Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi all,
Vanilla are planning an update to the site on April 24th (next Wednesday). It is a major PHP8 update which is expected to boost performance across the site. The site will be down from 7pm and it is expected to take about an hour to complete. We appreciate your patience during the update.
Thanks all.

UK ISPs told to block 21 pirate sites. Do you download illegally?

12357

Comments

  • #122
    spiralism
    Registered Users Posts: 6,299 ✭✭✭spiralism


    Do for all the above, though games i will tend to buy. Imo in this day and age where loads of people haven't a huge amount of money to spare i find actually buying a lot of those things as wasteful. Havent really since i went to college and had to budget. Would tend to buy games and occasionally DVDs (usually gifted them though) and never music.

    It's a principle thing too, i cbf giving a record company my money, the bastards have done nothing to merit it, and thats without ever getting into the fact that they've arguably ruined music in the last ten years with ****e like the X Factor. Piracy has hit their business and they couldnt have been arsed to adjust to it. Instead they've arguably got worse, in recent years the likes of Lady Gaga and Beyonce have released an album, brought out more hit songs afterwards, then instead of putting them on an EP or bringing out a new one they re-released the old albums as a special edition with all the new singles on it, so you're meant to buy the ****ing thing again to get the new songs, even if you got the old one...i mean, seriously? That's a "**** you" level of customer service right there.

    The bands themselves dont make that much off the record companies anyways, their real money comes from the gigs and merch. I'd gladly go to a gig of a band i like and have done many times, bought the tshirt too. Does more for them imo.


  • #123
    looking_around
    Registered Users Posts: 2,491 ✭✭✭looking_around


    when I have cash to spare, I pay for games & netflix, when I don't. I download. ~shrugs~

    I've always downloaded music though. Can't remember the last time I bought music.


  • #124
    UCDVet
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,894 ✭✭✭UCDVet


    looking_around wrote: »
    when I have cash to spare, I pay for games & netflix, when I don't. I download. ~shrugs~

    I've always downloaded music though. Can't remember the last time I bought music.

    The thing that really kills me, and the reason why I don't care if people pirate is our ridiculous the prices are.

    It might cost you a euro to download a song. You don't really 'own' that song either, you can't sell it to someone else. You just get a license for it....whatever.

    If you go on a site like Grooveshark - you can listen to music, legally, online. How much does Grooveshark pay? Fractions of a penny. Why or how this came to be, I don't know. But it's insane.


  • #125
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 90,684 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    Mr.S wrote: »
    Really? Do you have a source, i'd be interested in reading!

    IvaBigWun wrote: »
    I dont think they do that?

    Netflix is restricted to the content of the country the user is in. There are, of course, workarounds, but I havent tried them yet and we cant discuss them here
    Sulla Felix wrote: »
    Sandvine did a study on it. Don't remember the exact figures and I doubt they're that high, but Netflix took about two years to hit a x% of total bandwidth and p2p traffic did drop during that time. Correlation =/= causation and all that though.

    http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/356268-netflix-youtube-make-up-half-of-broadband-usage/
    “For the first time ever, peer-to-peer filesharing has fallen below 10 percent of total traffic in North America, which is a stark difference from the 60 percent share it consumed 11 years ago,” Caputo stated.
    And don't forget that peer to peer isn't all about copyright infringement as it's also used for opensoure, bitcoin , patches etc.

    But with stats like that it's hard to argue that a lot of the copyright infringement was because there wasn't a way to legally obtain the content at a fair price.

    https://www.sandvine.com/trends/global-internet-phenomena/
    In Europe, Netflix, less than two years since launch, now accounts for over 20% of downstream traffic on certain fixed networks in the British Isles.
    ...
    Netflix (31.6%) holds its ground as the leading downstream application in North America and together with YouTube (18.6%) accounts for over 50% of downstream traffic on fixed networks.

    Netflix CEO says torrent piracy in Canada down 50 per cent
    http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/09/17/netflix-ceo-says-torrent-piracy-in-canada-down-50-per-cent/



    Very roughly torrent traffic falloff is matched by netflix/youtube gains.



    As an aside
    If you believed the industry mantra that filesharing was killing Hollywood then there wouldn't be any point in buying the most copied show because everyone's already got it.

    The reality is that Netflix purchases the most shared shows, and that can only be because it believes that people will pay for content if given the choice.


  • #126
    IvaBigWun
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 5,368 ✭✭✭IvaBigWun


    http://torrentfreak.com/isps-say-they-will-block-kickasstorrents-without-a-court-order-131130/


    Several of the world’s largest recording labels will next week recommence legal action to have file-sharing sites blocked in Ireland. The first case, against popular torrent site KickassTorrents, is scheduled for the High Court on Monday. Several ISPs are listed as respondents but in a sign that they are prepared to accept the almost inevitable, other providers have given assurances to the labels that they will block the site without being forced to do so by the court.

    kickassIn countries all around the world the music and movies industries are increasingly looking to web blockades to solve their piracy woes. The belief is that by blocking file-sharing sites at the ISP level, subscribers will eventually get frustrated enough to start testing out some of the legal offerings available.

