Not sure where to put this. I want to talk about Torrents.

[JerseyManiac!]

So, Demonoid....the best website ever to grace the internet....got royally fucked over the other day by 3 governments.  They've had legal trouble before, but this time, they might be gone for good. 

And in response to this, it seems that every OTHER torrent site I know about, has pulled their site....except the Pirate Bay. 

Now...there are those how think that ALL downloading is wrong.  And in theory, they're right.  But IMO, it really isn't all that bad.  All of my FAVORITE bands...I own all the cds eventually.  I'm a little behind right now, but thats not the point.  But there are a SHIT LOAD of bands that I only have lukewarm feelings for.  I'll use Shinedown as an example.  I think they're ok at best.  They've got some songs I really like, and a whole lot more songs that are terrible.  I bought their first album....then their second.  The second was not very good at all.....so I downloaded the 3rd.  I think I like 3 songs.  Then the 4th.....I like 1 song.  So why the fuck should I have to pay a total of around $30 bucks for 4 songs I like?  I shouldn't!  Its not like they're short on fans.....others will buy the album.  Its not like no one goes to see them on tour, so they've got plenty of money.  So wheres the harm in downloading something I wouldn't have bought anyway? 

I'll download some TV shows and Movies too.  I just downloaded a whole bunch of CSI Miami recently.  I had all the seasons on DVD, hit a rough financial time, and sold them.  And anyone who has EVER sold a movie or season knows just how much you get ripped off.  So what should I have done?  Buy them again at the inflated price?  No shot!  I already BOUGHT them once.....did my part and contributed.....but again? 

So again.  Its not like the movie companies are hurting for money.  Just look at how much Batman, and whatever other GOOD movie you can think of does just in the FIRST DAY....nevermind years after release.  And bands tour their faces off, charge a ton for tickets, even more for a hot pretzel, and are no where NEAR hurting for money. 

1.  So why can't I download something I wouldn't have bought anyway?   

2.  Do we think this is end of downloading?  No torrents, no megauploads and such....what will we do?

[watchmen4]

why can't I download something I wouldn't have bought anyway?

Demonoid....the best website ever to grace the internet....got royally fucked over the other day by 3 governments.  They've had legal trouble before, but this time, they might be gone for good. 

And in response to this, it seems that every OTHER torrent site I know about, has pulled their site....except the Pirate Bay.

[JSayonara]

So, Demonoid....the best website ever to grace the internet....got royally fucked over the other day by 3 governments.  They've had legal trouble before, but this time, they might be gone for good. 

And in response to this, it seems that every OTHER torrent site I know about, has pulled their site....except the Pirate Bay. 

Now...there are those how think that ALL downloading is wrong.  And in theory, they're right.  But IMO, it really isn't all that bad.  All of my FAVORITE bands...I own all the cds eventually.  I'm a little behind right now, but thats not the point.  But there are a SHIT LOAD of bands that I only have lukewarm feelings for.  I'll use Shinedown as an example.  I think they're ok at best.  They've got some songs I really like, and a whole lot more songs that are terrible.  I bought their first album....then their second.  The second was not very good at all.....so I downloaded the 3rd.  I think I like 3 songs.  Then the 4th.....I like 1 song.  So why the fuck should I have to pay a total of around $30 bucks for 4 songs I like?  I shouldn't!  Its not like they're short on fans.....others will buy the album.  Its not like no one goes to see them on tour, so they've got plenty of money.  So wheres the harm in downloading something I wouldn't have bought anyway? 

I'll download some TV shows and Movies too.  I just downloaded a whole bunch of CSI Miami recently.  I had all the seasons on DVD, hit a rough financial time, and sold them.  And anyone who has EVER sold a movie or season knows just how much you get ripped off.  So what should I have done?  Buy them again at the inflated price?  No shot!  I already BOUGHT them once.....did my part and contributed.....but again? 

So again.  Its not like the movie companies are hurting for money.  Just look at how much Batman, and whatever other GOOD movie you can think of does just in the FIRST DAY....nevermind years after release.  And bands tour their faces off, charge a ton for tickets, even more for a hot pretzel, and are no where NEAR hurting for money. 

1.  So why can't I download something I wouldn't have bought anyway?   

2.  Do we think this is end of downloading?  No torrents, no megauploads and such....what will we do?

Hmmm.

I wondered what happened to Demonoid.

