...If someone justifies pirating by thinking “I’m just one person what harm could it do,” that train of thought is why pirating is so bad to begin with. Yes, if only one person opts out paying $60 when millions of others actually pay that one person doesn’t matter much. But that isn’t the case. PC gamer put out an article discussing gaming piracy. They put out an open survey asking people if they had ever pirated a game and of the 50 thousand people who took the survey, 90% have pirated at least one game. While that doesn’t sound bad, know that they reported 25% of those people said they pirated over 50 games. That really hurts the industry because if those 50 thousand are representative of the whole then that means millions if not billions of dollars lost. So let’s say there are one million people playing a game. This game is a full prices AAA game priced at $60. A total of $60 million in revenue. But there is an indisputably high chance there are people who are going pirate it, say 25%. That is a total of $15 million worth of lost revenue. Now if I was given a small loan of a tenth of that lost revenue I would be set for a long while. Loss of revenue isn’t the only thing that is lost when a game is pirated, look at it like you’ve worked on a project for a whole year. It’s been your life day in and day out and it finally goes out...
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...copy of said car for myself, then both of us would have a car and be happy. This is exactly what piracy is all about. So what exactly is so wrong with pirating? Piracy of entertainment is illegal and viewed as typically wrong by majority of people. Personally I have saved quite possibly thousands of dollars in pirating in my life. From the days of LimeWire where you could pirate a single song that you would have to download and wait throughout the night for it to be usable. To today where we are able to download whole discographies of artists within half an hour or less. However, today I would like to present you the facts that piracy isn’t as wrong as it appears and how each and everyone in this room can benefit from it by providing information on how it cannot be stopped, the monetary impacts of piracy, and other benefits of piracy. Transistion: Piracy is defined as the illegal trade or copy of digital entertainment according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. A study by Portsmouth University in 2014 concluded that the motives for piracy are that it saves money, often helps artists bypass record companies and allows access to content before it’s release date. Body I: Now that we know why people pirate we can look at how Piracy cannot be stopped. A. Goverments have attempted and momentarily succeded to take down pirating websites such as The Pirate Bay, but they revived and came back under multiple new domains within a short period of time B. In 2011 a bill called...
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...Essay#2 Like most people, sometimes I am a pirate. One thing I don't pirate, however, is video games. I tend to buy them through software “Steam”. Steam is an application owned by a company named Valve which allows you to buy videogames and download them directly to your hard drive, rather than picking up a copy in the store. Why would I do that, instead of just pirating them off the internet (which I have the technical know-how to do)? First we look at all the benefits steam has to offer. Back in May 2008, Valve brought cloud storage to Steam, allowing for all saved games, replays, screenshots, and other files found in any Steam game to be saved on Valve's servers. This enables gamers to access their save files regardless of what hardware they're using. Simply logging into your Steam account will allow you to pick up right where you were last playing, even if you happen to be on somebody else's PC miles away from your own. Second, Steam has a social networking service built-in that lets me see what games my friends own and are playing, and helps me find people to play with. Steam is always offering crazy sales. You'll turn on your computer and routinely see games marked down by 75%. These sales are for "a limited time only" and you practically feel like you're losing money if you don't buy something. In consequence, my hard drive is filled with games I haven't even had a chance to play yet. Lastly, Steam is a very small and clean program. All your games are packed into one...
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...Copying Isn't Cool In the article "Copying Isn't Cool," the author Scott Matthews (n.d.), a software developer argues that pirating copyrighted material is a serious issue today that is immoral and should be stopped. Though he is open to discussion, he argues against the system of compensation for copyright holders proposed by EFF that suggests that all downloads be taxed, claiming that it would encourage file-sharing to an extent that it becomes unstoppable. It would also compromise free speech and privacy which would go against the claimed ideologies of the EFF itself. The article was well-organized, easy to read and quite persuasive because the reasoning was good; however, it lacked sufficient evidence in some places. The author seems a fairly open minded person and this is reflected in the article. He does not have a mind-set against changing file-sharing laws but rather proposes a debate in this regard. He is fairly authoritative in voicing his opinion and has a right to do so because being a software developer himself, he is well aware of the problems faced and the losses that a digital author has to bear due to the willful ignorance of people engaging in the practice of file-sharing. His tone is quite effective in the article, and though a little informal, works to his advantage because it gives a personal touch to it that appeals to the reader, and adds on to the persuasiveness of the article. The language and vocabulary used is fairly simple and easy to read,...
