is peer to peer legal ?

[atomizer]

i could care less if it's legal. i'm a rebel

DC++ and peer guardian - no spyware/bloatware/adware or any other crap. i have yet to d/l a fake with this combo.

[Pantharen]

its legal as long as u dont dl copy protected material

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Actually it depends on the laws of your country. Here in Canada it is legal to download, yet it's not legal to upload.

Also if your going to use P2P DO NOT USE Kazaa, WinMX, Grokster, iMESH your going to get 99% spyware, and 150% of fake files and viruses.

If your intent, then download a bit client, like Bit Tornado, Bit Comet, ABC, Azureus, etc. etc. Or use eMULE (ED2K), mIRC, LimeWire, Shareaza. And find a nice P2P forum to assist you like p2pforums.com

Edited June 26, 2005 by Pantharen

[D22]

its legal as long as u dont dl copy protected material

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Actually it depends on the laws of your country. Here in Canada it is legal to download, yet it's not legal to upload.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So canada has no copyright laws currently?? (haha its sad, I live here and I don't even know the laws )

[Pantharen]

its legal as long as u dont dl copy protected material

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Actually it depends on the laws of your country. Here in Canada it is legal to download, yet it's not legal to upload.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So canada has no copyright laws currently?? (haha its sad, I live here and I don't even know the laws )

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

We have copyright laws, but it's not illegal to use P2P, it's legal to download, but not to upload. It's kindda FUBAR, the MP/RIAA are trying to get Canadian law makers to change this, but we're too laid back to pay them much heed.

[BoardBabe]

Illegal in Norway, as far as I know.

[Clint]

I just don't get it, are you talking about P2P (peer-to-peer) filesharing apps or downloading/uploading copyrighted material?

It's NOT synonymous folks!

[grafx1]

I just don't get it, are you talking about P2P (peer-to-peer) filesharing apps or downloading/uploading copyrighted material?

It's NOT synonymous folks!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

most of downloads from filesharing are copyrighted materials like new movies,

full software....

so it is the same subject.

[Mamoun]

I think there is no problem with the P2P here in egypt.

[grafx1]

I think there is no problem with the P2P here in egypt.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

yes i know Mamoun, but do you think that's right ? to use hacked software

and watching theft cam movies...

also i want to know if i'm using the hacked software personaly at home and i don't make any money from it... is this right?

[KernelOverlord]

also i want to know if i'm using the hacked software personaly at home and i don't make any money from it... is this right?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No it is theft regardless of whether you copied it on to anyone else, sold it or hacked it yourself, it is theft! These companies, sometimes very small and with limited resources have staff to pay etc and your helping to put them out of business - plain and simple. However I think that if your even asking this question you already know that its wrong! But thats not to say the Copyright Police will soon be breaking down your door either - thats highly unlikely, youve a far greater chance of winning the lottery - its more a moral dilema!

As for p2p technology, theres nothing wrong with it. You wouldnt blame Smith & Wesson because their guns are used to kill people would you? As someone else has pointed out BitTorrent is used by companies, many Open Source projects etc, to help with the cost of their bandwidth. I have helped seed many files legitimately to help out open Source projects, - dont blame the tools, blame the tradesman!

Edited June 27, 2005 by KernelOverlord

[phoenix_nf]

hmmm. p2p is kool, but here in India its cheaper and easier to get pirated movies from the street than download them. If i keep my comp on 24x7 for a whole month, i can download like a max 8 movies (slow bandwith ) so the cost comes up to (800/- bucks for the net connection + the electricity connection and the waiting ) whereas i can rip a movie off the street for just 70/- bucks. and you have vendors at every corner selling movies and software.

all i can use p2p is to get episodes of DBZ, southpark, chappel, n tv shows.

[grafx1]

also i want to know if i'm using the hacked software personaly at home and i don't make any money from it... is this right?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No it is theft regardless of whether you copied it on to anyone else, sold it or hacked it yourself, it is theft! These companies, sometimes very small and with limited resources have staff to pay etc and your helping to put them out of business - plain and simple. However I think that if your even asking this question you already know that its wrong! But thats not to say the Copyright Police will soon be breaking down your door either - thats highly unlikely, youve a far greater chance of winning the lottery - its more a moral dilema!

