Question about legality....

[jrd231]

If it were illegal, you would think that by now, they would have closed the main torrent sites. They can't when it's just televised episodes and not DVD rips, because it's not illegal.

The next time you're in the US, try going to [redacted] - a certain torrent site. They block all US IP address because it's illegal to download copyrighted material in the US. It might not be illegal in the countries these websites are hosted in, but it's still illegal to make copies of copyrighted material. Again, it's not a gray area. The reason they can't shut down these torrent sites is because they are hosted in other countries that have no such laws that could be used for the basis of shutting them down.

EDIT - I don't want to give out torrent site addresses on this forum. You can get my point, though.

[Merlin1701]

It isn't illegal when it's not showing where you live. If you cannot acquire it where you live, then you are not interfering with the profitability of the show. It's not that I don't want to pay for it, it's just I cannot find anyone to accept my money. Seriously, you wouldn't think it would be that difficult, but it is. I was just considering the other day about purchasing the entire SG1 series for $399, but alas, I already have 4/10 seasons legally paid for on DVD. I've tried to purchase the latest episodes via iTunes, but it won't let me.

If it were illegal, you would think that by now, they would have closed the main torrent sites. They can't when it's just televised episodes and not DVD rips, because it's not illegal.

Edit: I just wanted to add, it's not a money thing for me. I plan on owning every box set out there for Stargate in support of the show I love plus I'm a sucker for the behind the scenes stuff. But you're right, I probably don't have a right to watch Universe if it does not air here. I should probably just avoid this entire site since the news gets me too excited. I had hoped I'd be home for the premiere, but then they pushed it back. The show will probably suck anyway. Maybe GW can find out what countries will get the premiere and restrict their access to the Universe sections like all other sites do. Now I know how the African Americans felt in the 1950's.

I understand that you may feel ganged up on by people saying things like its illegal to download copyrighted material and you have the freedom to choose if you wait to watch a TV show or get it by means of an illegal source. Don’t feel down about it, we are all just saying you can live your life how you want but illegal downloads not only break the law but harm the success of your favourite show. I think some members got angry at the comparison between choice and rights, the choice to buy or illegally download and your comparison to the African Americans of the 1950’s.

I think his thread has aired some points from both sides of the legal divide, can we draw a line. We can all agree that unauthorised copying of copyrighted work is illegal which I am sure Gateworld agrees but Stargate is a great show that fans need to watch. Everyone on Gateworld is linked by our admiration for the fictional universe, our love for science fiction. I hope our differing levels of morality are not greater than our uniting fandom for the Stargate universe.

[Madeleine]

Maybe if MGM spent a little time including the rest of the world in the show legally, they'd be making heaps more money.

I was under the impression that DVDs were on sale pretty much the world over. Is Australia an exception?

The only people to blame for the thousands of pirates is MGM. If they just supplied the show legally, then there would not be a reason for people to acquire it by what some say are illegal means.

They supply the show legally... to every country where a TV station buys it to air, and to every DVD stockist that will stock it. What more is required?

It's really unfair to point fingers and call people names like freeloading pirates when they have no other way to watch the show that we all love.

Granted. People who couldn't possibly buy a DVD should instead be called under-14s.

Maybe instead of spending so much time name calling and criticizing, we should think of a way to solve the problem that exists.

DVDs!

For a set fee, anyone, anywhere in the world can subscribe and have access to international channels. I know that the technology is there as there has been a site that's rumored to be working on such a sweet deal.

That would be the death of decent foreign TV in every 'poor' country in the world.

If the rich few in a country can subscribe to all the quality TV, they won't need to watch the ordinary TV with the plebs; the advertisers will desert TV for the subscription service, and the TV stations will not be able to afford to buy shows from abroad.

I'm not saying that your idea shouldn't happen, just that it's hardly going to be a panacea for all the people who don't possess DVD players. If anything, it'll help the people who can already afford a DVD at the expense of the very ones who cannot at present afford DVDs, but who can afford free-to-air TV.

If your child was having difficulty in math, you would want to get to the heart of the problem, not call them stupid. The same thing applies here. Get to the heart of the problem rather than call people pirates.

Is the heart of the problem that people don't know how to buy DVDs?

[Madeleine]

The scenario for Australian customers at the moment is that SGA is available on Foxtel (cable) for a fee of between $50 and $100 per month. They are currently showing S4 I believe so its a fair way behind. None of this $50 to $100 goes toward paying the actors/writers/directors of the show and it does not affect ratings in any way which can also affect the actors/writers/directors.

You really think that the fee you pay doesn't go to the actors/writers/directors?

You have to follow the chain backwards. To get the show, Foxtel have had to pay MGM. MGM uses that money to pay its staff, from the execs to the camera operators to the actors.

The international sales are a definite factor in the profitability of a show; the profitability of a show affects the number of staff it can employ, the number of seasons it gets, the number of movies that can be made after cancellation and all maner of future projects.

There's a good deal of payback in the system: MGM had money to pay JF and co for Atlantis, because foreign stations had paid them for the earlier SG seasons. Future shows will be made or not made (lighting directors and costumers paid or not paid) depending on what MGM receives for what it produces and sells.

If you made something and let someone else sell it on your behalf, would you be happy for people to steal the product because that money wouldn't have gone to you? Or would you expect them to pay, because the product is offered for a price not for free, and you'll get a better cut from the salesman when he markets your next product?

[Madeleine]

In all honesty, being told that I do not have the right to watch my favorite shows just gets to me.

No one's saying that. What is being said is that you should pay for what you take.

If you can't wait to pay and watch legally, and have to download before buying your DVDs, that's one thing: that's like buying a ticket for the 9:20 train but riding on the 9:15. It's not strictly legit, but no one could say you were a scab for that.

