I want it for FREE! But I don't know how...

[Fawn]

Free stuff is always nice!.. well, depending on the free stuff.. but I hate it when other people try to jack someone elses internet. Just because they are to stupid to put on a secure password, doesn't mean you should steal their internet.

Actually, in Canada, there's a tariff or levy on all recording devices and media (blank tapes, CDs, the assorted players, etc.), and that is then given to recording studios, and in return, Canadians are allowed to create copies for private use, and this is extended to the situation of "I loan you a tape to listen to, and while you have it, you are allowed to make a copy" (yet technically not "I make a copy and give it to you to keep"), and a court ruling said that a person copying music off a P2P server or site is equivilent of the first act, meaning that a Canadian can grab music off the computer of someone else without violating copyrights.

Got to love Canada. *waves flag proudly*

[ruffledbirdy]

Just so you know you can get a word processor for free! I use OpenOffice which is a shareware word processor system which is really good, I love using it, and highly recommend it. It is also associated with FireFox if I'm not mistaken.

Also, don't think you can't be traced when using another network. I'm pretty sure it can happen (though I don't know the specifics). Also, when you jump on an open network like that, you're really taking a chance with safety. A lot of those networks are poorly setup, and thus are usually loaded with viruses. I helped a neighbor fix his just the other day, and it was bad.

Always play safe!

That said, stealing is bad! *waves finger*

Just an FYI post...

[Becks]

M: So, how're you doing today?
SC: *looks at me like a deer in a headlight, drops a box, and runs*

About as subtle as a trainwreck, don't you think?

[MadRocketScientist]

Is it wrong that I saw you as a cartoon mad scientist

Hey, there is only room here for one Mad Scientist, and it is my name, so you all cut that out or I'll crack out the cruise missles.

[Andara Bledin]

Poor Planning, Yo!
SC: *holding something under his coat* Hey, you got a knife I can borrow for a few minutes?
M: Nooooo....what's under your coat?
SC: What, you going to narc on me? Just give me a knife and I'll go away.
M: Uh...

Subtle, Yo!
M: So, how're you doing today?
SC: *looks at me like a deer in a headlight, drops a box, and runs*

Now there are a couple of real winners.

Personally, I just find good freeware equivalents of whatever software I'm looking at. Sure you could pirate Kaspersky, but Avast! is free, nearly as good, and you can get tech support.

Or, you could just get AOL Active Virus Shield, which is free for personal use, and is actually exactly the same engine as Kaspersky. I picked it up when I got my new drive, and I'm quite pleased with it's performance.

Hey, there is only room here for one Mad Scientist, and it is my name, so you all cut that out or I'll crack out the cruise missles.

Hey, you're the Mad Rocket Scientist, proven out by your threat of missiles. I see Dude as more of a tech-based Frankenstein sort of mad scientist.

^-.-^

[AFpheonix]

Given his level of intellect, stab himself with it.

Here's to hoping he aims somewhere around the groin area. You! Out of the gene pool!

Just so you know you can get a word processor for free! I use OpenOffice which is a shareware word processor system which is really good, I love using it, and highly recommend it.

Sure, but Eclipsedragon's job is to SELL the not-free software. What's in it for him to recommend the free stuff? A smarmy person might say that it would ensure customer loyalty, but that tool isn't a customer in that they're not bloody buying anything.

[Mark Healey]

Just so you know you can get a word processor for free! I use OpenOffice which is a shareware word processor system which is really good, I love using it, and highly recommend it. It is also associated with FireFox if I'm not mistaken.

I think you mean OpenOffice.org ("OpenOffice" is trademarked by someone else. The free suite is "OpenOffice.org" to disabmiguate and avoid legal hassles. It's just handy that it is also their domain).

It is actually free and open source software. Shareware authors expect to be paid.

It's an entirely different project from Firefox.

Once you've gone this far you might as well go all the way and switch to Linux.