    Ireland was one of the first countries in the world to have an ISP blockade of The Pirate Bay. ISP Eircom backed out of a court battle with the major labels represented by the Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA) and in 2009 blocked the site voluntarily.

    Progress on having The Pirate Bay blocked by other ISPs then slowed due to legal issues, but once Ireland’s signing into law of the European Union (Copyright and Related Rights) Regulations 2012 had been completed, the ball was rolling again.

    Following an action initiated by EMI, Sony, Warner and Universal against the ISPs UPC, Imagine, Vodafone, Digiweb, Hutchison 3G and Telefonica O2, in June 2013 the High Court gave the service providers just 30 days to block The Pirate Bay.

    Now, just as expected, the labels are back. In their crosshairs this time is KickassTorrents, the second most popular torrent site in the world. The early signs suggest that achieving success will be a walk in the park.

    On Monday, Sony, Universal and Warner Music will head off to the High Court with demands that Ireland’s largest ISPs – Vodafone, UPC, O2, Digiweb and Hutchison 3G Ireland – block subscriber access to the site.

    Speaking with the Irish Times, UPC – one of the few ISPs worldwide to aggressively contest blocking demands – confirmed it had been served with legal papers.

    “UPC declined Irma’s request in pre-litigation correspondence to voluntarily block Kat. Our position is that ISPs should not, on a voluntary basis, choose what can or should be consumed by internet users. Such matters are for the government or the courts to decide,” the ISP said.

    However, not all ISPs are taking such a strong line. Imagine, an ISP that was listed among the defendants in The Pirate Bay case, says it has informed the labels it will block KickassTorrents voluntarily if the defending ISPs lose their case.

    IRMA chief Dick Doyle also confirmed that his group had reached agreements with several other ISPs in Ireland to block Kickass, even though they are not involved in the case. Aside from Eircom’s position against The Pirate Bay, this appears to be the first time that ISPs have agreed in bulk to block a file-sharing site voluntarily.


  • Advertisement
  • #127
    VinLieger
    Registered Users Posts: 17,644 ✭✭✭✭VinLieger


    When kat gets blocked we will just move to the next one or the proxy version of whatever, legal cases like this simply cannot keep up with how fast sites like this can change and adapt to get around "blocks"


  • #128
    BeerFear
    Site Banned Posts: 141 ✭✭BeerFear


    I download PC games, movies ,Music, applications(feck paying 100 quid for photoshop, office and other programs).

    I think the most expensive piece of software I downloaded for free was 12,000 euro to buy. Visual studio professional.

    Torrent sites are for amateurs :cool:


  • #129
    IvaBigWun
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 5,368 ✭✭✭IvaBigWun


    BeerFear wrote: »
    I think the most expensive piece of software I downloaded for free was 12,000 euro to buy. Visual studio professional.

    :eek:

    Did it come with a free ghost estate in Limerick?! I always thought Final Cut Pro was the industry standard


  • #130
    BeerFear
    Site Banned Posts: 141 ✭✭BeerFear


    IvaBigWun wrote: »
    :eek:

    Did it come with a free ghost estate in Limerick?! I always thought Final Cut Pro was the industry standard

    Never heard of final cut pro? actually its ultimate I have. Getting mixed up here only used it once or twice


  • #131
    keithclancy
    Registered Users Posts: 9,222 ✭✭✭keithclancy


    BeerFear wrote: »
    I download PC games, movies ,Music, applications(feck paying 100 quid for photoshop, office and other programs).

    I think the most expensive piece of software I downloaded for free was 12,000 euro to buy. Visual studio professional.

    Torrent sites are for amateurs :cool:

    Visual Studio Professional is not 12000, its 499 dollars.

    VS Pro with an MSDN Subscription is 1200 dollars.

    I think your thinking of VS Ultimate with MSDN which is 13,299 dollars, which gives access to every piece of software MS make for development purposes.

    I love when people download shíte off of usenet and think they just downloaded 12k in magical internet monies :D

    I download the odd thing off the internet, but I image my machine first as a lot of it has internet herpes.


  • Advertisement
  • #132
    Amirani
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,521 Mod ✭✭✭✭Amirani


    I've stopped downloading movies, music and games completely thanks to Netflix, Spotify and Steam respectively. The only sketchy activities I engange in online now are sports streaming (no alternative that doesn't involve buying a bloated TV subscription that I don't want) and geographic workarounds which I don't have any ethical problem with.


