SuprNova shutdown, owners arrested.

NiGHTMARE said:
Technically the physical item still belongs to the copyright holder...

The physical item?

It's called copyright because it's about copying the content, which exceeds the package... in other words, about intellectual property: something that loses value pretty fast since it can generally effectively be copied quite easily eventually, where it disseminates till capitalization is pointless unless it's packaged in a special way or value is added somehow, such as in special enhanced or expanded (clearly identifiable) editions.

The physical item is yours, but the copyright places legal restrictions on what you can do with it, just like a gun might be yours while there are things you're not allowed to do with it.

The curious thing about the media industry is that it must make such an effort to potentialize the value of its products that in the end they become unnaturally expensive. In reality, at this point, you really are buying the physical item... why pay for a movie or an album if not for the commodity of perhaps greater recording quality and the prettier and emblematic package?

... why pay for a movie or an album if not for the commodity of perhaps greater recording quality and the prettier and emblematic package?

This, coupled with the initiative to push the careers of the authors of the media piece that you thoroughly enjoyed, should be the key aspect of these antipiracy campaigns. These people should just give up and realize they can at most politely ask people to support quality.

A de facto scenario of "experience everything, pay depending on how worthy each piece is to you" is tantalizing.

There is no such thing as intellectual property.

No, the physical item isn't yours. You may possess it, but legally you do not own it. What you own is the right to watch/play/listen to the item, not the item itself.

This is why licenses for PC games include "If you do not accept the terms of this limited license, you must return the Software together with all packaging, manuals and other material contained therein to the store where you acquired the Software for a full refund." Technically, if you were to select 'I disagree' at the bottom of the license but kept your copy of the game, you'd actually be breaking the law.

Publishers/distributors also have the complete legal right to withdraw your license and demand that you return the product.


Making a copy for a friend isn't legally allowed. Look on the back cover of an audio CD or DVD case, and it'll say something like "unauthorised copying, reproduction, hiring, lending, public performance and broadcasting prohibited."

The back cover of a PS2 game case will have something like "unauthorised copying, adaption, rental, lending, distribution, extraction, re-sale, arcade use, charging for use, broadcast, public performance and internet, cable or any telecommunications transmission, access or use of this product or any trademark or copyright work that forms part of this product are prohibited."

Interestingly the covers of GameCube games don't say anything on the subject (the manuals don't either), and I have no idea about X-Box games.

When you go to install most PC games, it'll display something like:

"GENERAL PRODUCT LICENSE. This copy of Game X (the Software) is intended solely for your personal noncommercial home entertainment use. You may not decompile, reverse engineer, or disassemble the Software, except as permitted by law. Publisher Y and Developer Z retain all right, title and interest in the Software including all intellectual property rights embodied therein and derivatives thereof. The Software, including, without limitation, all code, data structures, characters, images, sounds, text, screens, game play, derivative works and all other elements of the Software may not be copied, resold, rented, leased, distributed (electronically or otherwise),used on pay-per-play, coin-op or other for-charge basis, or for any commercial purpose. Any permissions granted herein are provided on a temporary basis and can be withdrawn by Publisher Y at any time. All rights not expressly granted are reserved". Usually it'll go on say one heck of a lot more than that.

Suppose I have a tape recorder with an FM receiver. If I record a tape full of songs, will it be legal to listen to it? I'm just asking theoretically, practically I don't give a damn :)

Fredrik said:

Today's illegality of culture-sharing in the Western world is analogous to the illegality of opposing the government in Nazi Germany.

True enough, but did you just invoke Godwin's Law in some form?

NiGHTMARE said:

Fredrik: In Britain, America, and (I assume) many other capitalist countries, once you've bought software, music, etc you don't actually own it; what you've purchased is actually a license to play/listen to/watch it.

And that industry can suck my balls. I'll use what I pay for any way I see fit.

Scuba Steve said:

Except you can. I can legally make a copy for a friend according to the... Betamax?... court ruling?

I'd love to see that specifically in writing.

NiGHTMARE said:

This is why licenses for PC games include "If you do not accept the terms of this limited license, you must return the Software together with all packaging, manuals and other material contained therein to the store where you acquired the Software for a full refund." Technically, if you were to select 'I disagree' at the bottom of the license but kept your copy of the game, you'd actually be breaking the law.

It would seem that that means that giving the original to someone else as a Christmas present would be illegal too.

Imagine once TCPA hardware is in, you click the "decline" button and then they watch you to see if you don't return the software within a given amount of time so they can sue...

If you click the 'decline' button, you can't install the software anyways, so why does it matter if you still have a copy but don't install it?

Bloodshedder said:

If you click the 'decline' button, you can't install the software anyways, so why does it matter if you still have a copy but don't install it?

You can't use the installer to install the software, anyway. Wink wink nudge.

Jesus, I figured Europe might be safe from this kind of shit. Fucking "global economy" bullshit.

I wonder how these pirating types get their bills paid and such. I mean, since they believe so whole-heartedly in free services and products. See, because I can imagine how much of a hypocrite one would be for accepting checks for his/her labor.

Now I'll wait for the first person to say "but that's different".

Perhaps they rely on voluntary donations. That apparently works. :p

Maybe they have dayjobs that allow them to afford the services they provide! Wow!

^Quoth the guy who didn't get it.

But that's different.

I knew this was going to happen sooner or later. One less place to steal software from. I blame it all on capitalism. Remember folks, if you download/share warez, music, or movies, your an evil communist.

I believe the staff from Torrentbits are creating a new(second) version of their old site. Suprnova going down didn't suprise me. Well, Swebits outta fix their shit in a matter of days.

I'll close this thread before it becomes an information exchange on where to get warez.