Well, now I'm a victim of the "intellectual property" Nazis.

[Odin2005]

My Internet service was out for 3 days because there was a "complaint" to my ISP because I downloaded "An Inconvenient Truth" off a P2P site a year ago. I called my ISP on Tuesday and they made me delete the file and said that my Internet would be back on by Wednesday. Wednesday came and went and still no Internet. So I called then again today and FINALLY they got my Internet service up again.

Anyone else run into this same BS?

[Tangerine LaBamba]

1. I hate to say this,

but if you want to watch the movie, buy the DVD. Al deserves at least that.

And so does any artist who works his ass off to produce a work that you are not entitled to for free.

[stopbush]

2. We sholdn't be surprised that in this digital age

illegal digital downloads can be tracked by digital programs.

I got Al's book of AIT for Xmas a few years ago and saw the movie on HBO or something. I agree with the first poster who advised you to purchase Al's DVD.

[Odin2005]

3. Oh, I do have the DVD now, I just didn't bother to delete the file and forgot about it.

This is why the movie and recording industries are shooting themselves in the foot. If people think music or a movie is good they WILL buy it even if they have already downloaded it.

[spoony]

6. I have to agree

Because, in my experience, DL'ed stuff is of noticeably lesser quality. So if people try it and like it, they would want a good copy of it; that is, one they'd have to buy. I've personally bought many albums I'd never dreamt of buying (or even knew they existed, often) because I liked what I heard.

[Renew Deal]

4. How would they know if you still have the file or not?

:shrug:

[Art_from_Ark]

19. You'd be surprised at how much snooping can be done

There are all sorts of ways for outsiders to snoop on the stuff in your computer.

Trojan horses masquerading as freeware, operating system or applications automatically checking for software updates, cookie sniffers that tell places like Yahoo where you've been.

You don't really have a heck of a lot of privacy with your computer if you spend a lot of time on the Internet or use a lot of free Internet services.

[Warren DeMontague]

5. They should have just had Al Gore come over and personally administer a spanking.

I'm sorry, that's a weird image.

[eShirl]

7. that's because when you d/l with P2P, you are also uploading to other d/l-ers

That's why I quit using P2P for movies & TV a few years ago, in favor of streaming media.

http://watch.ovguide.com/movies_tv.php?q=an+inconvenient+truth

[Political Heretic]

11. Awesome link.

[TWiley]

8. I would love to hear you Boo-Hoo over getting your Credit Card stolen

It is the same thing dude. Man-up sally. Get a job and pay your way.

[MineralMan]

9. Sorry, but how are you a victim of anything?

I don't get it.

[book_worm]

10. I'm finding it hard to feel sorry for you.

[Stinky The Clown]

12. I'm married to a person who creates "intellectual property"

People think they can just freely use her stuff. The stuff she sells. She's happy to share, but ya gotta at least ask.

Everybody wants a deal ......

[sohndrsmith]

17. Thank you. The biggest problem with this whole issue is people think

(I guess) that just because something is easily accessible then they can take it for free. It's no different than lifting the DVD from Best Buy, but people won't opt for that because of the consequences, and most people understand doing something like that is illegal. The means of acquiring the media shouldn't be relevant. I don't see any difference, anyway.

Another unfortunate belief is that - for some reason - people expect to enjoy creative works for free. I'm an artist and throughout my life, people ask me, "can you do this for me - or that for me?" I can, and have occasionally, without asking for anything in return. And usually people don't understand the time, energy, materials, processes that go into "a simple little painting". When you're talented, it looks "easy" to other people. Even if it is, creating something still takes time, labor, years of training or practice, materials - all of which you invest in that simple little painting. This is true of musicians, writers, photographers...

Art, music, all intellectual property - should be considered a product, because it is. It's not a very romantic description, and those who create tend to shy away from such definitions, but that perpetuates the problem. People create a product, and more often than not intend on selling that product. If they choose to give it away for free, that's up to them. These products aren't ours to take just because we want them or because they aren't in a brick and mortar store with a security guard.

If you're taking something without permission, you're stealing. It's pretty simple, no?

[spanone]

13. downloading copyrighted material is illegal...unless you pay for it.

not to preach, but that's how those people make their living. selling their widget (movie, cd, whatever)

[leftofthedial]

14. I had the same problem

I used my perfectly legal firearm to persuade the local 7-11 clerk to give me $27.38 that I desperately needed.

Naturally, there was a "complaint" by some busybody. They made me give the money back and pretty much all my services were cut off until last Wednesday.

Nazis.

[leeroysphitz]

15. Who is your ISP? Comcast?

I'll bet you still get charged for those three days without service but, somehow, YOU, are the criminal...

:eyes:

[Odin2005]

20. Cable internet from my local cable company, Cable One.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

16. You should be grateful, you are a thief and your punishment was not being able to come here for ...

3 days.

David

[charlie]

18. Not a victim

Not in this case. Sorry, you're not.

[slampoet]

21. Use "PeerGuardian" It puts an end to letters like this. These day to have to use it even when DL'ing

things that are public domain.