Would Microsoft fail if they eliminated piracy? “network ext

[distrohopper]

Governments get elected on their platforms and their platforms highly revolve around who is giving the candidate money. Governments then enact laws based on who is giving them the largest amount of money. Democracy is supposed to be majority of the people who vote for them, not a majority of the dollars donated in campaign funds.

It is democracy that is flawed. Why do you think voter turnout rates are lower and lower every year?? People don't want to give money to political parties that aren't going to heed their calls. This makes our governments the slaves of corporations. As a person, I dismiss any validity our governments may claim to have.. They only speak for like 10% of the population (erm I mean people who make up the corporations), not the other 90% of the people, of which probably 75% of gave up supporting (voting for) when they know it's a lost cause to begin with.

Something is only (supposedly) illegal because our government says it is.. Our governments don't really speak for the people though. They speak for the people with money.

Should I give a damn about what the government wants? No, I voted because it's my right, but I also know that probably 75% of other people didn't because they realize that it's not the vote that counts. It's the money that industry and commerce gives them.

[deleted]

Just to clarify, the US doesn't have a democracy. That would be "mob rule". The US has a representative government (a republic).
-Hinto

[distrohopper]

The US is supposed to have a democracy.. by the people, for the people and all that jazz. I'm not even American.. and I know that. What the US has NOW though is all messed up.. you can't take away a man's gun due to the constitution.. but heaven forbid you try to introduce socialized health care.

Also, it's supposed to be 'one nation under god'.. not 'a bunch of corporations that don't believe in god.'...

[FedoraRefugee]

Yeah, socialized health care is a no-no! That is why all the canucks come here when it is life threatening. I guess the 6 month waiting lists must suck.

and yeah, it is a republic. Big difference.

[deleted]

The US is supposed to have a democracy..

It's a republic. That's the way it was created. It was intended to stop "mob rule".

"A Democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves money from the public treasury, with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy followed by a dictatorship." ( Cycle of Democracy, 1770, by Alexander Fraser Tyler, 1742‑1813)

[Biker]

The US is supposed to have a democracy.. by the people, for the people and all that jazz. I'm not even American.. and I know that. What the US has NOW though is all messed up.. you can't take away a man's gun due to the constitution.. but heaven forbid you try to introduce socialized health care.

Also, it's supposed to be 'one nation under god'.. not 'a bunch of corporations that don't believe in god.'...

As other's have stated, it's a Republic. I lived in Canada (Toronto) for 5 years and the UK for 4. I KNOW socialized health care doesn't work without taxing the population to death. And if the government wasn't so worried about an uprising because of their constant screw ups, they'd let you have firearms, too.

It is said that the 2nd Amendment is the 4th check and balance to the government. When all else fails, the founding fathers expected the people to correct things.

[randomizer]

With a little imagination and some old fashion brain power you can get what you need for free and be legal.

Did you even read my post besides that one phrase?

[randomizer]

No, I voted because it's my right, but I also know that probably 75% of other people didn't because they realize that it's not the vote that counts

The vote secures a person's position in Government. Money doesn't do that (yet). Money determines what they do once they're in office. It's Totalitarian Democracy. People vote but otherwise have no say in the running of the country. Instead they are told what is in the "national interest," what the "tough decisions" are and when you need to give a "fair shake of the sauce bottle, mate" (to quote our Prime Minister in all cases).

[Chasester]

With a little imagination and some old fashion brain power you can get what you need for free and be legal.

Did you even read my post besides that one phrase?

sure, but if you say why pay for something when you can get it for free. I say why argue every point when I can lump it in one wise quote.

[randomizer]

sure, but if you say why pay for something when you can get it for free. I say why argue every point when I can lump it in one wise quote.

A wise quote which is completely irrelevant because I am already getting what I need for free while being legal. Did you not read the part where I said Microsoft was throwing software at me? They were literally putting a pile of Visual Studio 2010 Professional DVDs on the table at a develop night I went to last night. I also went to a seminar on open source development and they were, quite literally, throwing Ubuntu Lucid around the room.

[Chasester]

sure, but if you say why pay for something when you can get it for free. I say why argue every point when I can lump it in one wise quote.

A wise quote which is completely irrelevant because I am already getting what I need for free while being legal. Did you not read the part where I said Microsoft was throwing software at me? They were literally putting a pile of Visual Studio 2010 Professional DVDs on the table at a develop night I went to last night. I also went to a seminar on open source development and they were, quite literally, throwing Ubuntu Lucid around the room.

And a smart move for them I always thought.