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...Valve’s Distribution Strategy: Introduction: Digital game distribution is the simplest, cheapest, most convenient way to sell games and has been possible for a decade. “Digital distribution accounts for 24% of [game] sales in the US, up from 20% in 2009” and is more profitable to game companies over physical sales (Okalow a, 2012). You may ask yourself: why are there still physical retailers if digital distribution is so much better? This is one of many problems in the current game retail industry we will be exploring. The Steam Client is a digital game retailer and a multiplayer and communications platform created by Valve Corporation in 2003. Steam has over 1500 games available and over 54 million active users and is estimated to control roughly 70% of the digital game market. Steam will be the future of game retail and it is positioning itself perfectly to do so. This paper will discuss the current state of the game industry and how and why it has gotten there. From there it will focus on how games are sold today and how retailers are positioning themselves for the future. Lastly the paper will dissect the Steam client and all it has to offer; specifically comparing it to current physical and digital retailers. As technology goes digital, entertainment media seems to be stuck in the physical past; at least for the time being. This is changing rapidly as more and more gamers are realizing the benefits of digital distribution. DFC Intelligence is forecasting that...
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...Valve’s Distribution Strategy: Introduction: Digital game distribution is the simplest, cheapest, most convenient way to sell games and has been possible for a decade. “Digital distribution accounts for 24% of [game] sales in the US, up from 20% in 2009” and is more profitable to game companies over physical sales (Okalow a, 2012). You may ask yourself: why are there still physical retailers if digital distribution is so much better? This is one of many problems in the current game retail industry we will be exploring. The Steam Client is a digital game retailer and a multiplayer and communications platform created by Valve Corporation in 2003. Steam has over 1500 games available and over 54 million active users and is estimated to control roughly 70% of the digital game market. Steam will be the future of game retail and it is positioning itself perfectly to do so. This paper will discuss the current state of the game industry and how and why it has gotten there. From there it will focus on how games are sold today and how retailers are positioning themselves for the future. Lastly the paper will dissect the Steam client and all it has to offer; specifically comparing it to current physical and digital retailers. As technology goes digital, entertainment media seems to be stuck in the physical past; at least for the time being. This is changing rapidly as more and more gamers are realizing the benefits of digital distribution. DFC Intelligence is forecasting that...
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...Critical Response of the article, “Copying isn’t Cool” by Scott Matthews In the article "Copying Isn't Cool," the author Scott Matthews, a software developer addresses the issue of sharing copyrighted files. The author believes that such an act hurts the right of owners and stopping or changing the copyright laws will only cause more confusion and chaos. Thus, such laws need to remain the same and be enforced instead. The author’s purpose in writing this essay is to persuade the people who support the decision proposed by EFF to change the copyright laws that such an act does more harm than good. The author was successful in persuading the readers as the article was well-organized, easy to read and quite persuasive because the reasoning was good; however, it lacked sufficient evidence in some places, and was bias. The article mainly argues that pirating copyrighted material is a serious issue today that is immoral and should be stopped. Though the author is open to discussion, he argues against the system of compensation for copyright holders proposed by EFF that suggests that all downloads be taxed, claiming that it would encourage file-sharing to an extent that it becomes unstoppable. It would also compromise free speech and privacy which would go against the claimed ideologies of the EFF itself. The author seems a fairly open minded person and this is reflected in the article. He does not have a mind-set against changing file-sharing laws but rather proposes a debate in...
