A Nation Divided over Piracy: My solution

[Tunasashimi]

I did'nt paint the big picture clear enough, so you're all thinking too small

Thought I was gonna say stealing hey?

I think it's awesome if you create a system whereby people have to pay for content, and the content providers are rewarded (content providers being angents, artists, labels, don't really matter).

But this idea is so awesome that it already exists. ITunes, Online Music Stores, Online MP3 Stores, Prem-Rated SMS downloads for content.

Hi, and thanks for your reply.

You are correct and I think we all know this.

There are actually sooooo many online shops that sell papers, research, pictures/art and photos that it's not even funny.

On the other hand, people should also be allowed to GIVE stuff for FREE! But your system makes no provision for the guys that's just in-it for the Fame!

Piracy is giving, yes. Nicely put. Copying is a bit like love. ...Cell division, replication...

Now if any of you read the "credit" part of my post, you might begin to grasp the concept I have in mind: A system whereby, when you give, you get "paid".

I know at fist it sounds a bit like the age old "ftp upload/download" ratio solution, but it goes further than that, by including quality of service and good latency "rewards".

What I was thinking, at first, is merely a way to cover the cost of networking/communications infrastructure but then it dawned on me that, if you are the sole provider of your content, and it is in high demand, you will automatically be compensated for your music/movie/data/program/product/service, PROVIDED THE CORRECT INFRASTRUCTURE and protocols are in place.

Imagine this:

Neotel ("hypothetically") gives everyone a "free" 100mbit connection. "free" meaning, if you upload more than you download, you actually recieve a paycheck at the end of the month...

Now, this is not 100% what I was trying to explain, but a protocol that in essence, will make it possible, even stupid-not-to, roll out their networks in this fashion.

I have worked it through in my head, and it made sense. I just dont have the time or money to research it further, hence my posting of my idea here - for someone looking for something potentially revolutionary and new to invent and implement.

I'm telling you, from where I'm standing, and what I've seen and know, it makes a whole lot of sense.

So it all comes down to choice, people should be allowed to steal but must face the punishment that society imposes (if they get caught). And people should be allowed to decide wether or not they want to sell their content or give it away for free.

All finer points, but it all comes down to a fundamental truth, that if it's free, it's because someone else has picked up the bill.

(If it doesn't fall into that category, it should'nt have a price attached in the first place!)

Simply, if a CD costs me R200 (and my overpriced Internet Connection costs the same and I can download the same CD and 10 Others with my GB's) then I'm probably just going to steal it and the content providers (and artist/s) deserve to have their content stolen!

On the other hand, if a music costs 20c per Song and thus a CD will cost me
R4 (for content so make it R10 for CD and music) and I still rather download the music for free, I should be Fined!

Policing costs money. Simply put, my system should be so well implemented, that true piracy would cost more (via an "underground" internet), than via the official channels/protocols/ports provided by the officially, internationally negotiated internet.

...or maybe I should just find HG Wells' time machine, or retire from the world to my topless-servant-chick-infested paradise island.

 

[w1z4rd]

Go Sweden!

 

[ToxicBunny]

After reading through this thread a few times, i unfortunately would have to say finding HG Wells' time machine or finding an island full of topless servants is infinitely more possible. What you are asking for is a ground up rebuilding of a system that has been built up over centuries, and we all know that unless you have more money than all the vested interests combined, well its just not going to happen, it doesn't benefit the recording labels, it doesn't benefit the hollywood studios, it doesn't benefit any of the people currently making the big profits so of course they'll fight it, bury it and make sure it never even gets born.

 

[PeterCH]

It isn't only piracy. Only people who are impatient or lazy actually buy their games and DVDs locally. Why bother when they can be imported, often for half the price, including shipping and VAT?

Personal importation has been and will always be perfectly legal. The item you are importing is
also 100% legal, unless you're buying bootleg CDs on eBay.

As someone who's been importing foreign, art-house and anime
DVDs for the last 7 years I think importation from the web is a great thing.
It gives you one thing that the local short sighted profiteering distributors don't namely CHOICE. I can choose to import the Dekalog Boxset or
the latest Hayao Miyazaki film, long before anyone in the distro chain
locally knows that such an item even exists. Just because most people watch Hollywood crud doesn't mean I have to as well. I can watch Angelina Jolie
on DSTV but when I want to watch Fellini I can get it from any one of 20 odd
shops I've purchased from before.

Personal importation is no different to catching a plane to country X, buying DVDs there and bringing them back. Please don't include it in the same sentence as piracy or umm using your ADSL connection to download
epz from the internet .