The ability to change features, prices, and availability of things you’ve already paid for is a powerful temptation to corporations.

  • Hamartiogonic@sopuli.xyz
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    10 months ago

    Normally people pay to see the circus, but you could just sneak in though. It’s not exactly stalling, so what do you call that? The circus is still there, but you didn’t pay for it.

    If lots of people start doing that, the circus probably won’t have enough money to keep on performing. Maybe they’ll get rid of the more expensive bits and just keep the cheaper ones in the future.

    • lolcatnip@reddthat.com
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      10 months ago

      That’s a bad analogy because there’s finite space for people to watch the circus, meaning that seating for the show they conforms to fire codes, etc. is finite.

      It’s also a bad analogy because someone who sneaks into a circus trespassing, not stealing.

      • Hamartiogonic@sopuli.xyz
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        9 months ago

        I agree that the analogy isn’t perfect. As you pointed out, people sneaking in are taking space from people who would be willing pay for the service.

        If you could somehow sneak into Netflix and take some of their bandwidth or their ability to provide the service to paying customers, then the analogy would work. In reality though, people pirate Netflix shows and movies by torrenting, and that has no impact on Netflix’s bandwidth.

        The way I see it, circus and digital videos are a service. You are supposed to pay for both, but you can easily see both of them for free. Comparing these two with stealing just doesn’t work IMO.

        You could also compare it with watching a football match from the other side of the fence. Although, in reality, you wouldn’t get a very good view of the game, whereas torrenting movies gives you a great view. Interestingly, the football example doesn’t involve trespassing, but you still get to enjoy a part of the service. All analogies break at some point.

    • CileTheSane@lemmy.ca
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      10 months ago

      What would you call it if you buy a piece of art and hang it on your wall, then a couple months later the company that sold you the art comes into your home, takes the art away, and says you don’t own it anymore?

      If enough companies do that people are going to stop paying for art.

      • jimbo@lemmy.world
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        9 months ago

        That company is also going to show you the agreement you signed that says they can do that, which is the current situation with digital goods. People are still buying them.

        • CileTheSane@lemmy.ca
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          9 months ago

          That company is also going to show you the agreement you signed that says they can do that

          Nobody said otherwise. The argument isn’t “this is illegal”, it’s “this is bullshit.”

          People are still buying them.

          And the argument being put forward is that people shouldn’t be.

      • Hamartiogonic@sopuli.xyz
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        9 months ago

        If that was a normal purchase, then that’s clearly theft.

        If it was art leasing, there’s probably a long contract with details about a situation like this. No matter what the contract says, the local law might still disagree with that, so it can get complicated. The art company might be violating their own contract, although it is unlikely. The company might be within the rights outlined in the contract, but they might still be breaking the law. You need a lawyer to figure it out.

        • CileTheSane@lemmy.ca
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          9 months ago

          Well it was sure we fuck presented as a normal purchase. Adding legal text to where you sign the cheque saying “you may come to my house and take this away at any time” doesn’t make it less bullshit.

          • Hamartiogonic@sopuli.xyz
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            9 months ago

            The world is full of bad contracts. It’s truly sad that we decided to accept them without making numerous alterations here and there.

            • CileTheSane@lemmy.ca
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              9 months ago

              It’s not possible to make changes to a digital contract. The only option is to not make the “purchase” and acquire it elsewhere.

              • Hamartiogonic@sopuli.xyz
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                9 months ago

                More people should let the service provider know that their contract sucks and that they refuse to pay for the service under the proposed conditions. Most people don’t even read the contract, so I don’t think the situation is going to improve any time soon.

    • otter@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      10 months ago

      I’m legit unsure whether your argument is purposely bad or you just don’t know that it is.

      • EatATaco@lemm.ee
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        10 months ago

        It’s a thousand times better than this empty garbage. How does this have any upvotes?