Pirated and OS software are different things, obviously. But would you prefer one over the other? I’m thinking of switching to both OS software AND pirated software. Just want opinions and tips from this community.

  • @cmnybo@discuss.tchncs.de
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    3026 days ago

    I prefer to use FOSS software. There is a risk of getting malware from pirated software. Even if there is no malware, commercial software usually has lots of tracking and telemetry anyways.

  • @sawyer@lemmy.ml
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    2326 days ago

    people will hate about this, but as long as you didn’t installed malware, and you blocked pirated software with firewalls (simplewall:https://github.com/henrypp/simplewall), you can have “privacy” because it never connects to internet and you don’t give anyone information. so shoot for it if you want.

  • Random Dent
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    25 days ago

    I have a few personal rules about it, eg. I’ll try not to pirate smaller, independent things where it might conceivably screw over the creator, but other than that it’s all fair game IMO.

    As a side note, it’s been interesting to grow up hearing non-stop from the corporate world that piracy is evil and is killing art or whatever, only to watch them do a full 180 in the last couple of years now that they need to pirate the entire internet to train AI.

    • @IttihadChe@lemmy.ml
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      125 days ago

      My only rule is that I won’t pirate it if I would otherwise buy it and not do without it. Either way they make no money from me, but sometimes after pirating I’ll want to actually buy it.

  • @UltraGiGaGigantic@lemmy.ml
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    1326 days ago

    History will thank pirates for keeping our cultural history preserved and safe from for profit leeches that would burn every single book in existence if it made them a dollar.

  • @That_Devil_Girl@lemmy.ml
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    1326 days ago

    Generally, if software was affordable and their business model is ethical, I wouldn’t pirate it.

    If a company is charging a subscription for something that has no business being a subscription, I’ll pirate it. If a business is stealing data or willingly collaborating with evil people/governments/regimes/etc, I’ll pirate it.

  • @theherk@lemmy.world
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    1025 days ago

    If a provided service is good and made accessible reasonably, I’ll use it and happily pay. As soon as it is intentionally obtuse or consumer hostile, say no more; I take to the seas.

    But in all cases, I prefer FOSS first. It is generally better, more secure, has more vibrant communities, and represents a dying breed of freedom that we all need.

    • @nfreak@lemmy.ml
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      325 days ago

      This is the way. The same goes for media too. Look at the state of streaming services, DRM, and digital storefronts, it’s a shitshow

      • @HiTekRedNek@lemm.ee
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        225 days ago

        What’s hilarious is, Netflix damn near killed piracy completely. Until every single network decided to do it themselves.

        They forgot the most important part of piracy. Access.

        I am NOT paying for your entire streaming service if I want to watch a movie.

        Not to mention, a LOT of older movies should be in the public domain by now, and therefore free to watch. But nope, in fact, many older movies are simply gone. Never to be seen again.

  • Mikelius
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    825 days ago

    I’m honestly… In the middle.

    My home network is covered by a VPN, which means I can’t use streaming services without punching a hole for my home IP and sacrificing a little privacy - which I’m not willing to do. I’ve gone through my part and contacted providers to lemme through, without success. Even Amazon who CLEARLY knows my name and mailing address still won’t let me watch things even if I own Prime…

    So yes, I pirate movies and tv shows. I’ve tried to cooperate, but if my money isn’t enough, then so be it.

    Video games I no longer pirate, I’m content with Steam. I also backup all my installs on an external hard drive in the unlikely event Steam goes under or a company demands pulling a game from my profile.

    This is no longer true for Nintendo. Their latest attitudes have resulted in me deleting my account and becoming a loyal pirate for Nintendo games. They literally turned me into what they’re fighting, ironic right?

    I also no longer pirate general software because 98% of the software I use are FOSS, self created, or just free+offline in general. The other 2% is software I purchased because it was a lifetime permanent license and for software I felt deserved the money for support.

    So yeah big tech is my main enemy. If I need something and they won’t work with me without ransoming my privacy and rights, then yeah so be it.

  • Ardens
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    625 days ago

    I have been dealing a lot in piracy. I don’t really do that anymore. I’ve switched to many free or fair software creators. I don’t mind paying for the software or games I use. I do mind paying for something, and then not owning it, and being tracked by it and just paying a lot, because the software producer has a kind of monopoly.

    I support FOSS and others, with small donations. Like Mozilla, LibreOffice, Inkscape, Krita, Linux Mint and a lot of others.

    I think you should pirate away on unethical companies. Do it for many of the reasons other mention in this thread, and do it because they are greedy and don’t respect you!

  • NoiseColor
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    626 days ago

    I pirate everything. I started more than 35 years ago when I didn’t have any other option because of my location, so it became the norm. Later, I didn’t have much money and I didn’t want to spend it on software and games. Later I just stuck with it. I never delved into ethics of it - it seems a very tedious task to do.

    I did buy some stuff here and there. But even today, id pirate games for sure, in not going to dish out 50, if I don’t even know if I’ll like it.

    Interestingly, never in my life I had issues with viruses or malware. Sure I got some, but the basic antivirus software delt with it and I had no consequences.

    • @HiTekRedNek@lemm.ee
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      25 days ago

      Got my first home computer in 1984. I’ve sailed the high seas off and on pretty much my entire life.

      I hung up the hat for a while when Netflix really had their heyday, and had pretty much every show and movie.

      But then studios and networks started pulling shows from Netflix, and creating their own streaming services, prices kept creeping higher and higher.

      I finally had enough. They wanna play? Ok. We’ll play.

      Stand and deliver bitches.

  • @iii@mander.xyz
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    326 days ago

    The benefit of OSS, to me, is that it’s not a black box. You see where your data goes, you get it to interact with the rest of your setup the way you want it (automation, backups, notifications, etc).

    Closed source software, pirated or not, puts unnecessary limits on what I can do with my devices and my data.

    • @darkguyman@lemmy.dbzer0.comOP
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      226 days ago

      Video games are an exception though, right? FOSS games exist but they’re not as good as indie games or good AAA games, the developers aren’t too dedicated because there is no direct benefit. Don’t get me wrong, almost all FOSS games are great but I don’t think they’re overwhelming the former any time soon. I also want to talk about operating systems and this is where most people will disagree with me but I believe that a pirated enterprise windows edition (from masgrave) is better than linux gaming-wise. I pirate games and playing pirated games on Linux is a bit harder than playing them normally IMO. This is the main reason I prefer using windows, once again PIRATED LSTC WINDOWS. Privacywise, you can also remove a lot of telemetry on LSTC too.