Thread: Why do you torrent/download?

The Piracy Vs Paying thread got me thinking...

Why do YOU torrent things, instead of paying for them?



Do you have different reasons for each item you download?

What would make you stop downloading items?


Personally I download things because I feel that the current costs of items are too high, and I also like the convenience of a downloaded file then a store bought CD/DVD/Blu-Ray


I'll break down what I download and why I download them.

Movies - I download movies in HD because I don't feel that a movie is worth 20+ dollars for a blu-ray. I don't think it should cost me 20-30 dollars to watch a movie in HD that I might not even like. I used to do Netflix but the wait time of a new release was to long for my likings. Then we have the convience factor involved in downloading a movie file and throwing it in media center on my HTPC and watching them when I like.

Music - I download music because I like the convenience of having all my music files in MP3 format. Most of music I have (Older at least) I have purchased the CD's when they first came out. But most of my older CD's have either been lost, stolen, or scratched over the years. I feel that since I have already purchased that particular CD I am entitled to own a digital copy of these as well. I do in fact still purchase CD's if it is a band that I support and I like the particular CD. But instead of ripping the CD myself, I find it easier and just about as quick to download that particular CD from a torrent site and have everything set up already for me.

Programs/games - I will rarely download any programs or games, on the rare occasion that I do download them I will only download them on a trial basis to see if it is a program that I feel I will use enough to warrant the cost. I will not pay hundreds of dollars for office/photoshop only to use them once a month if that. (Though I now get them free through my work). If I feel that the price of the program is not a complete rip off and that I will use the program enough to warrant the cost then I'll gladly pay for it at that point.

What would make me stop downloading -
I would gladly stop torrenting if there was a service out there that offered what I use for a reasonable price.

I would pay around 30 bucks a month for a netflix type service that would allow me to view movies over the internet in HD quality whenever I wanted to. New releases as well as older movies. Give me the option to download the movies to my computer and keep them there as well as long as I had a paid subscription to the service.

For music I would pay about 20 bucks a month for the same service. I know there are services that are close to this, but I want access to all music, not just some bands here and some bands there. I want access to everything put out by every band, including the rare stuff and live performances as well.

As for software/games I think there should be trials for every piece of software out there. Let me try a game for a specific amount of time, or a couple of levels.

For software make a licensing system that allows someone to use your program 5 times a month without spending hundreds of dollars.



I'm curious what everyone here things about these topics.

Also I did a quick search for this topic and could not find a topic like this, if there is already a topic like this that is up I do apologize in advance.

I still use Netflix for movies, and there are no programs that I want that aren't already free. As far as games go, I torrent games for the same reason I torrent music.

That reason is protest. I have many better things to spend my money on that an album or a video game who's largest beneficiary of my purchase will be some middle-man corporation who can barely be credited with the artistic or entertainment value of the product. I don't only hate this middle-man, be it a record label or publisher of sorts simply because they're take an undeserved largest portion of profit from the author, artist, or creator of the work I appreciate and enjoy. I hate them because I have no tolerance for greed and their sole purpose is to monetize the creative works of others who are passionate about what they do and contribute to society with that passion. I hate them because their firm but largely useless positions in their industries are responsible for everything that's wrong with their industries, such as stifling creativity and betraying their customers with DRM that ultimately betrays the original authors of what becomes littered with DRM.

When a musical artist makes an album, they're not doing it full on for themselves- they're capable of playing the songs for themselves any time without having to record it. They're doing it for people who will want it, love it, and appreciate it. They dream of putting smiles on the faces of their audience, not treating them like criminals. A better example are game designers, the stress of creating a good game is at times far too much to bare, as is any project of that scale. What keeps them going, inspires them, when it gets rough is not only the desire to enjoy the product of their labor, but for others to as well. They're inspired by the thought of thousands of people becoming immersed in the world they created with their imagination, and that maybe some of those people will truly appreciate the mind behind the work. They are absolutely not driven to persevere through difficult creative processes with press releases of how a game someone spent potentially years on is frustrating customers and leaving someone's hard work virtually impossible to experience because of DRM.

Yes, artists and game designers alike are being paid to do what they love but it is a means to an end for them, to make their visions a reality. And if there was another way to do what they do, and reach the audiences they reach, without having to sign a contract with the devil- I'm sure they would take that alternative. That's why I torrent, torrenting is the alternative for them to reach a greater audience without the greedy middle-men. The cost of producing an album or game should be returned and with interest to said middle-men, for helping creators afford the costs of creation. But the lifetime of profits belongs in the hands of the creators, and if the creators hosted their own torrents from their own seedboxes which required PayPal donations to access- I would likely make the necessary donations. I'd do it just to be able to say thanks for the hard work, and to be able to download a major release and seed it at my lowly speed to help without having to worry about my ratio.

Anyway, that's why I torrent. Even though my notion of PayPal purchased torrents from creators isn't in practice (or at least that I'm aware of with people I follow) I do find ways to support. I have lots of merchandise and ticket stubs from bands that I love. And it's my understanding the profits from those things in most cases do go directly to the band, which is in part why I do it, but also because I like it for my own amusement :)