It's been fucked before though, it'll bounce back.

I know of a whole bunch of other good sites though, so life goes on.

[JSayonara]

Also, if you only like certain songs.

Download 'em seperately.
Around 89p a song on Amazon..no excuses.

I use torrents for two things.

1: Checking out new bands or new releases from bands I kinda like.

I like it, I buy it.

Ditto comics, although I have no problem with having downloaded all the DC stuff pre- 2000ish.

Most of that stuff is out of print anyway and creators see squat, so why not?

2: American T.V.

If I don't catch the Walking Dead at the same time as you do..it's ruined.
I'm not waiting three months when all those spoilers are everywhere.

Plus, over here a lot of good stuff is snapped up by Sky and put on their £30 a month T.V package.

I already pay £60 a month for my cable.

Murdoch can go fuck himself.

[JSayonara]

 And bands tour their faces off, charge a ton for tickets, even more for a hot pretzel, and are no where NEAR hurting for money. 

Also, this can fuck off.

You have any idea how much bands get fucked over?

Every artist not in the U2 league is in their record companies pocket.

Loans to make an album, loans for equipment, costs for studio time, engineers, mixers, CD pressing, promotion.

These guys have to pay all that back before they see a dime and then, maybe, they make about a buck for every $15 album sold..maybe.

And touring?

A lot of clubs now charge bands for playing there.

So, don't for one second think that they can live off T-shirt sales and door receipts.

How much do you think security, instrument techs, soundboard operators, roadies and managers cost?

Then how about petrol and tour bus hire?

Food and drink?

It's why the music industry is dying fast.

[ThrillHo]

Hmmm.

I wondered what happened to Demonoid.

It's been fucked before though, it'll bounce back.

I know of a whole bunch of other good sites though, so life goes on.

Not sure if it's been corroborated, but rumor was that the ukrainian gov't shut the host down to appease the US/UK gov'ts, or something similar was reported on torrentfreak a few days back.  In any event, it may be a while before its back.  I have to use adblock to use thepiratebay b/c some of the ads are annoying...

Anyway, there are other torrent options around, some of the other "private trackers" like what.cd for music. 

[Rocko]

isohunt's at it still.

http://isohunt.com/

Pirate Bay is quickest on turnaround. A show can have aired 2 hours ago and already be up there, but there's more shit on that page, I only fuck with that one when I don't want to wait a day. isohunt has better and more solid links.

Never used demonoid. I gather they had subscribers..? if so, they were fucking asking for it. That's like a pimp that accepts checks.

I don't download music, but I do download shows. Cable is a total ripoff that I paid into for years. I remember that I was a pretty big kid by the time I saw cable for the first time, I was amazed to find there were commercials. Fuck that.

If I care enough about a show I'll buy the DVD set later if I can get it for a reasonable price, for the extras and so I can have it on my shelf. The key to selling a good or a service is to have something to offer one can't get otherwise.

[fishmilkshake]

Torrenting copyrighted material you haven't paid for is theft. Plain and simple.

If a band produces an album it's not okay for you to download it for free because as a listener you don't think it's worth the RRP. That's like your boss only paying you for the days he thinks you really contributed.

That said. I torrent.

I've spent years getting fucked over by Australian TV networks. They used to be, in some cases, years behind in shows. They move shows around without warning and you miss episodes. They skip episodes. They have a "season finale" in the middle of the season, etc, etc.

How do I justify it? Well, I don't. However, while I've downloaded every episode of Breaking Bad a day or so after it's shown, I reward the makers of the show by buying the DVD sets when they come out. That goes for 90% of what I watch (yes I have a big DVD/bluray collection).

I'm in the process of converting all my music to MP3. I've found with some bands like Iron Maiden I have albums spread across three formats. Why would I convert a cassette of "Dio - Holy Diver"? But is downloading the album illegal if Ronnie got my money for the cassette or record 25 years ago?

[JSayonara]

Torrenting copyrighted material you haven't paid for is theft. Plain and simple.

If a band produces an album it's not okay for you to download it for free because as a listener you don't think it's worth the RRP. That's like your boss only paying you for the days he thinks you really contributed.

That said. I torrent.

I've spent years getting fucked over by Australian TV networks. They used to be, in some cases, years behind in shows. They move shows around without warning and you miss episodes. They skip episodes. They have a "season finale" in the middle of the season, etc, etc.