Actually my post was more for the general thread as a whole instead of yours specifically. You may be able to see the item I originally quoted was your current occupation - heh, did you read my post beyond that one sentence? Your current occupation does tell me all I needed to know in reference to probably how your views were formed. In this and in the other similar themed thread. And I don't intend that in a negative manner - it's simply life.

[randomizer]

You may be able to see the item I originally quoted was your current occupation - heh, did you read my post beyond that one sentence? Your current occupation does tell me all I needed to know in reference to probably how your views were formed.

I did read your post, and to me it seems you're giving me a lecture (using yourself as an example) about how one day I won't be pirating software. How do you know I'm pirating software based on my occupation?

[Chasester]

You may be able to see the item I originally quoted was your current occupation - heh, did you read my post beyond that one sentence? Your current occupation does tell me all I needed to know in reference to probably how your views were formed.

I did read your post, and to me it seems you're giving me a lecture (using yourself as an example) about how one day I won't be pirating software. How do you know I'm pirating software based on my occupation?

Didn't say you were, didn't say you weren't.

Watch CNN much?

[randomizer]

Didn't say you were, didn't say you weren't.

Then why did you attach your life's story after quoting 4 words from my post? The only thing you've added to this thread so far is that you used to pirate and now you don't. Ok, that's nice, really.

Watch CNN much?

Why would I watch American news?

[Chasester]

Didn't say you were, didn't say you weren't.

Then why did you attach your life's story after quoting 4 words from my post? The only thing you've added to this thread so far is that you used to pirate and now you don't. Ok, that's nice, really.

LMAO! So you make a thread about some off the wall idea about Microsoft needing to coexist with thieves then complain when someone posts life's anecdote?

Like I said - your occupation tells me more than enough.

Watch CNN much?

Why would I watch American news?

I wouldn't call that American news

[randomizer]

LMAO! So you make a thread about some off the wall idea about Microsoft needing to coexist with thieves...

I made no such thread.

Like I said - your occupation tells me more than enough.

Yea I can tell.

[Chasester]

LMAO! So you make a thread about some off the wall idea about Microsoft needing to coexist with thieves...

I made no such thread.

Stand corrected - you just agree with it.

I think that most large software companies would hold a similar view in that while they will publicly denounce piracy, it is in their best interests to allow it to continue so that people will be indoctrinated with proprietary products.

Like I said - your occupation tells me more than enough.

Yea I can tell.

Yup

And as I said earlier.

Actually my post was more for the general thread as a whole instead of yours specifically.

So your issue is what exactly? or just noise?

[Nick_Djinn]

Governments get elected on their platforms and their platforms highly revolve around who is giving the candidate money. Governments then enact laws based on who is giving them the largest amount of money. Democracy is supposed to be majority of the people who vote for them, not a majority of the dollars donated in campaign funds.

It is democracy that is flawed. Why do you think voter turnout rates are lower and lower every year?? People don't want to give money to political parties that aren't going to heed their calls. This makes our governments the slaves of corporations. As a person, I dismiss any validity our governments may claim to have.. They only speak for like 10% of the population (erm I mean people who make up the corporations), not the other 90% of the people, of which probably 75% of gave up supporting (voting for) when they know it's a lost cause to begin with.

Something is only (supposedly) illegal because our government says it is.. Our governments don't really speak for the people though. They speak for the people with money.

Should I give a damn about what the government wants? No, I voted because it's my right, but I also know that probably 75% of other people didn't because they realize that it's not the vote that counts. It's the money that industry and commerce gives them.

You are touching on some very important concepts where 'democracy', Plutocracy and Oligarchy all come together in our Republic to form something which has elements of Representative Democracy and yet is not truly a government that enacts the peoples wills but rather submits to special interests under the guidance of an unelected oligarchy that sets the terms and candidates (and their funding) for the people to choose between.

We only really have democracy on the local level, and even there it requires either a lot of money or an excessive burden of community activism to make a dent. I like to try though.

[gizmodo]

hmmm, intresting. i think that piracy itself is making media more popular (it still is stealing) because many people simeply' don t have the money to buy those EXPENSIVE music cd/movies/games/OS however those same people will feel more urgent to buy a cd of their favourite artists ect.. when they have the money, but when piracy wasn't there they even didn't know they liked the music/video/ect and may have never bought it. piracy is part of the economy

[randomizer]

however those same people will feel more urgent to buy a cd of their favourite artists ect.. when they have the money

Somehow I think the number of people who will go out and buy what they already "own" is rather small.