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...The Moustache and What It Means The men we are today are sober, clean-cut, perfumed, responsible paper pushers. We haves soft hands, think before we say anything, and help out with the chores at home. Today disputes are settled in courts, and we are satisfied with the smallest amount of remuneration. We occupy our minds with complex words and equations and see very little of the outdoors. We let women vote, speak their minds, and, worst of all, occupy political office. Whereto have our rash, brute, moustache- adorned predecessors disappeared? The world as a whole is lacking real men. We’ve traded in our moustaches and booze for neckties and current events. It wasn’t long ago we had men like King Leopold II of Belgium who marched into Africa, annexed the mighty Congo, and turned a barren jungle into a booming sweatshop by forcing locals to tediously harvest rubber. If even the slightest rebuttal arose, Leopold would dismember the native children’s appendages. Some would say this was counterproductive. We say that he saw what he wanted and took it. This is evidence of true manliness. We shouldn’t let anything stand in the way of our desires—or passions. If we see a mountain we must climb it. Where have the days gone where we could settle our disputes as Chuck Norris would, with a swift roundhouse kick to the face? There is something gratifying about seeing that bloody maw of our comrades that may have, but a second ago, wore a grimace. These were the times were we could...
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...An Overview on SOFTWARE PIRACY under Intellectual Property Right Regime e1834 Abinash Chandra Nayak (SOFTWARE PIRACY IS "UNAUTHORIZED COPYING OR DISTRIBUTION OF COPYRIGHTED SOFTWARE .") SOFTWARE PIRACY IS A VIOLATION OF COPYRIGHT LAW AND A FORM OF THEFT . What Is Software Piracy? The definition of software piracy is the "unauthorized copying or distribution of copyrighted software." While this definition may sound simple, its impact and affect are anything but. In 2008, worldwide software piracy rates rose to 41 percent, with losses estimated at $50.2 billion, according to a study by the Business Software Alliance. Identification Whether you purchase software from a retail store or download installation files from an Internet site, a user license, not the CD or possession of installation files, is what gives you the right to install and use the software. The license you purchase defines specific terms and conditions regarding legal use of the software, such as how many computers you may install the software on, or whether you can transfer the software to another computer. Any actions you take outside the limits of the license constitute software piracy. 1 Methods Software piracy can take many forms, but one of the most common includes counterfeiting, or a licensed user making duplicate copies of the software to sell or give away, with or without providing codes to unlicensed users as a work-around to anti-piracy features. Other piracy methods include ...
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...include the use and application of all forms of media and anything relating to it. I consider myself pretty media literate, because I know how to communicate and send messages through most media. I am an avid internet user so therefore can use any forms the internet has to offer in order to communicate. This would include social networking , instant messaging and of course e mailing. I’m a big social network user especially Twitter, where like every other social networking site you can communicate with people all over the world. For me the benefits of being media literate are that I am more educated an able to use classes such as this one. My being on the internet so often has allowed me to take online courses to whereas someone who isn’t, would have a much harder time in an online class. I would say a disadvantage of being media-illiterate would be being cut off from people who you would otherwise communicate with on a regular basis. For those who have family in the military, being media literate allows them to keep in touch with their family overseas. A person who has more trouble with media and forms of communication will only struggle in the process of trying to be connected with others that are further than a phone call away. Responses: THURSDAY NOV 8th Michael- In order to be media literate in my opinion means to have knowledge of different forms of communication. For example a good example of mass media...
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...intellectual property, theft of marketing information and blackmail from information gathered from another computer. Other things such as hacking into businesses, government or state information and creating false identities, stealing information or destroying their files which causes havoc. 2. Computers as an instrument of a crime – This doesn’t refer to stealing information rather it is the lawful possession of the item to infiltrate committing the crime. In this case it is the computer that is being used. 3. Computers as an incidental to a crime – The computer isn’t the direct crime being committed however, it is used to make the crime occur faster and to gather the information more quickly, this method makes it harder to trace. These crimes include money laundering, criminal bank transfers, gathering criminal records. 4. Computers associated with the common occurrence of a computer – Computers are used for pirating software, copyright violations, viral programs and spyware programs (Taylor, Fritsch, Liederbach, & Holt, 2011) An example of “Computer as a target” would be in a book called “The Cuckoo’s Egg” by Cliff Stoll. A hacker from...