  • #133
    TireeTerror
    Registered Users Posts: 2,271 ✭✭✭TireeTerror


    NiallSparky wrote: »
    I've stopped downloading movies, music and games completely thanks to Netflix, Spotify and Steam respectively. The only sketchy activities I engange in online now are sports streaming (no alternative that doesn't involve buying a bloated TV subscription that I don't want) and geographic workarounds which I don't have any ethical problem with.

    How long does it take Netflix to show movies in comparison to typical torrents?

    I DL everything, but I only DL movies either in 720p or 1080p if its a really good film. Im not convinced Netflix is going to give me perfect picture quality and DTS sound, which is something Im not willing to miss out on.


  • #134
    BetterThanThou
    Registered Users Posts: 944 ✭✭✭BetterThanThou


    I stream tv shows which have just aired in the US to watch them before they air here. Occasionally if there's an old game I want to play which would be nearly impossible or very difficult to obtain legally, then I'll illegally download that. Other than that, nothing. One thing I don't do and personally strongly disagree with is downloading music, if I like an artist, I'm going to show them I support them rather than stealing their stuff.


  • #135
    COYVB
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,660 ✭✭✭COYVB


    BetterThanThou wrote: »
    One thing I don't do and personally strongly disagree with is downloading music, if I like an artist, I'm going to show them I support them rather than stealing their stuff.

    Go see them in concert and buy their merchandise - they'll get more money from you than the few cent they'll get from you buying their album


  • #136
    keithclancy
    Registered Users Posts: 9,222 ✭✭✭keithclancy


    BetterThanThou wrote: »
    I stream tv shows which have just aired in the US to watch them before they air here. Occasionally if there's an old game I want to play which would be nearly impossible or very difficult to obtain legally, then I'll illegally download that. Other than that, nothing. One thing I don't do and personally strongly disagree with is downloading music, if I like an artist, I'm going to show them I support them rather than stealing their stuff.

    If your into TV Shows I find series guide is the job:
    https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.battlelancer.seriesguide&hl=en

    You can mark off stuff you've watched and it tells you whats on next.

    Sometimes I forget what frikkin show i've watched and spend ages reading through IMDB trying to remember where I left off :pac:


  • #137
    Frank Garrett
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 226 ✭✭Frank Garrett


    BetterThanThou wrote: »
    I stream tv shows which have just aired in the US to watch them before they air here. Occasionally if there's an old game I want to play which would be nearly impossible or very difficult to obtain legally, then I'll illegally download that. Other than that, nothing. One thing I don't do and personally strongly disagree with is downloading music, if I like an artist, I'm going to show them I support them rather than stealing their stuff.

    Record labels usually make the most money of albums. The artists make their fortune from concerts. Look at what happened to TLC in 1995:

    http://popcrush.com/tlc-bankrupt-celebrities/



  • #138
    theteal
    Registered Users Posts: 7,593 ✭✭✭theteal


    I just noticed last night that my old reliable torrentz has been blocked by sky :( still works on the BT connection in work though :)


  • #139
    BeerFear
    Site Banned Posts: 141 ✭✭BeerFear


    There's much much better sites than using torrents if Ye take a look :)


  • #140
    popepaisley1
    Registered Users Posts: 120 ✭✭popepaisley1


    BeerFear wrote: »
    There's much much better sites than using torrents if Ye take a look :)


    im listening....


  • #141
    Potatoeman
    Registered Users Posts: 4,210 ✭✭✭Potatoeman


    NiallSparky wrote: »
    I've stopped downloading movies, music and games completely thanks to Netflix, Spotify and Steam respectively. The only sketchy activities I engange in online now are sports streaming (no alternative that doesn't involve buying a bloated TV subscription that I don't want) and geographic workarounds which I don't have any ethical problem with.

    I use steam for games, dont download much music atm and have netflix but still download tv for a friend with no internet. These subscription services are the way forward. These companies are just too greedy to adapt to this model.


  • Advertisement
  • #142
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    I download a lot of music but the money I save by doing that frees up money to pay for tickets to gigs. So I still support the artists financially, I get to go to gigs and avoid giving the lion's share of my money to greedy record labels. Win win! :D

    I stream TV occasionally but don't download it.


  • #143
    spitfireIRL
    Closed Accounts Posts: 491 ✭✭spitfireIRL


    I torrent alright, but if I like something (album or whatever) I'll probably buy it. If not, it gets deleted. Seems fair enough to me!