That's a world away from DLing and not buying: it's like jumping the barrier and riding without a ticket and expecting every paying customer to subsidise you.

I'm a US citizen, I have the right to the pursuit of happiness as granted by the US constitution. Stargate makes me happy, so I have the right to find a way to watch Stargate and keep up to speed until I return to the US this year.

The US constitution is not an excuse to help yourself without paying to stuff that is not on offer for free from the owners. I've never heard of someone getting away with "but stowing away on an aircraft makes me HAPPY!!" as a moral defence

[Madeleine]

Edit: I just wanted to add, it's not a money thing for me. I plan on owning every box set out there for Stargate in support of the show I love plus I'm a sucker for the behind the scenes stuff.

Great. Paying eventually is the next best thing to paying when due. You aren't a scab, you're a late payer

Now I know how the African Americans felt in the 1950's.

I hardly think so! I'm not sure something as trivial as having to wait for a DVD release should be compared with facing daily discrimination on a massive scale.

[Merlin1701]

Breathe Madeleine, breathe!

[stargater1990]

heres a question, lets say that i paid my cable bill this month so everything that comes on tv this month iv already paid to watch which includes the hypothetical stargate episode thats going to air next friday. now i really want to see this episode and while searching the net i come across the link to the episode thats going to air next week because it was apperantly leaked(which has often happened with stargate episodes like the atlantis finally) and i go to this site where i watch it streamed and dont record any part of it or download any of it.

would it really be illegal to watch the episode i really already paid to watch just a week earlier?

[Merlin1701]

yes, but watching a youtube clip is legal...can anybody tell me why?

[Alexandria7]

It's not legal to post an entire episode on youtube, but if the copyright holder gives youtube permission, then the video is legal. Youtube has agreements with many artists and tv/film production companies.

[MrBlueEyes]

I live in The Netherlands a country in Europe. Here it's legal to download tv shows, music, movies.
I download and save all the new episodes of Stargate.
But when they bring the episodes out on DVD here then I also buy them.
I have SG-1 Season 1-10 on DVD, Stargate Continuum DVD, Stargate The Ark of Truth DVD and Stargate 1994 on Blu-ray and Stargate Atlantis Season 1-4 on DVD.
Stargate was here on tv, but they just stopped in the middle of the season, then go on with it 6 months later then stop again etc.

Many shows never will be aired on tv here, because our country is just to small for it. (only 16million people)
So I save all shows on harddisk that I can't buy on DVD here.

[Alexandria7]

I live in The Netherlands a country in Europe. Here it's legal to download tv shows, music, movies.
I download and save all the new episodes of Stargate.
But when they bring the episodes out on DVD here then I also buy them.
I have SG-1 Season 1-10 on DVD, Stargate Continuum DVD, Stargate The Ark of Truth DVD and Stargate 1994 on Blu-ray and Stargate Atlantis Season 1-4 on DVD.
Stargate was here on tv, but they just stopped in the middle of the season, then go on with it 6 months later then stop again etc.

Many shows never will be aired on tv here, because our country is just to small for it. (only 16million people)
So I save all shows on harddisk that I can't buy on DVD here.

People outside the USA can understand and relate. Unfortunately, the majority of people who do have regular television access cannot/do not sympathize with those who do not have access. I'll give you a friendly heads up, some are under the impression that if the show does not air where you live then you do not have the right to watch the show or be a fan. Debating this here can be like pounding your head into a brick wall repeatedly. lol.

It's good you buy the DVD's. I do too.

[jenks]

heres a question, lets say that i paid my cable bill this month so everything that comes on tv this month iv already paid to watch which includes the hypothetical stargate episode thats going to air next friday. now i really want to see this episode and while searching the net i come across the link to the episode thats going to air next week because it was apperantly leaked(which has often happened with stargate episodes like the atlantis finally) and i go to this site where i watch it streamed and dont record any part of it or download any of it.

would it really be illegal to watch the episode i really already paid to watch just a week earlier?

Streaming is downloading, the only difference is you can watch what you're downloading as you're downloading it.

[MrBlueEyes]

People outside the USA can understand and relate. Unfortunately, the majority of people who do have regular television access cannot/do not sympathize with those who do not have access. I'll give you a friendly heads up, some are under the impression that if the show does not air where you live then you do not have the right to watch the show or be a fan. Debating this here can be like pounding your head into a brick wall repeatedly. lol.

It's good you buy the DVD's. I do too.

Like I said it airs here, but not that regular as in the USA. So the newest episode I download using usenet, legal here so no problem. The DVD's come here pretty quickly so thats good

[jrd231]

People outside the USA can understand and relate. Unfortunately, the majority of people who do have regular television access cannot/do not sympathize with those who do not have access. I'll give you a friendly heads up, some are under the impression that if the show does not air where you live then you do not have the right to watch the show or be a fan. Debating this here can be like pounding your head into a brick wall repeatedly. lol.

It's good you buy the DVD's. I do too.

What I think you're confused about is that we aren't saying you're not allowed to watch Stargate, which it seems like you're inferring by your statement that people in the US don't believe you have a right to watch it because it doesn't air there. What we are saying is that it isn't your right, it's a privilege. You seem to be confused between the differences between what's a right and what isn't.

For example, in the US it's my right to a fair trial. It's my right to bear arms. It's my right to be able to speak freely.

It is not my right to watch Stargate, however. I'm not even here to tell you to pay for what you download. What I'm tired of hearing is people who have this false sense of entitlement all the time. It's the people who feel like they are owed things like Stargate. It's the people who think because Stargate doesn't air in their country they have every right to take it for free because they are being given what they are owed.

If somebody wants to download Stargate without paying, fine. Just say you didn't want to pay. Just don't try to justify taking something for free because you think it's your right to have it, by any means. Just call a spade a spade.