Comments on: Next up for Pirate Bay defendants: Italian trial?

Recently found guilty of making copyright-protected files accessible for illegal file sharing, the men could face prosecution in Italy, lawyers there say.

[ldtiry]

Hmmmm imagine being sued by every country in the world for copyright infringement. Seems like they may be going just a little overboard with this.

[tehrani625]

I was thinking that when I read the title of the article.

[umbrae]

Copyright law has been overboard since the DMCA was enacted.

[mikestatic1]

Ha ha ha, losers - you break the law, you pay the price. In this case, I hope the 'price' leaves you living in an empty box next to a dumpster. That is the only thing that will grab the attention of the 'I want everything for free' morons.

If you can't afford to buy it, don't blame the system - blame your inability to make a living.

[rhsc]

You seem quick to call others morons, especially since you apparently don't understand the issue or the article

[monkeyfun14]

@rhsc

I think he hit the nail on the head actually.

[Lerianis3]

No, he didn't hit the nail on the head, industry shills. Here's a reminder: people will NOT BUY SOMETHING IF IT IS OVERPRICED! Lower your damned prices and people will start buying the actual thing and not fileshare anymore, simply for the convenience of knowing that the thing in question is not virus-infested.

Also, start offering DVD Iso's for burning online, even if you insist that we use your 'industry standard' proprietary burning software! I would be MORE than willing to do that, as long as the program wasn't over 100MB's in size.
Thirdly, DROP DRM! The regular users have gotten smart and have realized that DRM is nothing more than an attempt to make people buy the same thing for multiple gadgets or to keep people from backing up their legally bought product so at some time in the future, you can make us buy it again, and we are NOT willing to do that. If we have to break the DMCA in order to put it on..... our iPod or iPhone..... so ******* be it! You come after us and we will start pushing back HARD, by not buying ANY of your products!

[monkeyfun14]

@Lerianis

It wouldn't matter how much they charge.

People pirate useful apps that are only a few dollars.

[pithenumber]

@monkeyfun
he does make the point that DRM cripples legally bought software

even though I have a legal version of spore, the copy running on my computer is actually a pirated copy
the pirate version is far superior, no securom

[sharmajunior]

Then google should be sued for providing links to sites that cause this.

[travis722]

You are right mikestatic1, and that is why I download movies from torrents, because my time is money and I get to watch torrent movies without 10-15 minutes of ads before them, thus leaving me more time to make a living! :)

[Altotus]

We the people determine what sort of representation is appropriate to pass correct laws. Slaves of ignorance have no part in this debate. Only brave free people not worms.

[artistjoh]

As an artist who has to pay rent and buy food and clothes for my children just like all the rest of you do I do not like record companies who screw us artists when they profit from our work and give us less return than they take for themselves.

However, anyone who illegally downloads a music file without paying money to the artist or his/her representative (ie buying the music) is essentially taking food out of my kids mouths. Anybody who excuses that or supports people like Pirate Bay is contributing to that theft while benefiting from the fruits of an artists labors by enjoying the music unfairly.

It would be easy for me to demand that a car manufacturer sell cars for just a buck because I would like it to be that way and I could afford it but the world doesn't work that way and the price of a car reflects the cost of production plus a resonable profit. Same with music except that the cost of production is far higher than the small cost of pressing the CD - the cost is the years of struggling to buy food and trying to get a break by artists who work for years to perfect their art for virtually no money at all.

Bet those who want to pay less (or nothing) for music would not think it reasonable for me to approach their employer and demand that their wages be halved or more.

No one likes the record companies and wish they would go away but in the end music prices are about paying artists a fair living and the Pirate Bay people were philosophically opposed to that because they actively promoted the free sharing of copyrighted music. They should be prosecuted.

[gertruded]

The copyright holders own the copyrights only as long as the people agree that they do. The time will come with this draconian enforcement that the people will no longer agree.

Only in the US have the corporations taken over the government so that just payback for the draconian enforcement will last longer here.

Everyone is sick of it.

[lodoss900]

Why? Is The Porn Industry in Italy in trouble?

[aka_tripleB]

Do the Italian realized that they don't live in Sweden? They can't use the same law or even mention the conviction in Sweden. Only a prejudice judge would allow any mention of it without declairing a mistrial. You can't convict someone in one country using another's law.

[Lerianis3]

Actually, you CAN bring in a conviction in another country as evidence in most courts around the world, as long as the conviction meets the standards of YOUR country.
The problem is that the conviction of the Pirate Bay admins was based on faulty evidence and ignored a whole lot of other laws that made what these people did legal at the time. In fact, it is STILL legal by Swedish law.

The industries are just going to have to realize that if they do not offer their stuff at a FAIR price (i..e 5 bucks a DVD/CD)........ they are going to have people sharing 'illegallly' online.

[knowles2]

Lerianis3 at that on top of the judge trailing the case having clear links to the prosecution case and witnesses and was clearly not independent. It like letting the Mafia paid judge in charge of a trail involve the Mafia boss, boss is not really going to do any time now is he.

[yacahuma]

Some people just dont get it. Making copies of program of movies that are not yours is illegal. If I invest thousands or millions making and marketing a product, I deserve to get the benefit of all that effort. The law is there to protect those people. If you dont like the price, find a free or a cheaper alternative. This is not about being fair, this is about business. If you have a better idea, go and do it your self, let see if you like when other people start reaping you off.

