chiark

_Please_ would people have a clue about what they post?

Scoobynet cannot be seen to be condoning piracy in any way. This is not up for debate.

Threads are being locked due to people requesting:
- help playing downloaded movies
- help getting ipaq warez working from Kazaa
- help getting pc games working when they don't have the original cd

If you downloaded a copy of a game and it merely doesn't work, you're doing well...

To be honest, any pirated executable that you download should be treated with extreme caution: ok, it hasn't worked, but now you could have god only knows what on your system. You've just granted an unknown program the same permission on your system that you have (likely to be full admin rights). That really isn't clever.

Asking scoobynet for help ripping people off is not on, that's not what the computer forum is for at all.

Cheers,
Nick.
(Chris, apologies for posting this without consulting you first, I thought it needed saying)

Mr.Cookie

Well said nick

Si

gtr_man

Power mad moderators if you ask me. The only reason for this policy is so they can justify thier existance. There is no legal basis for this type of policy.

Anyway, there are loads of file sharing forums out there - check them out.

Prehaps the moderators will lock this thread!

stevencotton

rogp

I have recently been guilty of this. I don't want to damage the reputation of the board in any way.

Apologies for not thinking straight.

Roger

DJ140

Yes I support you on this one Nick, although I bet even you have pirated CD's, copies of CD's for the car, PC software etc?

I don't know a single person that doesn't, but agree it's probably best not to encourage the use of pirated stuff on Scoobynet.

[Edited by DJ140 - 9/18/2003 1:18:05 PM]

druddle

Power mad moderators !!! Never heard such **** in all my life. You try running this board gtr_man. Use yer loaf about what you post, it aint rocket science is it.

chiark

All I am saying is that it is unwise to discuss such activity on an open BBS for fairly obvious reasons. Furthermore, Scoobynet doesn't in any way condone piracy etc, and if you take the argument to the n'th degree we do not want to be complicit in acts of copyright theft. Leaving a post, or providing advice, could see scoobynet as being involved as the conduit/publisher/whatever. That might be legally bollocks, but we've decided to play it safe.

Hence the moderation.

I'm happy for people to put it down to "power crazed mods" if that's what floats your boat. IMHO it's a slightly wierd way to look at a simple request to follow a policy, but it's up to you what you think... - please just accept that it's there for the generic good of the community.

Cheers,
Nick.

ozzy

Whether Nick or any other mods uses hookey software themselves is completely irrelevant. Scoobynet is a business and as such cannot be seen to promote or condone piracy by them or any of their users.

Why the hell can't you understand that

Stefan

Foot_Tapper

A sensible stance, obviously not a popular one on all accounts,
but understandable.

messiah

you are of course allowed to make backup's of your cd's.

I'm not into copying music cd's anyway - I'd rather have the proper inlay cards etc...

chiark

You won't be if the EU adopts the utterly stupid DCMA-style laws they're thinking of adopting.

But that's a different kettle of fish entirely

gtr_man

And if you believe that you'll believe anything

Boro

iTrader: (1)

Just a thought...

Hypothetically, if i created a thread asking for help playing a movie i downloaded and i would like to convert it to play on DVD, would the post be locked?

Even IF there was no mention of the movie name. Could it not be an UNcopyrighted movie? Or is there an assumption that every movie downloaded is a box office hit?

Like i said just curious as to what the stance would be?

gtr_man

I reckon the moderators would be gullable enough to fall for it

ScoobyDoo555

Generally agree about Scoobynet's policy

BUT that is a good point about copyright-free stuff. There is a LOAD of stuff out there that won't infringe on copyright law.

Most library music is copyright free, as are home-movies (Camcorder stuff etc).

How will Scoobynet moderate this? <not an ar$ey question - I work in the Music Business, so copyright is something close to my heart! )>

Dan

Mr Footlong

iTrader: (7)

Gtr_Man, if you don't have anything to say then please simply shut up and that goes for the rest of the obvious pirating spanners on here. Go ahead and pimp warez all you like but go use your brains and search engines instead of asking dumb questions on here about them etc.

