Minecraft creator says "Piracy" isn't theft

[Harrison]

Originally Posted by Japan [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

the whole argument of whether or not it's theft will be moot relatively soon.

instead of developing a business model that actually works in the internet age, old-world IP owners are trying to use legal force to create an artificial marketplace. This strategy will only keep these garbage companies alive in the short term, until they innovate or innovators crush them. The only thing these businesses survive on is precedent from the long-gone days when IP was tied to a physical object. They'll die out and so will the luddite legislation that enforces their nonsense.

This business model is doomed to die, and "piracy" is guaranteed to continue flourishing. If ignoring the dark ages of post-industrial IP law and living in the future today makes you a criminal, I'm john fucking gotti and my grandma is tupac.

But really, why bother convincing people pirates aren't thieves? Evolution will take care of killing the last of the dinosaurs eventually, i'll take care of jerking off to "stolen" tranny porn right now

Hey, someone has a brain and actually understands a simple concept here!

[stormlord]

My opinion is if you expect software to be free then you're messed up in the head.

Software is engineering. Why would it be free unless through generosity or non-profit?

As for the 'free' games with the cash shops? I don't get the same feeling when I play a game for free that I do when I pay. When I pay I play harder and care more about the relationships I build. It's hard to explain. When you're on a p2p game you know that the others are paying. There's something about that that gives you confidence. I don't get the same feeling in f2p.

I also think the micro-transaction 'free' mmo's are gimmicky and too convenient for the accountants. Cash shops just make it all look suspicious to me. You never know how much more hte guy next to you is spending. It makes for an environment that's ripe for exploitation by the company. Without oversight or some kind of regulation going on they could easily abuse it. Think about it. It seems too many don't. There's no fixed sub fee like before. You can spend $1000 if you want in a few months. Just seems to me that if a company figures out how to hack your mind they will and there's no one to stop them. The cat is out of the bag.

If it were me I'd cap the spending per month to $50 or something. Or I'd have an arm of the government research gaming addiction and whether or not it's being abused.

[Gorgetrapper]

Originally Posted by stormlord [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

My opinion is if you expect software to be free then you're messed up in the head.

Software is engineering. Why would it be free unless through generosity or non-profit?

As for the 'free' games with the cash shops? I don't get the same feeling when I play a game for free that I do when I pay. When I pay I play harder and care more about the relationships I build. It's hard to explain. When you're on a p2p game you know that the others are paying. There's something about that that gives you confidence. I don't get the same feeling in f2p.

I also think the micro-transaction 'free' mmo's are gimmicky and too convenient for the accountants. Cash shops just make it all look suspicious to me. You never know how much more hte guy next to you is spending. It makes for an environment that's ripe for exploitation by the company. Without oversight or some kind of regulation going on they could easily abuse it. Think about it. It seems too many don't. There's no fixed sub fee like before. You can spend $1000 if you want in a few months. Just seems to me that if a company figures out how to hack your mind they will and there's no one to stop them. The cat is out of the bag.

If it were me I'd cap the spending per month to $50 or something. Or I'd have an arm of the government research gaming addiction and whether or not it's being abused.

Aside from all this, all those precious "pay to play" games like WoW, and current EQ, are doing what the "free to play' games are doing. They are charging subscriptions AND allowing people to purchase ingame items as well so they can get an edge (or to line the pockets of those greedy thieves).

[nafgan]

I walk into gamestop and buy a used copy of Mass Effect for the xbox 360 that developers don't see a penny of. Legal.

I pirate a copy of Mass Effect for the PC that developers don't see a penny of. Illegal.

???

[Uthgaard]

Consider how many people have purchased Titanium as a result of Project 1999.