Million users banned from XBOX

[aziankingz]

Report: Microsoft bans 1 million Xbox Live players - CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/11/12/cnet.xbox.live.ban/index.html)

That is pretty fucked up!

[ThatGuy]

Hahahahaha

Karma is a bitch! Well deserved bannings.

Would be great if they figured out a way to RROD your Box instead of just banning you.

:rofl: :bowrofl: :rofl: :bowrofl: :rofl:

[enkei2k]

you know what they say, 'you gotta pay to play'. good thing i don't have 360...i'll stick with my handhelds, thanks.

[conrad_s13.5]

or just wait till release dates......hackers should expect that shit to happen,.....lol

they wanna complain?......wtf seriously?!

[exitspeed]

Hahahahaha

Karma is a bitch! Well deserved bannings.

Would be great if they figured out a way to RROD your Box instead of just banning you.

:rofl: :bowrofl: :rofl: :bowrofl: :rofl:

I agree. I still prefer to buy my video games.

[LeftNutOfGowd]

I know 7 ppl this happened to its ok if you can survive for 3more weeks the new firmware will be out (light touch) and its said to be undetectable. I need to get home today and check if I have been flagged to get banned and if not I will be laying low and playing offline for a couple more weeks

[Ben G]

Hahahahaha

Karma is a bitch! Well deserved bannings.

Would be great if they figured out a way to RROD your Box instead of just banning you.

:rofl: :bowrofl: :rofl: :bowrofl: :rofl:


it happened to my friend and they do ban your xbox and not your account, he had to go out and buy a new 360 but his account still worked microsoft is smart they make more money that way.

[Sleepy240]

it happened to my friend and they do ban your xbox and not your account, he had to go out and buy a new 360 but his account still worked microsoft is smart they make more money that way.

Microsoft isn't doing it to make more money, trust the fact that they have plenty. Its more for integrity and to show that they don't stand for pirating games/music/movies etc. If they suckered you (or your friend) into buying another XBOX because your banned (which MIGHT not even be permanent) I feel sorry for you. Its easier to just have two XBOX. Have one that is modified for single player games and one for online play. You can easily buy an XBOX on craigslist or Ebay that is RROD and use that one. Just my 2 cents.

[ThatGuy]

Pirating/copying/stealing games is helping to screw up the economy.

Go buy shit!!!! Stimulate the economy and don't be a deadbeat dirtbag.

Good job Microsoft. :bow:

[Ben G]

You can put a switch on them too but that requires soldering, It is a good idea though because on when you want burnt games off for online

[aziankingz]

Imagine, next up is Windows 7 lol.. they will ban you from using your computer soon..

[Freddy]

interesting my buddy xbox just got ban tuesday guess he part of that group

[Sleepy240]

Imagine, next up is Windows 7 lol.. they will ban you from using your computer soon..

Only a pirated copy for the bastards who are too cheap to pay for quality programs

[Soup Nazi]

Cheap Bastards.....It's a fucking video game. You mean to tell me, that some who own a couple of hundred dollar Console, can't but a game?

Good for them being Banned.

[karl wasabi]

hahah. I bet one of my friends's xbox's was banned again.

[IIIXziuR]

I'm glad I still haven't graduated from Super Nintendo.
Video games are serious business.

[BustedS13]

Hahahahaha

Karma is a bitch! Well deserved bannings.

Would be great if they figured out a way to RROD your Box instead of just banning you.

:rofl: :bowrofl: :rofl: :bowrofl: :rofl:

that would have been awesome, because i can repair a RROD in half an hour. gotta actually replace a banned console :/

Cheap Bastards.....It's a fucking video game. You mean to tell me, that some who own a couple of hundred dollar Console, can't but a game?

Good for them being Banned.

actually, i have several thousand dollars in xbox 360 games (WINK LOL), and the console is $200. so at this point, i could keep getting banned and throwing away the consoles, and still be ahead.

[DJDANGER24]

haha ill stick to my PS3, and play games online that i legitimately payed for.

[exitspeed]

haha ill stick to my PS3, and play games online that i legitimately payed for.

You realize you can do the same thing on the 360?

[BustedS13]

You realize you can do the same thing on the 360?
:keke: :keke: :keke: :keke: :keke: :keke: :keke: :keke: :keke: :keke:

[ZenkiKid]

oh yeah I heard about this 2 weeks ago, thats why home made footage of mw2 was out so early. retards dude.

