I once sold CD-ROMs of image libraries, but that business ended when Realist-types decided to ONLY take and stop paying people for their efforts. I don’t want to be a policeman, nor lawyer, so unlike the Farmers Market where the Realist probably would NOT be inclined to steal an peach from a vendor’s cart – and I can’t afford to chase after every transgression our Sad Clown confesses to. True, ‘copying’ bits freely while leaving the original is not theft like at the supermarket, but it still cheapens all the good work by countless people to make such creations possible – it kills the ‘paid for’ market The Fool pantomimes about as though some die-hard advocate.

If-Only-You-Were-A-True-Realist – Here’s your circle-jerk logic: Your driving developers and film producers into Real Estate and big-box store Door Greeters w/your an exultant take-take-take model only escalates ever-larger corporate legal budgets, thus limiting creative producers from making money and ALWAYS restricting the quality and variety of art and commerce by raising the costs for small indies. Congratulations, you make more shite for yourself to kvetch about and then feel all righteously dirty over. Cheeky.
You remind me of the clueless wanderers who show up at Burning Man without even suntan oil and expect everyone to take care of them like a 150-pound infant farting at the Club Med singles bar. In fact, you’ve spoken like a true solipsist, if not an if-I can-see-it-it’s-mine communist for all the blather about getting paid to program code. By your logic you stole all your mother’s years and energy raising your-sh*t-don’t-stink butt and are laughing into her face at Holiday meals – she’d have to be a hard grizzled member of the grifter crowd to hold that stain up for praise.

I made money, I hired people, paid taxes, etc, and glad to create an industry – but I was not a “rich bastard” any more than I suspect this blow-hard is. No man is an island, or economy, but I was raised dirt poor in a floor-less cabin and am as self-made as a modern man can be. Face it Realist, your a spongy parasite in our ecosystem and your nothing special, or new. This post is for everyone reading this and I care not one wit if you reply.
What your actions reveal is the failing of our corporate-capitalist model to satisfy the human condition. The music and media business has long showed it’s narrow and limited range of vision – witness Hollywood & NY walking away from on-line distribution for a decade only to cry foul as Apple invested in iTunes and took up their slack {profits}. Between America’s rapid de-industrialization and tech out-sourcing it’s obvious our financial system is falling over in a heap even before this neo-Depression settled over us and we simply must sort out a better way to reward people for work done – especially work that is given to the Commons which makes all our lives better… like the Internet has.
Time I have, and will give. I’d give money to Dtv, but my stock of Wraptures CD’s is still piled deep in my garage and this entrepreneurs’ bank account remains embarrassingly low {something about no-demand for what has been copied endlessly}. I do like the Gift Economy model and volunteer my time and effort in many ways – and glad to. In fact, after posting this I’m fingering over to the sign-up sheet and see if my video GUI skills and/or management cycles are useful to the cause.

It’s time for everyone who doesn’t agree with so-called Realists to step up and give what and where they can. I’ve got a SOG tool and pry barnacles and leeches away daily.
Can anyone spare a blow-torch?

How? Lets see. Realist says that ALL are FREE and WE STEAL EVERYTHING, by this he is making us TO JUDGE our ACTS ON NET/any where we steal. It shows GENERAL THINKING and tries to STOP us from STEALING.

On the other hand “Captain Reality” says the same by giving the PHILOSOPHICAL POINT OF VIEW, asking us to relate both OpenSource/Freeware and Shareware/Payware.

“”I say that– can you let others take your money, appliances, furniture, car, or even a pencil for a penny?? I say NO. I cant.”"

-Brian Rowe
Freedom for IP
2L Seattle University School of Law

I think there’s a disconnect in that people don’t realize – there are two different systems at work here. One is open source – free software to be used by whoever wants and by using it, they support that system. The programmers are doing it out of the goodness of their hearts or are getting a nominal pay by a grant or some other sort of funds. It’s a good system and I support it. I’ve used freeware before and even donated a few bucks to those I felt deserved it, but that was voluntary.
The second system is licensed software (payware)- Symantec, McAfee,Novell, etc. The guys who are in business to make money with their software. We show our support for them by buying the software and the upgrades if we continue to support it. It’s called free enterprise and it drives our economy. Both systems work and neither is better than the other. The corporations invest the money to give us what we want to drive dollars to the bottom line and please the shareholders. We wouldn’t be where we are today without it.
I think the disconnect comes when one believes in the open source system and wants to use licensed software. I can use it, but because I don’t believe in paying for software, I just won’t pay for it. But to say you can use software for free even if it’s licensed is absurd. It’s illegal. Just imagine going into Best Buy and jamming an iPod and a Razr in your pocket because you believe they should be open source and trying to walk out. Busted…end of story. The same thing could be said of your neighbors belongings – it’s “open source” so I’ll just take it from his house. But would you really steal your neighbor’s belongings? The whole concept of intellectual property was developed to protect from just that sort of action. We live in a society of rules by choice.

I’m not angry, Realist, just making a philosophical point. You’ll do what you want no matter what I say. I do find it humorous that you hide behind the net as a cyber criminal, but I challenge you to walk into a licensed software developer with a policeman in tow and admit you steal software with the same fervor you displayed in your post. That I would really find humorous. As for everyone else, keep in mind the difference between the systems and support accordingly what you feel is right.

They don’t throw ads at you. They don’t make you pay. But once a quarter they beg to stay alive. There is always a cost. If you want something for free then ignore the begging you are free to do so.

I say put it on the guide for a week or so then take it off. When NPR and PBS do a fundraiser it is a major disruption. After they do what they need to do, then they go away and things are perfect. I think the disruption is necessary and the balance of not mentioning it the rest of the time makes their service better.

Do it.

so how is it not a contribution to promote stealing? how do I know if I’m downloading illegally and legally?

p.s. mr./ms realist – I do not have limewire.