How do I justify it? Well, I don't. However, while I've downloaded every episode of Breaking Bad a day or so after it's shown, I reward the makers of the show by buying the DVD sets when they come out. That goes for 90% of what I watch (yes I have a big DVD/bluray collection).

I'm in the process of converting all my music to MP3. I've found with some bands like Iron Maiden I have albums spread across three formats. Why would I convert a cassette of "Dio - Holy Diver"? But is downloading the album illegal if Ronnie got my money for the cassette or record 25 years ago?

I'm with you on the T.V thing, see my Walking Dead point.

And technically, if you own a copy of a record in whichever format, you're doing nothing wrong Dl'ing it, because it's merely a back-up.

See also videogame ROMS.

Having said which, if you get caught, you'll be fucked anyway.

[fishmilkshake]

And technically, if you own a copy of a record in whichever format, you're doing nothing wrong Dl'ing it, because it's merely a back-up.

...and it's so fucking easy too. When I saw what a mess my Dio collection was going to be I found a torrent that had everything. Couple of hours later I had his catalogue which admittedly had an album I didn't own. I feel bad if that makes a difference?

[JSayonara]

...and it's so fucking easy too. When I saw what a mess my Dio collection was going to be I found a torrent that had everything. Couple of hours later I had his catalogue which admittedly had an album I didn't own. I feel bad if that makes a difference?

Fuck it...to be honest the artist loses about a buck.

If it wasn't for the fact that the record companies lose so much, the government wouldn't give shit one.

Big business though...oh, that's a different matter.

The whole system has always been fucked.
I'd rather DL a band's entire catalogue, buy a concert ticket, lots of beer and two or three shirts to make up for it.

At least that way I know the band are getting my money directly.

[kcekada]

I've never used a torrents site. They have a very slimy rep, IMHO.

Typically, I download whatever I can from amazon.com. Fuck iTunes. Open source, yeah right fuckers! With what, beside, iTunes, can you play their fucking Mv4 (or whatever the term) files?!

Occasionally, Amazon.com won't have a certain track, so I'll get it at iTunes. When I have enough to burn a CD, I do that. Ironically, I have an iPod shuffle, but I like the choice of being able to play songs in any media player I want.

[nonameshmo34]

Question what is a torrent? frostwire went to torrents and i was just lost so i have been using mp3 rocket. What is the differance between torrents and mp3's?

I agree downloading songs is kinda wrong but from someone who grew up in the cd age when we had to buy them at 20 or 30 a pop for maybe 3 good songs i love being able to choose the songs i like. After all this time i still see rockers and rappers and everything inbetween still makeing ass loads of money so it can't be all that bad.

Right?

[fishmilkshake]

Question what is a torrent? frostwire went to torrents and i was just lost so i have been using mp3 rocket. What is the differance between torrents and mp3's?

I agree downloading songs is kinda wrong but from someone who grew up in the cd age when we had to buy them at 20 or 30 a pop for maybe 3 good songs i love being able to choose the songs i like. After all this time i still see rockers and rappers and everything inbetween still makeing ass loads of money so it can't be all that bad.

Think of a torrent as an index for a file. A guy has an episode of a TV show available for downloading from him. The "torrent" for that file describes it and where to get it. People add the torrent to a software app like uTorrent which tells it where to get the file. As more people download it, the software knows it can get bits from different people. The more people who have the file available for download means the faster your software can pull bits together to make the file.

[Doghouse Reilly]

Never used demonoid. I gather they had subscribers..? if so, they were fucking asking for it. That's like a pimp that accepts checks.

Not exactly subscribers since it was all free, but Demonoid was invitation only. Someone who had an account there could invite people to use the site, but if the invitee did something verboten like upload porn or embed viruses in a torrent, the invitor also got sacked. It was actually a great system since it cut untrustworthy torrents down to virtually nothing. I'm very sorry so see them go, but they were always too good to be true.

The only information I think they ever required was a username and a valid e-mail address. I'm sure they have my i.p. address on file somewhere, but as I was one of about 1.2 million users online at any given time, I was a very, very small fish in the Demonoid sea. I can't say I'm worried about the consequences or fearfully deleting my Best of James Brown I downloaded right before the 'Noid went tits up.

If the Ukrainian Secret Police show up at my door tomorrow wanting to see my laptop, however, I encourage you to all point and laugh at me. I'll have it coming.

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