- So says local man, Joseph King. "It's getting so that no one is immune from the costs related to online piracy anymore". He continues, "I mean, just about everyone I know is doing something questionable on the web these days. My own mother has downloaded songs and that makes her a pirate in the eyes of the court".
Joe is not alone in his assessment. Guys at the local pub also agree that it's getting harder to escape the these costs.
"Just take your average pirate" pipes up barfly Norm (or Gord - I can never remember) - "he's likely got several thousand dollars tied up in computer equipment alone. Add to that the diminishing social life and monthly internet access charges and you've got substantial fees in maintaining the lifestyle. Ever download a virus? Don't get me started". Norm (or Gord) seems agitated by the topic and bolts to the head.
"Something needs to be done, and soon", says Edward Ibble. Mr. Ibble was stealing air from other peoples tires outside the bar at the time because his own air was bent and his wheels were making funny sounds on the highway. He couldn't afford his own air because of rising piracy costs. Another needless victim?
"The answer may lie in abolishing copyright laws for music and video" says Toronto area professor Jackie Hu. "The need for all this expensive digital rights management (DRM) would disappear and this will take us in a direction where costs can fall, because just ripping music from a buddy's iPod will be easy and also keep you in new tunes for months at a time". "Less time on the internet and more time at bars is preferable to everyone" believes Dr. Hu. "It just makes sense". He should know, I've seen him here drinking every night and he looks pretty happy.
However, there are dissenters out there. George and I were taking a whiz on the wall beside Ed Ibble as the latter swiped his 2-O. "I don't need no internet fees and computers to steal someone else's property", he says. "Why pay all that money AND be accused of being a crook? My buddy works at a record shop and he just makes me these DVD's with tunes ripped from the store CD's after hours. They sell blank discs there and my buddy does all the work - no cost to me at all". (The store DVD's were "comped" it appears) "This internet crime bullshit is just for people with no magination [sic] . People who pay for tunes are morons" insists peeing George.
He adds softly that, unfortunately, these discs do not work in his car or his older style DVD player, just the one at his dad's cottage.
Having your friends do the work also strikes a chord with bartender Phillip Meaghan. "George is always in here bragging about his new DVD full of tunes and how they didn't cost him a thing. If he has found a way, why can't the rest of us?" He goes on without prompting, "I got a fancy new computer 6 months ago and it cost me 3 large. 350 songs later and those songs cost me over 8 BUCKS each! Does that make sense? iTunes is cheaper than that!" Phil Meaghan is on a roll now - "We're all feeling the pinch of piracy - cut the interweb thing out all together and get your tunes and movies from the guy at a record store. This'll give you another night at the bar every month practically for free."
Phil is probably right, and though he works at the bar you'll spend that 60 bucks at, I tend to believe him because he doesn't own the bar and that $60 don't do shit for him. (3-4 dollars in tips does not formulate a biased opinion* in this reporters eyes)
Heroics of individuals like George and his pal aside, piracy appears likey to stay.
SloboGack
*Biased opinions are available. Simple half-truths start at $10 and out and out lies are $50 and up.
Joe is not alone in his assessment. Guys at the local pub also agree that it's getting harder to escape the these costs.
"Just take your average pirate" pipes up barfly Norm (or Gord - I can never remember) - "he's likely got several thousand dollars tied up in computer equipment alone. Add to that the diminishing social life and monthly internet access charges and you've got substantial fees in maintaining the lifestyle. Ever download a virus? Don't get me started". Norm (or Gord) seems agitated by the topic and bolts to the head.
"Something needs to be done, and soon", says Edward Ibble. Mr. Ibble was stealing air from other peoples tires outside the bar at the time because his own air was bent and his wheels were making funny sounds on the highway. He couldn't afford his own air because of rising piracy costs. Another needless victim?
"The answer may lie in abolishing copyright laws for music and video" says Toronto area professor Jackie Hu. "The need for all this expensive digital rights management (DRM) would disappear and this will take us in a direction where costs can fall, because just ripping music from a buddy's iPod will be easy and also keep you in new tunes for months at a time". "Less time on the internet and more time at bars is preferable to everyone" believes Dr. Hu. "It just makes sense". He should know, I've seen him here drinking every night and he looks pretty happy.
However, there are dissenters out there. George and I were taking a whiz on the wall beside Ed Ibble as the latter swiped his 2-O. "I don't need no internet fees and computers to steal someone else's property", he says. "Why pay all that money AND be accused of being a crook? My buddy works at a record shop and he just makes me these DVD's with tunes ripped from the store CD's after hours. They sell blank discs there and my buddy does all the work - no cost to me at all". (The store DVD's were "comped" it appears) "This internet crime bullshit is just for people with no magination [sic] . People who pay for tunes are morons" insists peeing George.
He adds softly that, unfortunately, these discs do not work in his car or his older style DVD player, just the one at his dad's cottage.
Having your friends do the work also strikes a chord with bartender Phillip Meaghan. "George is always in here bragging about his new DVD full of tunes and how they didn't cost him a thing. If he has found a way, why can't the rest of us?" He goes on without prompting, "I got a fancy new computer 6 months ago and it cost me 3 large. 350 songs later and those songs cost me over 8 BUCKS each! Does that make sense? iTunes is cheaper than that!" Phil Meaghan is on a roll now - "We're all feeling the pinch of piracy - cut the interweb thing out all together and get your tunes and movies from the guy at a record store. This'll give you another night at the bar every month practically for free."
Phil is probably right, and though he works at the bar you'll spend that 60 bucks at, I tend to believe him because he doesn't own the bar and that $60 don't do shit for him. (3-4 dollars in tips does not formulate a biased opinion* in this reporters eyes)
Heroics of individuals like George and his pal aside, piracy appears likey to stay.
SloboGack
*Biased opinions are available. Simple half-truths start at $10 and out and out lies are $50 and up.
2 comments:
How much for a quarter-truth with a twist of lemon?
No foam.
5 Bucks; same as in town.
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