Illegal Downloads aka the Hong Kong of the Internet

We seem to do this in mass on GFF, so I made a thread about the whole issue. Do you illegally download (which would probably reveal what you think about the issue)? Is it on the rise or decline? What is most downloaded?
Enough with the questions, consider this a all inlcusive discussion on the topic; put news, opinion and whatever else you think about the topic here.

I personally download illegaly, quite a bit in fact. Though I have tried to wean myself off the illegal programs with freeware and OSS software, it hasn't been completed yet; in fact I have never paid for software that wasn't a game. I think downloading whatever you please is not morally wrong, the whole debate was caused by overactive intellectual property holders. Someone most likely paid for the item in question down the line and decided to share it and spare the people the expense of paying for the item. In >99% of the cases, I would have never considered buying or even trying the software/media, in fact the commercial programs that I have tried have encouraged me to use more freeware software. I wouldn't even use Windows if it wasn't for the fact that most of the software I use (namely older games) wouldn't work on Linux.
Though the RIAA and MPAA seem to state that file sharing is on the decline (meaning they're winning the war), I, in fact think it's far more common and easier than it ever was. Google makes it far too easy to find a direct link (or torrent) to the file, it's like we all live in Hong Kong and can find whatever we like if we go down the right street.
What is download and why we download is a question that peers into the logic of almost every internet user, broadband wouldn't be as near as successful if it was only used for gaming and faster page loading. Really, until recently you couldn't even acquire motion pictures online, most of the larger (meaning around 700MB and higher) items you can aquire online are shared games, CDs, DVDs and operating systems. It seems though that the RIAA and MPAA are blindly prosecuting the wrong targets, those who download most are going undectected while numerous people who don't or can't download get the shaft by the RIAA. Scare tactics will never work, until they monitor the source and destination of all the internet traffic (and act on that information), they'll never see any reduction of downloads.
Right now only two programs I'm using are not "licensed", Windows XP Professional and Diskeeper 10 Server Enterprise. Otherwise all my other stuff currently active is legal, all my other shady stuff is dormant at the moment.
They'll have to learn, free is an unbeatable price. If you can get it easily for free, you'll get customers in large amounts. The fact that none of this stuff requires a physical presense in any stage of the transfer makes downloading so popular.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by soniclover

The problem I see with that kind of thinking is that it's actually hurting the artist. When we download something music from a lesser known and artist then it's hurting them a lot more than an artist like Usher.

My main problem with downloading music is that I think "Is the artist I love going to be able to make a new album if I'm not funding their career". When I think if that, it makes me not want to download music....but I still do anyway. Yep...soniclover the hypocrite.

When I download songs from CDs only availible in Japan I am not hurting the artist over there. I was not the intended market and chances are the CD I download is from a dealer that already paid for the CD from the artist's publisher. When the program/song was published with a non-US market in mind, I see absolutely no problem downloading it, I was never meant to buy it so why am I hurting them by downloading and using it?

There's nowhere I can't reach.

On the note of ill-begoten software, Microsoft has released a new WGA program, it will check your Windows install for authenticity and will spam you if it's illegal. The workaround is to disiable automatic updating and do a manual update. Just uncheck any WGA tools listed in the High Priority Updates (I even told Windows Update to not list it), and you'll be home free, for now. Like I've said before if most of the programs I use required Windows, I'd be using something else right now. Of course when has nagging ever got people to stop using Windows without a vaild key?

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

It'll be in the High Priority Update list in the Custom Update list. But if you have Automatic Updates enabled (as the Windows bitches to you if you don't have it on), you might already have it installed. I'll Supply you with a screenshot soon.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by soniclover

What if the artist is seriously greedy?

Then they're not going to be too happy

Then they've sold out and will start to produce music for money. As with movies, the quality tends to sour at that point and so does the sales...

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by shining_force

Was that URL meant to go somewhere?

It was cracked already, too unless they've put out another new version in the last couple days.

Windows.Genuine.Advantage.Validation.v1.5.526.0.CR ACKED-ETH0

I fixed the URL, this is a very new WGA utility, it'll just show a popup at logon if you have automatic updates enabled (it'll install itself). Afterwards it'll show a icon next to the clock reminding you to get Genuine Windows.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?