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"That's a nice noble reframing of humanities innate desire to have access to Game of Thrones season 2 without paying for cable." But doesn't that speak to the

"That's a nice noble reframing of humanities innate desire to have access to Game of Thrones season 2 without paying for cable." But doesn't that speak to the exact issue you're responding to? I'd more than happily pay for Game of Thrones season 2 if it were available for me to pay for on its own or with other things I want. The problem is that in order to get it I have to subscribe to cable, which is a hefty tax to pay for a single show. I'm not begrudging HBO for deciding that's the best way for them to make money. But I gladly reward artists and companies that are thinking outside the box and doing direct-to-consumer or generally breaking away from the middle man.

MrScruff 14y ago
The problem with citing Louis CK or Radiohead when discussing this issue is that they are outliers. They are individual artists, working in mediums with little to no overhead who have established reputations. But film, tv, games, software - some of these projects take thousands of people working full time for years, and cost hundreds of millions of dollars to produce.
- king_jester 14y ago
  It's true that some types of film, tv, games, and software made with huge budgets and teams. However, all of these things are still produced by individuals and small groups of people, even without the change of major financial success. The rise of things like kickstarter, bandcamp, youtube, etc. are all evidence of people looking to and actually creating something.
  - MrScruff 14y ago
    Indeed, but the public's appetite for alternative and crowd funded entertainment is relatively insignificant, as evidenced by a glance at your average torrent tracker. That's why it's described as alternative. The public want slick, expensively produced mass market entertainment. They just don't want to pay for it if they can avoid it.
- jiggy2011 14y ago
  Very true, also people like Radiohead and Louis CK probably have particular audiences that are more likely to get behind new ideas of distributing content because they care deeply about the content and the artist themselves.
baak 14y ago
"But doesn't that speak to the exact issue you're responding to? I'd more than happily pay for Game of Thrones season 2 if it were available for me to pay for on its own or with other things I want. The problem is that in order to get it I have to subscribe to cable, which is a hefty tax to pay for a single show." The only feature I wanted in my washing machine was regular wash cotton. I should've stolen it I suppose.
- coldpie 14y ago
  That would deprive someone of their washing machine. Oh no, your shitty analogy has fallen apart~
- seanc722 14y ago
  No. You could probably find a washing machine that has specifically what you are looking for.
- Dylan16807 14y ago
  That analogy is misleading and you know it. It's more like being unable to buy a washing machine without also buying a dryer, snow blower, quad garage door opener, freezer, golf cart, and thresher attachment. Oh and you can't resell the extra stuff. Oh and you can't loan it out either. You're practically burning money. Come back when someone invents a washing machine that does only cotton and costs 95% less than a normal washing machine, then patents it and won't let anyone build them. Maybe then you'll see the problem.
  - baak 14y ago
    "Maybe then you'll see the problem." "The problem" is that you can't see Game of Thrones. Really? REALLY?? Oh the humanity! I don't know how people ever did anything before Game of Thrones. It would be absolute chaos if people couldn't steal it.... how else would they survive?
    - Dylan16807 14y ago
      Stop getting all indignant. A forced bundle with products made by other companies that boosts the price twenty-fold is a market failure. It doesn't matter if it's petty entertainment.
coliveira 14y ago
Any producer has the right to determine the terms by which the purchase will be made. What you're saying is that if you don't give me what I want in the way I want, then I will get it for free. Well, you have another option: just don't buy it.

MrScruff 14y ago

The problem with citing Louis CK or Radiohead when discussing this issue is that they are outliers. They are individual artists, working in mediums with little to no overhead who have established reputations. But film, tv, games, software - some of these projects take thousands of people working full time for years, and cost hundreds of millions of dollars to produce.

king_jester 14y ago
It's true that some types of film, tv, games, and software made with huge budgets and teams. However, all of these things are still produced by individuals and small groups of people, even without the change of major financial success. The rise of things like kickstarter, bandcamp, youtube, etc. are all evidence of people looking to and actually creating something.
- MrScruff 14y ago
  Indeed, but the public's appetite for alternative and crowd funded entertainment is relatively insignificant, as evidenced by a glance at your average torrent tracker. That's why it's described as alternative. The public want slick, expensively produced mass market entertainment. They just don't want to pay for it if they can avoid it.
jiggy2011 14y ago
Very true, also people like Radiohead and Louis CK probably have particular audiences that are more likely to get behind new ideas of distributing content because they care deeply about the content and the artist themselves.

baak 14y ago

"But doesn't that speak to the exact issue you're responding to? I'd more than happily pay for Game of Thrones season 2 if it were available for me to pay for on its own or with other things I want. The problem is that in order to get it I have to subscribe to cable, which is a hefty tax to pay for a single show." The only feature I wanted in my washing machine was regular wash cotton. I should've stolen it I suppose.

coldpie 14y ago
That would deprive someone of their washing machine. Oh no, your shitty analogy has fallen apart~
seanc722 14y ago
No. You could probably find a washing machine that has specifically what you are looking for.
Dylan16807 14y ago
That analogy is misleading and you know it. It's more like being unable to buy a washing machine without also buying a dryer, snow blower, quad garage door opener, freezer, golf cart, and thresher attachment. Oh and you can't resell the extra stuff. Oh and you can't loan it out either. You're practically burning money. Come back when someone invents a washing machine that does only cotton and costs 95% less than a normal washing machine, then patents it and won't let anyone build them. Maybe then you'll see the problem.
- baak 14y ago
  "Maybe then you'll see the problem." "The problem" is that you can't see Game of Thrones. Really? REALLY?? Oh the humanity! I don't know how people ever did anything before Game of Thrones. It would be absolute chaos if people couldn't steal it.... how else would they survive?
  - Dylan16807 14y ago
    Stop getting all indignant. A forced bundle with products made by other companies that boosts the price twenty-fold is a market failure. It doesn't matter if it's petty entertainment.

coliveira 14y ago

Any producer has the right to determine the terms by which the purchase will be made. What you're saying is that if you don't give me what I want in the way I want, then I will get it for free. Well, you have another option: just don't buy it.