6 ms·

Meanwhile in the warez land everything is just 1 click away, hassle free and non-DRM encumbered.

ascagnel_ 10y ago
This is definitely not true. If you're looking for stuff that's popular here and now, you'll do fine (especially if you're a fan of Hollywood blockbusters). But as soon as you start looking for back catalogue stuff, you're in a mess of dead torrents and broken links. Want to find a mostly-forgotten science fiction movie from the mid-90s (in my case, Strange Days)? Two hours of hunting for a way of downloading it led me to buying it through a VoD service instead.
- jrnichols 10y ago
  I'm still amazed at the number of "mock busters" that are on torrent sites. The awful, low budget, garbage take offs...Like one called "Atlantic Rim." I think you can guess what it was a take off of. Fired up Popcorn Time recently and the list was packed full of those types of movies.
- kmnc 10y ago
  Come on... I found your movie streaming in one super easy google search..it was the second link. Not to mention a 26 seed torrent in another simple google search. Just last night I watched a Polanski film streaming with basically no effort. Finding old movies streaming online is incredibly easy. I bet 100% of the IMDB top 250 can be easily found by searching "X streaming free" and having a good ad blocker.
- ensiferum 10y ago
  Well p2p such as torrent is for the bottom feeders. There are better methods available.
  - UVB-76 10y ago
    If you're referring to topsites, they are archaic, their rules are outdated, and they optimize for speed over quality of releases. In terms of breadth and quality of content, private torrent trackers are far and away the best download method.
    - ensiferum 10y ago
      Usenet
      - UVB-76 10y ago
        Unless you're using private NZB sites with encrypted/obfuscated files, usenet is nowhere near as good as it used to be. Even then, private torrent trackers are better for choice.
- knotty66 10y ago
  I literally just opened The Pirate Bay, typed "Strange Days", and clicked the top result which has 20 seeds. Couldn't be easier... although maybe it is more difficult in your country, or with your ISP. https://pirateproxy.vip/search/Strange%20Days/0/99/0 https://pirateproxy.vip/search/Strange%20Days/0/99/0
  - kodablah 10y ago
    This is actually a great example. There is only one torrent with more than one seeder referring to the movie (it has 17 seeders). So I am forced to use a single format to view the movie in, can't easily use an app to show it on my TV (key word being "easily"), can't choose subtitles for my language of choice, etc, etc. By accident you are making other people's point. Were a more distributed, anonymous storage system to exist instead of on prioritizing seeding and recently used, larger catalogs and quality options might exist.
marcoperaza 10y ago
Or you can pay a reasonable price to rent on iTunes and Amazon Prime. Stop pretending that you pirate because it's a "better experience". You pirate because it's cheaper to steal other people's hard work than to pay a fair price for it.
- ensiferum 10y ago
  I don't download or condone downloading copyrighted material. Just saying that that famous oatmeal comic still rings very true.
  - pbhjpbhj 10y ago
    It's only copyright material you aren't licensed to use that is potentially tortuous. "Big Buck Bunny" out whatever is copyright but the free and open license allows you to download it and consume it. Seems pedantic but IMO it's an important point. Copyright is automatic, restrictive licensing isn't.
    - marcoperaza 10y ago
      >Copyright is automatic, restrictive licensing isn't. You're wrong there. The "default" state of affairs for copyright is that the author retains all rights.
      - pbhjpbhj 10y ago
        Rights aren't a license. If the creator adds a license they have free rein on the form of license. They don't have to offer a license of course.
        marcoperaza 10y ago
        Sorry, you're just wrong here. If I publish a video online, it is a copyright violation for you to redistribute it without my permission. I don't need to put a license or even a copyright marking.

This is definitely not true. If you're looking for stuff that's popular here and now, you'll do fine (especially if you're a fan of Hollywood blockbusters). But as soon as you start looking for back catalogue stuff, you're in a mess of dead torrents and broken links. Want to find a mostly-forgotten science fiction movie from the mid-90s (in my case, Strange Days)? Two hours of hunting for a way of downloading it led me to buying it through a VoD service instead.

jrnichols 10y ago
I'm still amazed at the number of "mock busters" that are on torrent sites. The awful, low budget, garbage take offs...Like one called "Atlantic Rim." I think you can guess what it was a take off of. Fired up Popcorn Time recently and the list was packed full of those types of movies.
kmnc 10y ago
Come on... I found your movie streaming in one super easy google search..it was the second link. Not to mention a 26 seed torrent in another simple google search. Just last night I watched a Polanski film streaming with basically no effort. Finding old movies streaming online is incredibly easy. I bet 100% of the IMDB top 250 can be easily found by searching "X streaming free" and having a good ad blocker.
ensiferum 10y ago
Well p2p such as torrent is for the bottom feeders. There are better methods available.
- UVB-76 10y ago
  If you're referring to topsites, they are archaic, their rules are outdated, and they optimize for speed over quality of releases. In terms of breadth and quality of content, private torrent trackers are far and away the best download method.
  - ensiferum 10y ago
    Usenet
    - UVB-76 10y ago
      Unless you're using private NZB sites with encrypted/obfuscated files, usenet is nowhere near as good as it used to be. Even then, private torrent trackers are better for choice.
knotty66 10y ago
I literally just opened The Pirate Bay, typed "Strange Days", and clicked the top result which has 20 seeds. Couldn't be easier... although maybe it is more difficult in your country, or with your ISP. https://pirateproxy.vip/search/Strange%20Days/0/99/0 https://pirateproxy.vip/search/Strange%20Days/0/99/0
- kodablah 10y ago
  This is actually a great example. There is only one torrent with more than one seeder referring to the movie (it has 17 seeders). So I am forced to use a single format to view the movie in, can't easily use an app to show it on my TV (key word being "easily"), can't choose subtitles for my language of choice, etc, etc. By accident you are making other people's point. Were a more distributed, anonymous storage system to exist instead of on prioritizing seeding and recently used, larger catalogs and quality options might exist.

marcoperaza 10y ago

Or you can pay a reasonable price to rent on iTunes and Amazon Prime. Stop pretending that you pirate because it's a "better experience". You pirate because it's cheaper to steal other people's hard work than to pay a fair price for it.

ensiferum 10y ago
I don't download or condone downloading copyrighted material. Just saying that that famous oatmeal comic still rings very true.
- pbhjpbhj 10y ago
  It's only copyright material you aren't licensed to use that is potentially tortuous. "Big Buck Bunny" out whatever is copyright but the free and open license allows you to download it and consume it. Seems pedantic but IMO it's an important point. Copyright is automatic, restrictive licensing isn't.
  - marcoperaza 10y ago
    >Copyright is automatic, restrictive licensing isn't. You're wrong there. The "default" state of affairs for copyright is that the author retains all rights.
    - pbhjpbhj 10y ago
      Rights aren't a license. If the creator adds a license they have free rein on the form of license. They don't have to offer a license of course.
      - marcoperaza 10y ago
        Sorry, you're just wrong here. If I publish a video online, it is a copyright violation for you to redistribute it without my permission. I don't need to put a license or even a copyright marking.