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Journal Chacham's Journal: Downloading and paying for series. 11

Journal by Chacham

So, getting back on buying series, i've guess i've settles on $1 an episode, unless it is absolutely exceptional or has a lot or re-watchness in it. So, something like the X-files which is pretty good, but would only be watched once in a while should get less ($1 or slightly more an episode) than something like the early Simpsons which are very good and have much re-watchabality.

Anyway, the X-Files cost much too much. 20 or so episodes a season for ~$135 each. I figure i want the first seven seasons, but will never pay $950 fot it. The list price is ~$150, making it over $1000!

If i counted correctly, the first seven seasons is a total of 150 episodes, which means that i'd pay ~$150 (maybe slightly more because i really do like the series (I'm think $200 would do it)). So, what i could do, is download six of those seasons and pay for the seventh. (Or just download them all and buy any one later.) That way, they get about all the money they'd get from me anyway, i get what i want, and everyone is happy.

The other way would be to download it all and mail them a check. I fear, however, that would incur more damage and ill will than good. Because, then they know that i downloaded it, know that i didn't pay what they want, and so on. If i buy a box set, noone's the wiser.

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Downloading and paying for series. More

Downloading and paying for series.

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  • If you are unwilling to pay the price that the company is offering it, take the moral high ground and not have it.

    If the company is selling the product at $150 a season, either pay the full price or go without.

    Another option, is find the seasons when they are used, such as on ebay or a local disc'go'round.

    When a farmer has a stand that is self pay or honor system, and he has the price $3.50 for a pint of raspberries, do you take two and only put in $3.50? He obviously has the plants and get more raspber
    • If you are unwilling to pay the price that the company is offering it, take the moral high ground and not have it.

      That is the case. However, once i decide that i will not pay for it, they lose no money. So, now it is free for the copying.

      When a farmer has a stand that is self pay or honor system, and he has the price $3.50 for a pint of raspberries, do you take two and only put in $3.50? He obviously has the plants and get more raspberries, so it isn't like you are hurting his bottem line? Shouldn't he
      • Copying is not stealing. The owner loses nothing. And if you think he loses future profits, i refuse to pay their price.

        Not true. The value of the content is in its scarcity. When content is scarce the value of that content goes up. If everyone owned a copy of 7 seasons of XFiles, the value would be low, since I know I can just ask a friend to borrow his copy, and most likely will never buy one. However, if I cannot find a copy to borrow from a friend, I will have to buy a copy, so they can ask more f
        • What gives you the right to watch the content they are not giving away for free? Why do you deserve to watch some show that you have not paid for?

          I always want to buy media, but (while I wouldn't do it myself), I see Chacham's point. They DID give these TV shows away for 'free'. They allowed anyone who had the desire to watch and copy the episodes when the series first ran.

          The value of the content is in its scarcity.

          There is a difference between copying and taking -- that's why larceny and copyright
          • Interesting.

            Although, there is a decision not to buy. And if that decisions stands even when the person could not otherwise get a copy, i would believe the person could copy it.
            • Ah, but you *did* have the intent to buy -- just at a lower price. If it was at a lower price, you'd have bought legitimate releases.

              In my mind (and all of this is just one person's view) that means you're stuck with an ethical obligation to at least the official release from a discount retailer or used market. I probably don't need to add my sentiment that it'd be unethical to buy a proper release, copy it, then sell the original while retaining the copies.
        • What gives you the right to watch the content they are not giving away for free?

          Since when to i need a right to watch something? Where do they get the right to tell me that i cannot watch it.

          Put it this way, what if i threw random 1s and 0s on a DVD and it just happened to become a show. Would i then have to destroy the copy?

          Why do you deserve to watch some show that you have not paid for?

          Deserve?

          I simply want to watch it. I just refuse to pay that price, even if that means that i won't ever watch i
          • Copying is not stealing. Copying is illegal mostly because of potential loss. If i can guarantee no future loss, there would then be no reason not to copy.

            And if we follow this cycle of thought there is no reason to pay for any content and we have the classic trajety of the commons, only in reverse. No one produces anything since they cannot make money to provide the costs of development and the cost of living.

            What seems to be missed by the folks that claim information wants to be free is that informati
            • The example isn't analogous because it supposes the particular intellectual property was never purposefully and freely distributed by its owner.

              Instead try this: What if Ocean Floor Maps spent the same amount of money but it had always been their intent that they'd post the maps online without charge and without making the public agree to anything. Perhaps others paid to get their ads on map-pages, or the company also intended to lease rights to others, later, or sell copies later on. The other stuff doe
            • If noone would have paid for it, the business would have failed anyway. If they would have paid for it, they should not download it for free.

              I don't see the problem.

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