As for p2p technology, theres nothing wrong with it. You wouldnt blame Smith & Wesson because their guns are used to kill people would you? As someone else has pointed out BitTorrent is used by companies, many Open Source projects etc, to help with the cost of their bandwidth. I have helped seed many files legitimately to help out open Source projects, - dont blame the tools, blame the tradesman!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thank you so much...

[Blam-O!]

H4c|>InG |z C00| !~*>!

[DonDamm]

This question is an old debate, but it is still a valid one to ask.

Is it right? Well, that has a lot to do with how you view the copyright laws themselves, who they were intended to benefit and who they now actually benefit. I would argue that the current laws regarding copyright and incidentally patents are woefully in need of reform as they've lost their original intent of protecting the work of individuals and fostering innovation.

Currently, the major beneficiaries seem to be extremely large corporations with huge political clout. They are afforded all the same rights as single individuals without accounting for their colossus - their ability to ignore, overwhelm and otherwise overtake an individual. That needs to change. Ask any musician if it is they or the labels who benefit. I personally have known folks who have invented things that have netted their companies in the millions and they were rewarded with....squat!

One was a medical device for transfusing one's own blood back that required some tricky engineering and some clever insight to get it to work right. He got taken off the project and got a $1000 bonus - the company made several million on it and continues to do so today.

Another friend who worked for HP years ago developed a very much faster A to D convertor that was being used more in more in electronics (think sound). Though it has been surpassed today, at the time we went round and round on it and ended up not tryin to patent it because he knew from working at HP that patents would be ignored if they could profit from it. They would've tied him up in court along with any cash he had and essentially prevented him from production. He ended up shelving the idea.

I used to be very gung ho about "property rights" and felt the Chinese were just laughing at us because they ignored our system of copyright. However, while I don't believe it is right to steal from somebody, I also don't feel it is right to allow the big guys to crush the small ones. The case of the guy who eventually won against Sears after they stole his idea for the socket wrench after 16 odd years and destroying his life in the process is a rare one indeed!

The current laws not only discourage true innovation and protect huge multinational coporations as they manipulate markets, but they also don't take into account the vastly different environment the Internet presents us. Those who've embraced the net have often found that it can increase book and music sales, not hinder them. I know some authors who told their publishers they'd put their books on the net, much to the horror of the publisher, only to find 50%, 100% or more increases in sales volume!

The forces of the RIAA and MPAA arenot going to go away lightly, nor will we be able to easily convince our politicians that the current laws are outmoded, unworkable and counterproductive. Perhaps, the activity is one way of age old and respected silent protest.

Is it right? Probably not according to a strict interpretation of the current legislation. But, then again, jay-walking is also against the law in most cities that I know or have lived in. The idiocy of mamking a few xerox copies of pages in a book was thankfully addressed by the Fair Use doctrine in the US years ago, though the UK is more fanatical about that sort of thing.

Most of the large software houses have a love/hate relationship as a certain amount of it is very cheap advertising indeed so they don't really want to shut it completely down. On the other hand, they don't want to send the message that it's okay either. They get self-righteous about it, but in fact could easily stop it - they'd just lose customers in the end and they know it. Look what happened to Quicken! They got speared for adding activation like others had already done! They backed off in a hurry! I know folks who work there and they ain't poor!

This question won't get settled quickly, nor will it get settled here. I just know that I've come about 180° from my former position on it. Besides, I've been a beta tester since 1996 or so and as soon as MS or others finally release a full system that's ready for prime time, I'll consider getting out of the beta program. I pay for things like Dieter Prilfing's FmView (www.windowscorners.com) because it simply works as advertised and continues to do so. He deserves the recognition. Bill P's WinPatrol is another example, and I'm sure many of you have others.

[Blam-O!]

@DonDamm:

Short version please.... B)