type of response I'd expect from a whiney kid.

The guy who I quoted was the software engineer, but I guess some people are too busy stealing to learn anything.

And also, considering the posts by Stardock, alot of the higher ups are 'moral ***s' too. Go tell them that, see what happens.

This doesn't need to be a personal pissing contest, guys.   

Agreed, but why not talk about ethics, considering this centers around it?

This all boils down to ethics.