[Maccess]

Apple's already done it with the iTunes Store, now selling, apart from Music, Movies and TV Shows.

Digital physical media, e.g. DVDs may have some sort of future if prices are cut, and indeed they are--original DVDs of back catalogs, which is what most people would look for on a lazy weekend--go for as little as $5.

But, the main issue is legal media downloads--how soon can this be made ubiquitous, and without funny stuff like what's available in one country isn't available for download right across the border. The Internet is global, os per country distribution policies won't work either.

[gertruded]

It is only illegal if the people agree that it is illegal. The draconian enforcement will change the people's perception of the rights of copyright holders. The laws WILL be changed to stop the criminal corporations from their draconian activitiesl. The people are fed up.

They can take their copyright laws paid for with campaign contributions as put them you know where.

[Dalkorian]

by yacahuma May 3, 2009 7:07 PM PDT
Some people just dont get it. Making copies of program of movies that are not yours is illegal.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Apparently you don't get it either. It's NOT, I repeat, NOT illegal to make copies of movies, programs or music in any way, shape or form. Maybe the term "fair use" means nothing to you, but to the rest of us it means we can protect our investments.

*DISTRIBUTING* those copies is another matter.

Wouldn't it be nice if these paid shills had even one brain cell anywhere in their bodies?

[esteven4]

$5 for a CD? Independent artists don't even sell their work for that little. Musicians like to eat too.

[8301]

Five dollars for a CD or DVD is a little extreme, but conversely, the music and film industries can't expect people to approve of their current business practices and prices. Copyright infringement is wrong, but it should also be a signal to change strategies. For the companies to flip out and try to sue everyone in sight alienates customers. They would do well to remember that those who download illegally are also some of their top paying customers.

[scwuffy]

Umm, yes they do. Check out - https://cdbaby.com/

This site is chock full of independant artists.

[bassboat8]

If the studios are so worried about pirating why don't they simply take their material off the net and send it UPS to the movies? Personally I think they are a bunch of bloodsuckers and deserve every lost pirated copy.

[mikestatic1]

What if people steal the product that you make (i.e. - burgers, fries) and you lose your job? Never thought of it that way, I suppose...

[mikestatic1]

RHSC & LERIANIS3 - If you cannot afford to buy a DVD, instead of downloading a pirated copy, just steal a copy from Wal-Mart when you work your shift tomorrow.

You can blather on all you want, but the plain fact is that pirates are losers. They just use the word pirate to make themselves feel 'righteous'. But they are just losers who can't afford to buy a DVD.

Here is a novel idea - WORK, EARN MONEY, BUY. It seems simple, but it is quite obvious that it is a foreign concept to a large number of you.

[Altotus]

This is not the issue. So quick to call others looser.

[pentest]

If you think making a copy of something is the same as stealing a physical product in a store, you are more stupid then you initially appeared.

[Sam Papelbon]

"Here is a novel idea - WORK, EARN MONEY, BUY."

funny how you would probably never say this to the supposed 'starving artists' themselves. no, they should be able to make a living off of the consumer's money for doing their hobby. right, whatever. maybe they should get jobs as well, rather than spending all day smoking pot and playing with their guitar.

[knowles2]

And that what the pirate bay people did, they work, they built a content distribution system that is superior to anything the industry has and they earn enough to live comfortable on through advertisement. It sound like they doing exactly what you want them to do. An now they being persecuted through the course.

[travis722]

The morons at the entertainment industry should understand that for many users it is not about money, but about ease of use. If spending 30 minutes to go to a movie theater and spending another 10 minutes to sit through the movie trailers before being able to watch the movie versus downloading that movie in 5 minutes from torrents, then the choice between 5 minutes and 40 minutes is clear. Same with DVDs where you have to watch through trailers and copyright ads though you have purchased the DVD legally.

Entertainment industry is digging its own hole! Just open a movie download site where for a low monthly or per movie fee people can download all your movies, problem solved.

[Dalkorian]

You know that is the most ironic part of this whole bit. If I go out and buy a DVD movie, I'm typically forced to watch at least that "piracy is illegal" commercial at the start of the movie. If I "illegally" "download" that same movie from a torrent site, I'm spared that insult.

Do the right thing, get insulted for it. Do the wrong thing and be spared the insult. Talk about irony!

[Altotus]

No one speaks of the basics this is a shabby show. The industry should be ashamed and the politicians should be concerned for their reelection plans. I would not support people that think this kind of affair is correct. Of course the politicians know the populous is a infinite sink of ignorance and money is money who cares about right or rights. Of course it works both ways as well sometimes cash is trash when it comes to election time if the issues are clear.

[lkrupp]

It is neither "right" nor do you have the "right" to posses and use the work of someone else without compensating that individual if he/she desires compensation.

[darfjono]

ah, yes, but do they have a "right" to be paid?

the internet is not subject to the petty squabbles and the laws of countries and greedy men.

[BtmnHatesRbn]

I see this: The UN, for reasons unknown, and the International Court, comes out in favor of these guys.

[andrew19ao]

You should not be able to control anything online. Countries borders should not apply and if they want the Pirate Bay shut down it is the entire world's problem.