  • #144
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 90,684 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    NiallSparky wrote: »
    The only sketchy activities I engange in online now are sports streaming (no alternative that doesn't involve buying a bloated TV subscription that I don't want) and geographic workarounds which I don't have any ethical problem with.
    Interestingly enough within the EU you are allowed geographic workarounds because of free movement of goods and services AFAIK

    http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/media/news/a367684/pub-landlady-karen-murphy-wins-sky-tv-football-legal-fight.html
    In a landmark ruling last October the ECJ said that national laws prohibiting the import, sale or use of foreign decoder cards were "contrary to the freedom to provide services and cannot be justified either in light of the objective of protecting intellectual property rights or by the objective of encouraging the public to attend football stadiums".
    One trick is to get video from one service and audio from another.

    Ye olde analog satellite didn't scramble the sound, just the picture. So for some channels like Eurosport or RAI you could watch the FTA picture on one language (eg: F1 on terresterial or German Eurosport on Astra) and get the sound on another channel that just scrambled the picture , or you could listen to it on radio, RTE and BBC stream live audio for a lot of sporting events

    Have a look at foreign satellite for lots of stuff on geographic workarounds because there's a lot of stuff out there that you don't have to pay for because it's Free To Air in other EU countries.
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=622


    Also keep an eye out for bargains and offers too.
    Try Setanta Sports Pack for the month of December for €1!
    NB Read the thread about how to cancel , dates they close for Christmas and the minimum costs
    Good selection of football games available

    , the Setanta package consists of

    Setanta Ireland
    Setanta Sports 1
    BT Sports 1
    BT Sports 2
    ESPN

    ...
    "Please note: Minimum 2 month subscription applies. "

    So that would be 1E + 19.99E = 20.99E for 2 months

    10.49E per month


    Better off just saying get Setanta half price for two months


  • #145
    UCDVet
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,894 ✭✭✭UCDVet


    keithclancy wrote: »
    Visual Studio Professional is not 12000, its 499 dollars.

    VS Pro with an MSDN Subscription is 1200 dollars.

    I think your thinking of VS Ultimate with MSDN which is 13,299 dollars, which gives access to every piece of software MS make for development purposes.

    I love when people download shíte off of usenet and think they just downloaded 12k in magical internet monies :D

    I download the odd thing off the internet, but I image my machine first as a lot of it has internet herpes.

    I'm pretty sure you are right.

    Additionally though, I know a lot of people (including myself when I was younger and didn't have an MSDN subscription) pirate stuff even when they have no use for it.

    People who download the 'Professional' Edition of Visual Studio but then use only the features they'd have gotten with the free Visual Studio Express. When I was in college I knew people who would pirate Adobe Photoshop to resize pictures.


  • #146
    snausages
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,225 ✭✭✭snausages


    Greatly reduced since Netflix and Spotify but I still download US tv shows when they come out. Because it's convenient.


  • #147
    briany
    Registered Users Posts: 13,529 ✭✭✭✭briany


    BeerFear wrote: »
    There's much much better sites than using torrents if Ye take a look :)

    Torrents are the best marriage of ease of use, abundance of content and structural soundness, IMO. Cyberlockers, TopSites, and Newsgroups are vulnerable because they're centralised (and you oftentimes have to pay money, especially for premium access) but a torrent can continue without websites and even without the tracker, though it may have an effect on the download speed. There's a reason why torrenting has been around for nearly 14 years. It's effective and pretty hard to stop.


  • #148
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    I have full sky sports pack and BT sports, setanta etc so I only stream games that are not televised. I detest streams for matches, they are terrible and I happily pay for sky to avoid them.

    Stuff that's televised now I sky+ (or get on demand) and watch or just watch while its on but I also torrent lots of stuff. Some shows that aren't shown here, others that I took up late and of course movies and music.

    I like to build up a library of the shows and movies I like so I much prefer to download then than to use something like netflix which I cancelled after my free trial. Even shows I'm watching on TV I often download too for watching again again in future.


  • #149
    snausages
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,225 ✭✭✭snausages


    iTunes really need to start selling lossless downloads. We live in the HD age but our downloaded music still sounds crap unless you buy physical or torrent lossless rips.


  • #150
    looking_around
    Registered Users Posts: 2,491 ✭✭✭looking_around


    snausages wrote: »
    iTunes really need to start selling lossless downloads. We live in the HD age but our downloaded music still sounds crap unless you buy physical or torrent lossless rips.

    Tbf, most people don't care. I, and many I know, rip music from youtube. If people are happy with that, maybe it's not as crap to them, or they don't need it to be higher quality(which also takes up more space)


  • Advertisement
  • #151
    snausages
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,225 ✭✭✭snausages


    It would be nice to have the option though, the difference can be pretty outstanding. I think storage and bandwidth aren't really an issue anymore. No-one needs 10000+ compressed tracks on their iPod/HDD, who can listen to all of that?

    I bought a 'mastered for iTunes' version of Reflektor and the difference between it and the CD was pretty impressive. I felt conned by the iTunes purchase even if it was a little cheaper than a CD


Advertisement