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...You wouldn't steal a car... but a movie? Most of us seem fine with that. As we look down the barrel of a copyright crackdown, with cabinet meeting about several legislative changes on Tuesday, many might be unaware of the fact that it isn't actually a crime to download movies and TV shows without permission or payment in Australia. Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman in Doctor Who, which is freely available and delivered at the same time globally, but still 13,000 Australians tried to access before its release. Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman in Doctor Who, which is freely available and delivered at the same time globally, but still 13,000 Australians tried to access before its release. It may not be ethical and downloaders might be sued for copyright infringement, but there are no laws that criminalise Australians downloading and watching content for their own individual use. "It's not illegal," Electronic Frontiers Alliance executive officer Jon Lawrence told Fairfax Media. "Downloading something like Game of Thrones without paying for it is a breach of copyright but if you're not doing it on a commercial scale, it's simply a civil issue and it's the copyright owner's problem if they want to come after you." Words such as "stolen" and "theft" are often bandied about in movie torrenting conversations. At the Village Roadshow annual general meeting in August this year, chairman Robert Kirby labelled it exactly that. "Plain and simple, it is theft. No one would go into a...
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...Audio Recording Convergence and the Digital Age Final Project Abstract With information technology advancements and a more computer savvy world, the audio recording medium and digital medium have merged, changing the sound recording industry forever. This convergence has blurred the line between professional and amateur sound recordings. Technology has made new products smaller, feature rich and more affordable where anyone can record their music and offer it on the web for the whole world to enjoy. This medium convergence has closed the gap between musicians and listeners and brought forth a famine in the recording industry, which in turn, has brought new opportunities to the dying market. What does this mean to us? In short terms, with new digital formatting software available to anyone, the compression of music waves, and the technological advances, the recording industry is struggling to stay afloat. This statement is pretty remarkable, being that the world’s leading recording engineers are having difficulties keeping business alive with the evolution of technology. It is evident, recording engineers need to step backwards to differentiate themselves and find better innovative ways to keep the recording business profitable. This transformation in the world of recording, is affecting all of us as both consumers and producers of audio content. The following research paper discusses these convergence changes with a short look into the...
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...| Case Study 1 | Will TV Succumb to the Internet? | | | 1/27/2013 | CISK 511 | Case Study: Will TV Succumb to the Internet? Problem: Cable/Satellite Provides have adopted a business model of expanding select programing services online while remain competitive with an increasingly digitized world. The very technology they have embraced poses a threat to the future of mainstream TV as more and more household have cut the cord and terminated standard TV service in favor of Internet programing. Challenge: Recommend the best course of action to take for cable/satellite providers to expand their online product offerings without cannibalizing revenues from traditional TV programming Facts: * High-speed internet connections, powerful computers, and portable software devices have become widespread in use and ease of access. It’s changed the way people obtain songs, videos, TV shows and books. File sharing and DVR service have increased the ease which TV shows and music can be uploaded to the internet and shared with others for free. Although these TV shows and music files are illegal to share, current laws against those who supply and download these digital files have near zero effect on users because the laws are hardly enforced. * YouTube, which was started in 2005, is the most popular video-sharing website in the world. Over 150,000, unauthorized video clips of copyrighted television programs appeared on YouTube. * Hula.com, a website offering...
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...Week 8 Financial Analysis of The Walt Disney Company Executive Summary The following report provides an analysis of the current and prospective profitability, and financial stability of The Walt Disney Company (Dis). The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries, “is a diversified worldwide entertainment company with operations in five business segments: Media Networks, Parks and Resorts, Studio Entertainment, Consumer Products and Interactive” (The Walt Disney Company Annual Report, 2013). The report will additionally examine three areas of financial strength; liquidity, leverage debt to equity ratio, and sustainable growth as well as summary descriptions of each business segment in order to fully understand the company’s profitability in the short and long run. Organizational Overview The Walt Disney Company was founded in 1922, and has become a world leader in family entertainment. Disney is operating on a multinational level under the direction of CEO, Robert A. Iger. The Company and its affiliated companies have remained faithful to their commitment to produce unparalleled entertainment experiences based on the rich legacy of quality creative content and exceptional storytelling. Each division under The Walt Disney Company’s umbrella provides distinct products and services and caters to diverse market segments. All divisions, however, are united in their creative and imaginative efforts to “reach hundreds of millions of people worldwide and...
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