How can I report those who download torrents?

[Tushka 0]

Would you be so care free if it was your property that was being stolen?

I have been a software developers in the past but not anymore working for a small company (non FS related). People pirated our work but as we realised there's nothing we could do we just didn't bother with it as dealing with the legitimate customers is (and should be) the top priority.

If you want to rob someone, just do it... Right?

 

Mugging someone on the street and making copies of software are two different things. Yes, it can be considered stealing but you can't possibly compare mugging and piracy together.

[WarpD 824]

Mugging someone on the street and making copies of software are two different things. Yes, it can be considered stealing but you can't possibly compare mugging and piracy together.

I can and I will. You take what is not yours to take, that is stealing.

[Tushka 0]

It is not lax here at AVSIM and we do not condone known pirates in our community. When we discover someone is a pirate, he/she is banned permanently. We have a lot of members who come here for support for their pirated product and eventually admit they are using "cracked" software. Some report crashes or issues with a product that was purposely placed in the product by the developer to help identify pirates. IMHO, individuals who download pirated software are nothing but shoplifters and shoplifters are not welcomed in our community whether you think the community has gotten more lax or not. You indicated that 95% of everyone in Russia downloads pirated software. Respectfully, I hope you are not one of the 95% in Russia who is a shoplifter!

 

Everyone reading this topic needs to read the AVSIM Terms of Service again and fully understand our policies in regards to pirating.

 

Best regards,

 

Well, if people actually have the nerves to actually come here and ask for support for  their pirated products I can understand why they're being banned. As that is pretty much like stealing your income and then asking what you should do with their income that you just stole. Even if the people who pirated had no intention to purchase in the first place.

 

I have noted before I'm not one of the 95% that pirate as I do not use payware because in Russia most airports/aircraft are freeware and in great quality. I have a few payware weather programs but I actually bought them.

 

If we come to speak about real life shoplifting (supermarkets) the number is rising as well, and this is for psysical products...

I can and I will. You take what is not yours to take, that is stealing.

It can be considering stealing as no psysical property is taken away yet a sale might be potentially lost due to it. However no matter what is done anti piracy measures just badly affects legitimate people and even innocent ones (as in megauploads case), and yet the pirates are not affected by it at all and just keep cracking. Best solution to piracy is to ignore them, and as firehawk44 said they're banned if they come crawling for support. Level D and Ifly to mention a few have locked support forums and I believe this works quite well.

[WarpD 824]

It can be considering stealing as no psysical property is taken away yet a sale might be potentially lost due to it. However no matter what is done anti piracy measures just badly affects legitimate people and even innocent ones (as in megauploads case), and yet the pirates are not affected by it at all and just keep cracking. Best solution to piracy is to ignore them, and as firehawk44 said they're banned if they come crawling for support. Level D and Ifly to mention a few have locked support forums and I believe this works quite well.

Yes, I've seen that justification many times... it's not stealing because it's not a physical item. In fact, it is a statement used primarily by those who take software that is not theirs to take.

[JSkorna 137]

It's a sad world we are living in when stealing is viewed as OK, justifiable, and accepted as just the way things are.

[Arnold Bruce 0]

I think the simple solution is a good copy protection system.     PMDG use a type of online verification/licensing system for all of their products that virtually guarantees protection from illegal theft and distribution.     This is about as bulletproof as can be and no one will ever pirate a PMDG aircraft that is not specifically licensed to them, ever!     Problem solved.

 

I don't understand why more FSX/P3D developers don't follow PMDG's lead?    

[Tushka 0]

It's a sad world we are living in when stealing is viewed as OK, justifiable, and accepted as just the way things are.

 

Like bad aircraft maintenance is justifiable by saying "this is Russia, crashes happens" and then accepted as a reason instead of investigating and changing air traffic safety. (1990s)

 

I think the simple solution is a good copy protection system.     PMDG use a type of online verification/licensing system for all of their products that virtually guarantees protection from illegal theft and distribution.     This is about as bulletproof as can be and no one will ever pirate a PMDG aircraft that is not specifically licensed to them, ever!     Problem solved.

 

I don't understand why more FSX/P3D developers don't follow PMDG's lead?    

No copy protection system is bulletproof. If Microsoft MS, a multi billion company can't produce a solid platform. Then how can PMDG? Impossible.

Yes, I've seen that justification many times... it's not stealing because it's not a physical item. In fact, it is a statement used primarily by those who take software that is not theirs to take.

Piraters might use it, but logically this sentence makes sence because there's nothing taken away and the developer might loose a sale. I said that it can be considered stealing, not that it isn't stealing. The reason why I brought this up is because software piracy is not as severe as let's say mugging a single mom with 4 kids in the street like one poster pointed out.

[Lowflyer 97]

Mugging someone on the street and making copies of software are two different things. Yes, it can be considered stealing but you can't possibly compare mugging and piracy together.

Nope, but in both cases people lose money. No sensible person will claim that every illegally downloaded copy is a lost sale, but also you have to be pretty stupid to think that piracy doesn't have any impact whatsoever.