[S14DB]

You realize you can do the same thing on the 360?

If M$ would let you have a big enough HD to hold all their DLC.

[mrmephistopheles]

that would have been awesome, because i can repair a RROD in half an hour. gotta actually replace a banned console :/



actually, i have several thousand dollars in xbox 360 games (WINK LOL), and the console is $200. so at this point, i could keep getting banned and throwing away the consoles, and still be ahead.

Breaking the law is one thing, bragging about it here is another. You're in time-out for 2 weeks.

[240sxfamily]

I got banned for canceling my live subscription. Fucking bullshit..

[sleep]

or just wait till release dates......hackers should expect that shit to happen,.....lol

they wanna complain?......wtf seriously?!

Since you seem to be oblivious....

With the new dashboard update, you will get banned regardless of what date you play a backed up game.

Shit it has been everywhere for the last 2 weeks. Wake up

[I LUV MY S13]

don't do illegal shit...end of story

[ericcastro]

goodbye to 50 million dollars XBOX live.
the computer will win.
time and time again.
just like tv and movies are now available online with adds.
and music as well.
we are past the point of corporations being able to compete with technology.

ironic, they create it and it takes them out.
fucking skynet!
lmao!

[ZilviaKid]

yeah the trick is to have 2 consoles.

people were stupid and when the first ban wave happened they just assumed that they were safe... idiots..

[ericcastro]

It would seem like it could get them in trouble.
Just because an XBOX has been modded, doesnt mean they are using illegal games.

i was just looking at an xbox mod to get rid of the red ring of death the other day.
nothing illegal, just fixing their poor craftmanship that falls apart.

guess in the legal disclaimer they prolly state they can kick you any time without reason though.

[ZilviaKid]

It would seem like it could get them in trouble.
Just because an XBOX has been modded, doesnt mean they are using illegal games.

i was just looking at an xbox mod to get rid of the red ring of death the other day.
nothing illegal, just fixing their poor craftmanship that falls apart.

guess in the legal disclaimer they prolly state they can kick you any time without reason though.
when they get modded, the firm ware is flashed and what not. has nothing to do with upgrading the heat sink or fans.

[ericcastro]

when they get modded, the firm ware is flashed and what not. has nothing to do with upgrading the heat sink or fans.
ah, i seee.................

i have a live account and play on it like 4 times a year, lol.

[DALAZ_68]

Report: Microsoft bans 1 million Xbox Live players - CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/11/12/cnet.xbox.live.ban/index.html)

That is pretty fucked up!

pretty fucking hilarious if u ask me...



Would be great if they figured out a way to RROD your Box instead of just banning you.

:rofl: :bowrofl: :rofl: :bowrofl: :rofl:

please!, that would work so well

Pirating/copying/stealing games is helping to screw up the economy.

Go buy shit!!!! Stimulate the economy and don't be a deadbeat dirtbag.

Good job Microsoft. :bow:

agreed


fucking skynet!
lmao!

its become self aware lol

[ZilviaKid]

Hahahahaha

Karma is a bitch! Well deserved bannings.

Would be great if they figured out a way to RROD your Box instead of just banning you.

:rofl: :bowrofl: :rofl: :bowrofl: :rofl:
actually they BAN the system so its even worse then red ring. you cant do shit with it..

[Future240]

The Xbox Live team monitors players for not just cheating, but also for things like threats, racism, profanity, and just being an all around poor sport and ruining the game for others.

Bullshit, on this.

Anyways, haha to all the banned people.

[SimpleS14]

Imagine, next up is Windows 7 lol.. they will ban you from using your computer soon..

That would be more difficult. In regards to the Xbox, you have Microsoft hardware connecting to Microsoft hardware (Xbox to MS Servers). There is a finite list of activate units that can be tracked by serial and MAC address. Ban the MAC address and no more access.

It would take far more resources (time and money) to even try something like this on PC. It's possible to have a patch to disable various services, but we've seen how similar tactics lead to goof-ups (WGA).

[ericcastro]

That would be more difficult. In regards to the Xbox, you have Microsoft hardware connecting to Microsoft hardware (Xbox to MS Servers). There is a finite list of activate units that can be tracked by serial and MAC address. Ban the MAC address and no more access.

