How does network piracy harm users?

I have been following the Cold War for a long time between the camps of copywriters and pirates, including on Habré. And for a long time I was going to sketch a note on the topic indicated in the title. Moreover, this topic in the course of holivars practically does not arise. There is a lot of talk about how network piracy kills the publishing, film distribution, and music businesses, about how copywriters, hiding behind the idea of ​​copyright, push completely surreal laws like Mikhalkov’s "percent off media." But it seems to me that in these disputes we do not see forests behind the trees.





Both pirates and copywriters (copyright holders) are, in most cases, only intermediaries between the creators of content and its readers, viewers, listeners. They, as intermediaries, have their own tasks, their own problems, and most often they only hide behind the interests of authors and consumers.

Pirates, in particular, talk about the freedom of disseminating information, and the fact that any content (movies, games, books, music) can be downloaded from the network freely and for free is presented as an undeniable blessing and happiness for users.

But is it really so?

At one time, having connected broadband Internet and got a terabyte screw, I was also happy for a couple of months, like an elephant. But gradually alarming "bells" began to come.

For example, more than 30 games are installed on the computer, not counting the petty casual heresy ... But there’s nothing to play. You start the games alternately, each for half an hour, and throw. In the folder "Video Library" - dozens of films "in reserve". But, when you sit down to watch a movie, you sort through this list, and you can’t choose. Again, you climb into the Internet to download something new. And so on and so forth.

So, imagine that you love ... for example, sweets. And suddenly they set up a hefty room in your room ... not even a vase - but a bottomless bathtub filled with a wide variety of sweets. Take as much as you want, when you want what you want. What will happen after a while? That's right, you don’t want to see these sweets. You will be picking in the bath, taking one candy, then another, biting, discarding, scattering candy wrappers, picky ... In general, this can be described in one word - "snicker". fed up.

This is a question of elementary psychology.
1. A person does not appreciate what goes to him just like that.
2. A person feels uncomfortable in conditions of excessive choice.
3. Conditions for unlimited access to everything desired leads to a spoiled child's syndrome.

Personally, my opinion - movies, books, music, games should be downloaded from the network only for a fee - albeit at least symbolic.

If a person downloads a film for a reason, but at least for 10 rubles, he begins to approach his choice more consciously. He ceases to be a spoiled child who goes online with the mood “Let's entertain me. And you should be grateful to me for the fact that I downloaded your shitty game and play it. So - what other money? Am I an idiot to pay for pixels? ” (By the way, I myself saw a lot of real comments in this spirit, so this is not a far-fetched position).

If a person pays at least something, he becomes a normal, sane, choosy consumer who "votes in rubles."

In just 10-12 years of its existence, network piracy has already turned into watching movies, reading books on the Internet, etc. into one unrestrained, thoughtless and soulless obscurity.

We zazhiratsya become more jaded and picky

we unlearn the idea that content creators should be rewarded for their work

, we are increasingly simply "nadkusyvaem candy" - that is, did not even get to know fine with the film or the book - so, glanced diagonally and You can write another angry review on the tracker. As they say, "Downloaded and crap."

I'm not talking about teenagers "brought up by the Internet." For most of them, all these trends are no longer trends, but an accomplished fact.

PS It is not necessary to consider this post as an unambiguous argument in favor of copywriters, and I would not want everything to come down to the old holivar again. (Although holivars are fun, of course).

I just want to draw attention to a specific aspect of this problem, which for some reason is rarely covered. I repeat - pirates and copywriters have their own problems. And I want to talk about how piracy affects us, the users. The fact that completely free and free access to any content is not always as great as it seems.

It is interesting to listen to what the Khabrovites think about this.

- UPD:Due to the abundance of comments in the spirit of “you’re a ram yourself, that you cannot figure out the downloaded one and don’t transfer your problems to others”, I have to make an addition.

I gave my own example solely so as not to be unfounded. I have solved this problem for a long time. Now I have not accumulated 30-40 games on my computer for a long time - I play in 2-3, and those are licensed. The Video Library folder contains mostly cartoons for my daughter, and Western sitcoms like “The Big Bang Theories” or “How I Met Your Mother” began to look. Well, in general, in general, my now 1.5 terabyte screw is replenished mainly due to family photos.

The post is not about me, but about the problem as a whole. Let's talk in this vein.