For shame, Ubisoft.

[Lucifer]

A similar example would be standing outside a concert that you have not purchased tickets for. One might say this is like pirating, because you are enjoying the same music for free that people have paid money for. However, I would disagree - the concert people are not selling music. They are selling the rights to sit in one of their seats over the course of one 2 hour performance at their facilities.

The problem I'd like to point out with that analogy, is that you're not standing outside of the concert, you're sitting on the lap of the friend that bought the ticket.

[LeGuy]

A similar example would be standing outside a concert that you have not purchased tickets for. One might say this is like pirating, because you are enjoying the same music for free that people have paid money for. However, I would disagree - the concert people are not selling music. They are selling the rights to sit in one of their seats over the course of one 2 hour performance at their facilities.

The problem I'd like to point out with that analogy, is that you're not standing outside of the concert, you're sitting on the lap of the friend that bought the ticket.

Haha, well, yes. There's going to be a lot of loopholes when you're talking about any legal matter. But the purpose of my post was just to give a basic idea of my opinions on the difference between pirating and just sharing the game with a friend. The analogy was just used an example to point out that the experience of entertainment is not neccesarily what is being sold.

[ARTgames]

Its hard to make an analogy dealing with information using physical property's. Since information's can be copied copied perfectly as many times as you want and it never get worn out.

[Lingus]

Ling i think you should read my last post before this one. My views were changed from the post you quoted. That post you quoted i was not really being that rational at that time. Chaos helped me there on msn. But for anything else we can agree to disagree.

Fair enough. I was just responded to that one string of comments. I understand you changed what you said a bit later one. Take my comment for what it's worth.

Also for that "wired like ling" was just a joke. I was trying to end that post like a past one but word it for Lucifer. No hard feelings man. Sorry i sounded that way.

Understood. Hard to tell your tone from the post. Thanks for explaining.

I would like to contribute by pointing out that the publishing companies are not neccesarily selling the experience of playing a game. What they are selling is one tangible disk with one copy of the game's data. When a friend comes over to your house and plays your game, they are enjoying the exact same copy of legally acquired data that you do.

A similar example would be standing outside a concert that you have not purchased tickets for. One might say this is like pirating, because you are enjoying the same music for free that people have paid money for. However, I would disagree - the concert people are not selling music. They are selling the rights to sit in one of their seats over the course of one 2 hour performance at their facilities.

You're not automatically charged every time you hear a song being played in public. You cannot charge people for the concept of entertainment itself, but you can charge them for a physically existing object (television, football, etc.) that can be used a source of entertainment.

That's what I think the difference between pirating and simply sharing something with your friends is. When you play Super Mario 64 at a friend's house, you are, with consent of the owner, sharing in the entertainment of the exact same tangible game cartidge and copy of game data that your friend has legal rights to. When you download some game illegally off of the internet, you are enjoying a different copy of the game data that you have not purchased the legal rights to.

Just some of my insight on the matter, in any case.

Not the best analogy. I guess better would be inviting people over to watch TV. Or ordering a pay-per-view item such as a boxing match and inviting people over to watch it. You're paying for it a single time (or in the case of TV monthly, but for one instance of the service) and yet multiple people are gaining the benefits. Pirating would be more like hooking up a cable from your TV and running it to your neighboors house so they can get free TV (of course, again this analogy breaks down a bit when you consider digital bandwidth and box sets). Now, if your friend lives nearby and they have a key to your house or whatever, and they can pop buy whenever they want to watch your TV... they don't have to pay for it ever do they?

So yes, the legality is one thing. That's more to do with what is reasonable to be able to monitor. There's no way they can even know that you're letting a friend over to watch TV, or play a video game. But honestly, if they could find a way I bet they would restrict it. Because what it comes down to for the company is money. If they're losing money due to these actions, and they can do something to try and prevent it, they will.

What this all comes down to is this. Any company should be allowed to take whatever measures they choose to protect their profits. You can't deny them that. That's what capitalism is all about. But, at the same time, the consumer has the right to refuse to buy whatever product they don't like. And so in this way if a company wants to sell more products and make more profit, then they have to do things that makes the consumer happy. If consumers are going to buy these games even if they have this DRM, and even if they are overpriced, then the company will make a profit and continue to do what they're doing.