4 ms·

No, but is it reality to think that people that would steal begin paying? Most pirated content is content that would have otherwise not been paid for in the fir

No, but is it reality to think that people that would steal begin paying? Most pirated content is content that would have otherwise not been paid for in the first place. How much did it affect the promotion of movies though if people weren't talking and looking for it more? I actually think it ends up benefitting in the end or close to even. Exhibit A: The success of Windows Exhibit B: The success of Photoshop. Both gained a foothold via piracy initially. Piracy gets them hooked then later they buy or they buy it with budgets at work. Is it worth recovering 1-2% for losing 98% of a user base? Does that eventually lead to more sales? It is a tough problem.

Evbn 14y ago
Movies have less network effect than software, and most is not all. Why does MPAA need a bunch of people watching movies but not paying? These viewers aren't tastemakers, mass market advertising is taste maker.
- sophacles 14y ago
  Yeah, no one has ever gone out and bought or rented a movie because "all my friends are talking about it, better keep up".
- drawkbox 14y ago
  People watching more movies gets them interested in actors, series, artists, directors etc, this later does lead to sales and is directly a network effect. It is advertising and content is being consumed, if the content is good it has a lasting impact. Same effect it has on software in some cases. These are also people that have the time to pirate and were never going to buy right now. Later when they have no time and more money they will buy products, they weren't buying if they were taking the time to pirate it. So is it better for an artist or piece of content to be seen/heard or not? $10-$20 for a movie is cheap compared to the time it takes to get it at a certain point and is more convenient. Compared to software prices, music and movies have it locked up in the convenience factor if prices are low and content is actually available. Users will choose convenience and have on those types. Piracy will be won via convenience, not against the current. Yes it can never be legal or the whole system breaks but it will never go away, use it. Piracy is a 10x+ modifier on user base (freemium is a response to this).
  - tsotha 14y ago
    >These are also people that have the time to pirate and were never going to buy right now. Later when they have no time and more money they will buy products, they weren't buying if they were taking the time to pirate it. That was me with games. When I was a teenager with no money, it didn't bother me to copy games because there was no lost sale - I couldn't afford to buy no matter how badly I wanted the game. Now that I'm older I have a lot of money (relative to the cost of a game, anyway) and I don't have the time or inclination to pirate anything.
davidw 14y ago
> Most pirated content is content that would have otherwise not been paid for in the first place. If we're going to criticize this study for being less than rigorous, I think citations like the above need to be backed up as well.

Evbn 14y ago

Movies have less network effect than software, and most is not all. Why does MPAA need a bunch of people watching movies but not paying? These viewers aren't tastemakers, mass market advertising is taste maker.

sophacles 14y ago
Yeah, no one has ever gone out and bought or rented a movie because "all my friends are talking about it, better keep up".
drawkbox 14y ago
People watching more movies gets them interested in actors, series, artists, directors etc, this later does lead to sales and is directly a network effect. It is advertising and content is being consumed, if the content is good it has a lasting impact. Same effect it has on software in some cases. These are also people that have the time to pirate and were never going to buy right now. Later when they have no time and more money they will buy products, they weren't buying if they were taking the time to pirate it. So is it better for an artist or piece of content to be seen/heard or not? $10-$20 for a movie is cheap compared to the time it takes to get it at a certain point and is more convenient. Compared to software prices, music and movies have it locked up in the convenience factor if prices are low and content is actually available. Users will choose convenience and have on those types. Piracy will be won via convenience, not against the current. Yes it can never be legal or the whole system breaks but it will never go away, use it. Piracy is a 10x+ modifier on user base (freemium is a response to this).
- tsotha 14y ago
  >These are also people that have the time to pirate and were never going to buy right now. Later when they have no time and more money they will buy products, they weren't buying if they were taking the time to pirate it. That was me with games. When I was a teenager with no money, it didn't bother me to copy games because there was no lost sale - I couldn't afford to buy no matter how badly I wanted the game. Now that I'm older I have a lot of money (relative to the cost of a game, anyway) and I don't have the time or inclination to pirate anything.

davidw 14y ago

> Most pirated content is content that would have otherwise not been paid for in the first place. If we're going to criticize this study for being less than rigorous, I think citations like the above need to be backed up as well.