 

The reason why I brought this up is because software piracy is not as severe as let's say mugging a single mom with 4 kids in the street like one poster pointed out.

Just because it's less severe than certain other crimes doesn't mean it's justifiable. If piracy was suddenly ok then why would anyone buy games, movies or music ever again? But then again you were basically condoning piracy one page ago...

[Tushka 0]

Just because it's less severe than certain other crimes doesn't mean it's justifiable. If piracy was suddenly ok then why would anyone buy games, movies or music ever again? But then again you were basically condoning piracy one page ago...

 

As far as I'm concerned piracy is already OK, at least where I live and as I said most people pirate because of currency differences and the mentality of "it's possible to get for free, why should I pay"? Mainly this is among the younger crowd as I've found out.

 

I stated my anger towards anti piracy organization as a result of that I lost photos and files of a deceased relative of mine due to them, hence my hostile message. However, I did not either condemn or condone piracy as there's nothing we can do about it.

[MarkW 1,491]

I think the simple solution is a good copy protection system.     PMDG use a type of online verification/licensing system for all of their products that virtually guarantees protection from illegal theft and distribution.     This is about as bulletproof as can be and no one will ever pirate a PMDG aircraft that is not specifically licensed to them, ever!     Problem solved.

 

I don't understand why more FSX/P3D developers don't follow PMDG's lead?    

 

I don't think that many copy protection systems actually stop anyone....just slow them down perhaps.  As for why other developers don't follow, it may simply be an issue of finances.  PMDG sells more copies of their software at relatively high prices than anyone else (my guess anyway) so they can probably affort to pay for the best of the best in terms of copy protection.  I am not sure that smaller developers have the same option available to them.

 

I think the best way is for developers to make amazing products and provide exceptional service.  Yes the kids that are into and out of the hobby in 30 days will still pirate everything but the serious simmers will see the value and eventually purchase.  Just my 2 cents.

[Mean Aerodynamic Chord 269]

Trying to stop piracy is like trying to kill a fly.

[JB3DG 225]

It can be considering stealing as no psysical property is taken away yet a sale might be potentially lost due to it. However no matter what is done anti piracy measures just badly affects legitimate people and even innocent ones (as in megauploads case), and yet the pirates are not affected by it at all and just keep cracking. Best solution to piracy is to ignore them, and as firehawk44 said they're banned if they come crawling for support. Level D and Ifly to mention a few have locked support forums and I believe this works quite well.

 

Actually there is physical property being lost. The income of the developer. You cant tell me that's not physical property.

 

To answer the OP's question though....I think the payware dev community would be more interested in knowing who the uploaders are. Not the downloaders. If we can lock out the uploaders from ever purchasing our products then our stuff isn't going to land on pirate bay in the first place.

[CrownCityMisfits 58]

I don't pirate payware addons so A, I can post/share in the community forums and developer websites with a clean conscience, and B, I want developers to succeed and continue making products that I love. I have a deep respect for the talent, passion and creative energy required to develop scenery and aircraft.

 

For those reasons, I never regret a purchase, even if I am left underwhelmed with the product - usually because I fail to research diligently.

 

Plus, why would I add a pirated addon to my 200GB FSX install, and risk having to perform another clean install. Forget about it.

 

But people who pirate software don't make me angry. I don't care. Live your life. I will live mine, albeit with a few less security risks on my computer . Furthermore, I believe software pirates can't possibly enjoy the cracked product as much as I enjoy the one I payed for, as they gave nothing for it, and have nothing invested in it. And if they do, well, I still don't care. 

 

I still appreciate that AVSIM and other community websites do everything they can to ban known pirates. I hope devs can curb pirating. But I will not police the community.

[avgaskoolaid 292]

Hi 757,

If you suspect a law is being broken call your local law enforcement agency for advice on how to proceed.  

Could you imagine a call like that? 

"Hello, police? I have reason to believe that someone is downloading airplanes for flight simulator... on THE PIRATE BAY!!! WITHOUT PAYING!!!!"

They'd laugh at you and hang up the phone. I really hope you weren't serious with your suggestion. 

[RoboRay 126]

I think the simple solution is a good copy protection system.    

 

No such system actually exists.

 

PMDG use a type of online verification/licensing system for all of their products that virtually guarantees protection from illegal theft and distribution.     This is about as bulletproof as can be and no one will ever pirate a PMDG aircraft that is not specifically licensed to them, ever!     Problem solved.

 

PMDG products are just as pirated as any others.

 

I don't understand why more FSX/P3D developers don't follow PMDG's lead?    

 

Because it doesn't actually stop piracy of their products.  It adds an expense that offers no return, and adds a complication that affects only their paying customers without impacting the pirates at all, because the "verification system" is removed from the pirated product.  You create a situation where the pirated product is not only cheaper (free), but also of higher quality (or, at least, easier to use) because it doesn't require the license check process.

 

It's not possible to effectively address a sociological problem with a technological solution.