Nick.

Boro

iTrader: (1)

Id still like a serious answer to my serious question from a MOD please

ChristianR

iTrader: (1)

Boro - If the thread was locked as the mod thought you were talking about illegal content copying. I am guessing you would request the thread to be unlocked and explain that it legit. Simple enough

Boro

iTrader: (1)

Maybe it would be better NOT to lock the thread unless it is perfectly obvious that the content relates to illegal activity?

Mr Footlong

iTrader: (7)

Yawn. Why don't muppets simply stay in their own section or post on other forums???

ScoobyDoo555

The only problem with this thread is that this should be being discussed in "ScoobyNet Policy"

The copyright issue IS a vaild question. I heartily agree with ScoobyNet's stance on piracy, but there IS a 'grey' area regarding the copyright.

It would be nice to have a definitive answer on this (from a MOD or webmaster ) irrespective on whether the decision is deemed right or wrong...

Dan

Boro

iTrader: (1)

Having just looked over some recently locked threads (not started by me by the way), i can see Nicks reasons for locking them.

I agree with SN policy regarding piracy and helping those involved.

But my point remains, if its obviously illegal/piracy lock it. But make sure it IS before doing so.

sasim

That is a good point about un-copyrighted materials, but we simply do not have the spare time to investigate whether all of the items posted here are subject to copyright restrictions. Remember we all have other jobs and we moderate SNet voluntarily in our own spare time.

I would say that the onus would be on you guys to prove that the software/video/music etc was un-copyrighted then the threads may be allowed to run. The only problem there is that any advice given on that item would also be valid for illegally copying other items. It's a fine line!!

I might be wrong (and probably am!!) but I'm sure that I read somewhere that in the UK there is no provision in the copyright laws to allow a person to make a "Backup" copy of their software/music/video etc thus it is illegal to do so.

Stuart

ScoobyDoo555

So the safest way is for the poster to ensure that the post states/can prove that the material is copyright-free.

To save any grief, the obvious response to such posts is "YHM"

Keep it off-line

Dan

gtr_man

It's ironic that even the moderators don't know which forum to discuss this subject in. FYI. it was a moderator that orginally started this subject in this forum!

So anyway Which point2point file sharing porgram is best for downloading these 'copyright free' movies? ...

Luke

I am very happy to use a "Copy XP pro" and a "windows 2000 pro"
Tomorrow I will buy 2-3 copy DVDs... Its not the end of the world...

How many of you have bought a computer with software on it....??

Taking drugs is illegal yet we talk about them here. Speeding is illegal yet we talk about it here. Trying to avoid speeding tickets could be illegal yet we talk about it.

None of use have "Saint" written on our **** so whats the big issue... These big companies make toooooooooooooo much money. I am happy Billy boy gates dont get mine.

chiark

Do you feel the need to tell everyone about this Luke? Why?

My stance on anyone asking for help in getting stuff working that they've downloaded is that the thread stands until some idiot wanders along saying "yeah, I got Finding Nemo off Kazaa and it won't work"...

Keep it legal, or at least not blatantly inyerface illegal and I think no-one has a problem.

The point, IMHO, of the computer forum was for car enthusiasts who were also into PCs to help each out. It isn't a warez/divx/l33t hax0r hangout - it never has been, and providing we're all sensible it never will be. If you want help with that, STFW: there's plenty of places to get help.
Cheers,
Nick.

Luke

Nick

because I cant stand all this krap stuff every time its mentioned.... Loads of us will have a pirate cd-video-car part-Tshirt-computer game. etc etc etc.

Ive done it ..And I am not worried about it.

How many other illegal matters do we discuss here??? This seems to be the only real one that some get upset about.

chiark

What else illegal gets discussed openly on here? Genuinely intrigued, as we try to avoid this... Speeding gets discussed sensibly but you're right, there may be a bit of leniency there?

The point is do people want this sort of stuff on the board? My impression/opinion is a definite "no".