[Dips]

When supermarkets, farmers, utility companies, clothing stores, hospitals and others who sell the basics of "what people need to live" start giving away everything for free THEN come bitch about charging for software.

Bravo! That's pretty much what we tell persistent whiners who demand that we give away the fruits of our labor for free:

"We'd honestly love to do that and as soon as our landlord, our utility companies, our suppliers and our employees stop expecting to be paid we'll certainly consider it."

The stuff we make is very specialized and will never, by its very nature, have enough market share to make any other business model work for us. We charge everyone the same price which is the lowest we can and still supply the highest quality product/service while staying in business. MOST people get it and are very happy customers.

[queenbb]

Personally, I just find good freeware equivalents of whatever software I'm looking at. Sure you could pirate Kaspersky, but Avast! is free, nearly as good, and you can get tech support.

Music and movies... meh... I hardly ever download any of that stuff, and what I do download is almost exclusively Fansubs and other stuff that's never been released in the USA anyway. They're not losing money when I can't buy it legally.

As for Teh IntarWeb, I pay for my own and lock it down tight because I want the bandwidth. The sweet, addictive, godlike bandwidth! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! *ahem* Sorry.

oh how i love avast, i was going to put up that link (www.avast.com) i have been using them for years as my anti virus.

there are a few legal places you can get free music, the places escape me, but the songs are free with the permission of the artist. most of the stuff is not the popular stuff anyway, i think itunes lets you know of it is free or not (as well as some of the other pay sites)

[Decker]

Conspiracy, Yo!
SC: How can you do this man?
M: *confused* Do what?
SC: This stuff is like what people need to live. How can you charge for it?

Honestly, after having spotty internet for a while, I can sympathize with this guy.

[Pagan]

Personally, I just find good freeware equivalents of whatever software I'm looking at. Sure you could pirate Kaspersky, but Avast! is free, nearly as good, and you can get tech support.

I was going to say the same thing. I've been using AVG and GhostWall for awhile now. A great place to find freeware that you can trust is here: http://www.komando.com/

[Imogene]

Given his level of intellect, stab himself with it.

And then, he'd sue the store. Oh, yes, I can see it now.
"But you didn't tell me not to slash at my jugular with the knife while I was slicing open the box for this copy of Windows Vista!"
"Nope, but Chuck Darwin is loving that I held myself back from shouting for you not to cut too shallowly."

[earl colby pottinger]

Well, I do

And personally I have no issue with using burnt copies of software or hopping onto my neighbors internet, but I realise that you can't help anyone out with that while at work.

Even in Canada the above is illegal. Why should i help anyone commit a crime weather I am at work or not.

And yes, I know certain companies if they can't make a sale would rather you pirate their software instead of the competition because it helps their 'install base' numbers, but I notice they don post instructions publicly on how to steal their software anyway.

More to the point the last time someone claimed there was nothing wrong with pirated software they seemed very upset that I replied in a VERY LOUD VOICE. After all if it all legal like they claimed, what is wrong in letting everyone that they are doing it.

PS, I only switched to the loud voice after twice telling them that I would not help them, and they still kept claiming it was ok and legal. So why be upset in me broadcasting the facts?

[earl colby pottinger]

It's worse.

Korn's video for "Yall want a Single" sums up rather nicely, how badly the music industry treats its artists.

Basicly, If an artist, doesnt have his own private label. Chances are, he is making little to nothing for his work. And i dont mean, 100 thousand instead of 1 million dollars. I mean like 20 dollars instead of 1 million.

Prince does have his own label, with music that he and he alone wrote. Yet recently when he ran a promo that gave away a free CD of *HIS* music the British version of the RIAA tried to sue him claiming his give away his own free music would hurt the music industry!

[queenbb]

i was glad that prince did that,

why because its basicly his money, it was his choice, he wanted his cd out there so he gave a limited amount of free ones out there for getting his publicity, and gaining intrest in his music again since he has pretty much been off the scene for a while.