What Piracy?

UnPlug is a Firefox extension which lets you save video and audio which is embedded on a webpage - it's a video download tool. Isn't that sweet? If you like it, you can steal it. This item was featured in a recent Lifehacker article and it was met with howls of approval. Is that because it's an official Firefox Add-on, or just because it's another tool in the pirate arsenal? Another recent item at Lifehacker - Decrypt Your DVD's Copy Protection with DVD43 - was met with a few raised eyebrows. And, as usual, the comments make for great [amusing] reading.

Now Lifehacker is a very widely read website that carries corporate advertising. I'm sure that the advertisers don't wish to be embroiled in controversy, so the lines must be getting thinner and thinner between legitimacy and "the dark side".

Now many of you will declare all piracy as illegal and wrong. And, of course, you are right. But then I think of other situations that are also illegal and wrong. Ever fudged your income tax return? Have you ever exceeded the speed limit??? I love that one. I have - and I've paid the fines. It's a contest between myself and the Police, and of course I'm way ahead. It's impossible for them to be everywhere. But that's why they have radar and cameras. And I have no argument with this concept. Unlike most people that cry tears of blood when caught by radar or a camera, I accept it as part of the game. Why?

Because the law applies 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

And the legislators don't change the laws at 3am, then try and bust you at 8am. We all know what the laws are. Whether they are laws regarding the road, laws regarding income declarations at tax time, or laws regarding copyright, you are supposed to obey them. All the time. But, of course, you don't. You pick and choose which laws you will obey, and which laws you may "bend" a little. As I said, it's a game, so grab that software and start pirating - or not!!!