This will put a crimp in file sharing!

Just received this email from my isp:

Dear Insightbb.com Customer,

There is important information that you need to know regarding
the role Insight is required to play in enforcing copyrights.

In 1998, Congress passed the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA)
(http://www.loc.gov/copyright/legislation/dmca.pdf), which allows
copyright holders to enforce their copyrighted material by requesting
that Internet service providers takedown infringing material or
disclose the identity of persons that use the Internet to infringe
on copyrights. Representatives of copyright owners routinely scan
computers through file sharing software or websites to identify
infringers of their copyrights. If Insight is notified by a
copyright holder of an infringement, we may be required to notify a
customer of the alleged violation and turn off the customers service
if the infringement continues. We may also be required pursuant to
the DMCA to disclose the infringing customers identity to the copyright
holder. This is true for any Internet service provider, whether a
broadband or narrowband provider.

Copyright holders are becoming extremely aggressive in pursuing the
rights afforded them under the DMCA. Many of our customers are unaware
that unauthorized downloading of copyrighted music and movies over the
Internet is illegal. File sharing in itself is not illegal, but
downloading copyrighted material from the Internet - without proper
authorization - is illegal. Such activity is also prohibited by Insights
Acceptable Use Policy governing the use of your Insightbb.com High Speed
Broadband service.

We also want to caution you that file sharing can be dangerous to
your computer. Many of the file-sharing programs include other
"sub-programs" built into their software code. When you leave
file sharing ports open to the Internet, it may allow others to
access and use your computer resources to do a myriad of tasks for
their own benefit. Open ports also make you a target for viruses
and put your personal information at risk.

If you wish to be fully informed about the Dangers of File Sharing,
visit our web site for more details.
The link is:
http://help.insightbb.com/security/onlines...ng_dangers.html

Our Help Page also offers information on how to disable file
sharing.
This link is:
http://help.insightbb.com/security/disable...inesharing.html

Insightbb.com encourages you to install a firewall and virus
protection software to further protect your computer and its files.
This software can be found on the Internet or purchased from most
computer retailers.

It is our hope you will find this information helpful and make you
better informed about the dangers of file sharing over the web.

Thank you,

Kim Kelly
President Insight Communications

God Bless Canada!

I only read paragraph one.. uh.. Yay?

You guys really hate warez, don't you?

K4z44 suxors my nutzors :P

I hate warez because it takes money out of the pockets of the people that have earned that money, drives the price of software up and makes developers spend time, energy and money coding methods of protecting their software rather than putting it into coding the actual game part.

Consider all of the myriad of validation schemes you have seen, and consider the amount of time and talent that was invested in it. That's all wasted effort that produces nothing.

Warezers are leeches that drain away from developers and add nothing to it.

^^^
Bucky, you're absolutely right there, but it's easy to think so, when you are getting the big bucks.

I work as an engineer and do pretty well (for the country I'm in) but still can't afford to spend money on games... or at least no more than 1 or 2 a month. Warez is the only way I can try out different games (most of which I don't like and don't play anyway). I know it's no excuse for software piracy, but that's the way things are right now for me

I do have several original games - ones I like and bought at the game store, but that's all there is.

One day, if I'm lucky, I'll be making good money and ONLY THEN will I be thinking as you do now.

Sorry if our oppinions don't match on this, but these are different worlds we are living in

The ability to afford something has nothing to do with some kind of inherent "right' to utilize it.

I can't afford a Porsche, but I really want one. Does that mean I should be able to go snatch one from the local dealership?

I haven't bought a game in months. I rent them, with my meager intern earnings, from my local video store. Or I download the officially released demos. What I do NOT do is steal the software.

You've got me there, Bucky. Can't say anything to that.

The example was not too good, though. You can't copy the Porsche and leave it to the owner, can you?

Never mind that. This arguement is ... ummm... irrelevant.

None of us would back up.

Fair 'nuff. Sometimes it's best to agree to disagree

No worries, I'm not some crusader who is gonna get all worked up and spit fire if you do something that I wouldn't personally do.

And you are right, to a point, about the Porsche.