Is it okay to pirate stuff you already own?

[Oneirius]

This could very well have been a gaming discussion, but since it deals not only necessarily with video games, but also with books or films or music, I put it here.
I happen to know a few people who argue that it is perfectly okay, and in fact it should be legal to download for free games, films or books you have already bought once and paid for. They claim that since they already gave money for the product, the act is not in any way harmful to the industry, and is just a matter of convenience (in case the first copy is lost or damaged, or simply because they prefer reading their books on a computer screen). I have a friend who is even more "extreme" about this and has a habit of downloading all the games owned by his close friends who live nearby, since he knows that all he needs to do is just ask them to borrow their game for a while and they'll always agree, so by downloading it he is just saving himself the trouble of going all the way to their house...
Now, this is a pretty crazy argument but it is way saner then some other ones that are common out there ("DRM is tyrannical and draconian, so as a freedom loving rebel I am going to piratically download as many games as possible to prove the industry that it doesn't work!"), so I have decided to open a discussion about it here, just because.

What do you think about it? Do you agree? If so, why? etc.

P.S. Sorry for my horrible English today, I am very very tired right now...

 

[TriggerHappyAngel]

When a old PC game has a broken/scratched CD, and i can't buy it anymore, then i pirate it because i can't play it any other way

 

[Ph33nix]

its okay to pirate so long as if you enjoyed it you then buy it or if you already own it

 

[zidine100]

its illegal yes, moraly right yes, its a bit like the abandonware argument in that sense.

also about your 'friend' who does that just tell 'him' how to copy disks damn it a hell of a lot less risky and a hell of alot faster, all you have to do is to download a freaking crack.( note if you borrowing a game this is of questionable morality (its a bit like copying rentals) if you dont in fact own the game itself or owned it).

 

[MassiveGeek]

Well, maybe you could work out some sort of system for it? Like, a special code or something that you get with the game, so if it breaks or doesn't work you can download it for free.

... Now that was just a brainfart, there's probably way better ideas, but from a moral standpoint, I don't see a problem, so. Sure.

 

[MegaManOfNumbers]

As a matter of fact, yes. as long as you own the exact original product the law enforcement can't accuse you of pirating something you already own. that'll be redundant, and stupid if your the prosecuter.

 

[hittite]

Only if there's some sort of mitigating circumstances. Like stupid and restrictive DRM, broken game disks, or you just want to play it on a different platform (yay, ROM hacks).

 

[SultanP]

If you own something legally, it is also legal to make a copy for the purpose of safekeeping and personal use, should the original be damaged beyond usability.

Therefore, it seems to me that at least morally, you're in the right to use said copy even if the original is still usable. It would also be fine to get a copy that strictly speaking isn't a copy of your specific item because these things are mass produced anyway, so no matter which one you copy, it's all the same thing.

Any laws dealing with how you got another copy to use in place of what you already own, and if the copy is of your item, are stupid, ridiculous laws that only waste time and resources being enforced.

 

[The Zango]

I'd say its perfectly ok. While I'm not admitting to piracy, I have a friend that broke two copies of the same game by rolling over them with his computer chair (what an idiot) and then he pirated it a third time, now I personally don't consider that illegal, but I would be interested to see what a court would conclude, though I hope my friend never goes to court for that one time instance.

 

[The Rockerfly]

Do you mean ports for different consoles?

For example, If I already bought oblivion on my xbox I wouldn't think it's illegally or morally questionable if I pirated it on the PC

 

[snide_cake]

Yes it's okay. As some people have argued, you have already purchased the item and thus have already contributed to the franchise in a monetary fashion.

 

[TehCookie]

Well sure, but who's going to download something they already possess?

People who lost their game, or have a broken copy.

I hate it when I buy a game, and it plays for like the first 5 hours or 10 hours, and then won't load past a certain point. Most of the time you are pissed and don't want to spend the money on buying the same game twice because you already bought it!

 

[irani_che]

I am into old games, and it is difficult to find them online, or as they are no longer being made, you have to buy one pre-owned where its rarity makes it cost more than its really worth.
either way, it does not benefit the guys who made the game so i pirate them

 

[TiloXofXTanto]

I don't know if it is morally or socially acceptable, but legally it is quite acceptable.

If one owns a product that can be found online for free by way of pirating, then should the owner wish to have a backup or an extra through download on the internet, it is completely legal. (excluding of course the actual act of putting such a product on the internet for free while simultaneously not being the owner of it)

So yeah, if you own it, you can download it, (so long as you didn't steal your original copy too) and you will technically not be at fault for any crime. (except for negligence, I believe, since you told no one about the illegal pirating site you found the copy on)

 

[Sikachu]

Well sure, but who's going to download something they already possess?

Currently I own The Matrix on VHS, DVD, and Blu-Ray, as well as two pirated versions on my two PCs (faster than going downstairs to rip the DVD, then it was faster than going downstairs to rip the Blu-Ray) and one pirate copy that I wrote to DVD when I couldn't find my DVD of it. So me.

 

[Andantil]

It's fine. I've had to torrent several games that I lost over the years to reinstall them, namely Fallout, Fallout 2, Warcraft 3, Metal Fatigue, Roller Coaster Tycoon 2, and Diablo 2.

 

[Super Toast]

I think so. Hell, right now I'm playing Pokemon Silver on my Laptop.