It would take far more resources (time and money) to even try something like this on PC. It's possible to have a patch to disable various services, but we've seen how similar tactics lead to goof-ups (WGA).

dont ban windows 7 hacks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:eek2:


I think operating systems should be free anyways.

[ZilviaKid]

yeah seriously, ive been degrading people on xbox live for 4 years and im a 5 star member. haha go figure

[HyperTek]

so its probably all the people who downloaded a version via torrent, which was probably uploaded by microsoft with some special coding to report home that this version isnt legit.. I figure thats what they could do. just like the RIAA with music thing.

[cc4usmc]

I hate spending $50 on a game that I beat in 2 days. I never did any online playing though, but I might soon.

[ericcastro]

I hate spending $50 on a game that I beat in 2 days. I never did any online playing though, but I might soon.
i never got into it cause computer games online are way better still.
I always played Day Of Defeat, its a WW2 version of Counter Strike.

I only go online to play the car games once in a long while.

[DALAZ_68]

LOL my cuzin was a ''victim''...LOL i just laughed at him over the phone and hung up...


i told him not to do it...ohh well

[dahveed]

i never got into it cause computer games online are way better still.
I always played Day Of Defeat, its a WW2 version of Counter Strike.

I only go online to play the car games once in a long while.
source or 1.6?:fruit:

[sephiroth99]

too bad all those banned xboxes are most likely up to date with a 84xx kernel ....

would have been a nice source of cheap xbox for homebrew development oh well

[AznDrftr.]

bout time, shit, all these people tryin to cheat all the time.

[M11's]

piracy laws are bullshit. its not even that they can cheat but they got the game before it came out to the public.

[kandyflip445]

Pirating/copying/stealing games is helping to screw up the economy.

Go buy shit!!!! Stimulate the economy and don't be a deadbeat dirtbag.

Good job Microsoft. :bow:

Agreed! :w00t:

If I want a game I buy it. Done.

[M11's]

^hahah the economy is not bad because kids download pirated files. 60 bucks for a game wont do shit to help the economy even if all 1 mill of them had bought the game

[ericcastro]

^hahah the economy is not bad because kids download pirated files. 60 bucks for a game wont do shit to help the economy even if all 1 mill of them had bought the game

exactly.

Its not like all these people "pirateing" software, movies, music and games are buying fucking houses with this shit.
they still take that money and put it back into the economy in other ways.

I know that I have seen a shitload of movies and dont ever go to blockbuster.
Making movies is my job and i constantly watch movies (up to 5 a day) to study and get better at it than anyone else in the world.
i also read film books with highlighters like i was in college and all kinds of other shit.
ANYTHING to make me a better Cinematographer.

You think Coppola, zumeckis, tarintino, lucas or spielberg wouldn't pirate movies when they were just starting out??
Of course they would.

Not telling you whats right or wrong, just saying.........................

[S14DB]

I hate spending $50 on a game that I beat in 2 days. I never did any online playing though, but I might soon.

Why you get gamefly. Mail it back after 2 days and get another game.

[1quk240]

I never play my 360. I wish i knew how or knew someone that could "mod" it, I might play it more or just download the games so my son could have it

[ericcastro]

Why you get gamefly. Mail it back after 2 days and get another game.

This is why i rarely buy games anymore.

that WII mario looks awesome though.........

[exitspeed]

I hate spending $50 on a game that I beat in 2 days. I never did any online playing though, but I might soon.

That must be nice.

Use my method. Make your life so hectic and busy that when you a buy a game you're lucky to get to beat it in a 6 months.

Hell I still never got to beat Twilight Princess or Metroid Prime 3.

I only buy like 1 or 2 games a year though. So it has to be a game I really really want.

[tricky_ab]

I find it PERFECT timing that they decided to do this right before MW2...

Oh and a screen grab of xbox.com when the huge ban hammer came down...

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y6/bigciafan/untitled-3.jpg

I couldn't stop laughing...

[Daniel.]

That must be nice.

Use my method. Make your life so hectic and busy that when you a buy a game you're lucky to get to beat it in a 6 months.

Hell I still never got to beat Twilight Princess or Metroid Prime 3.

I only buy like 1 or 2 games a year though. So it has to be a game I really really want.

You sound like me.

I just beat Uncharted: Drake's Fortune last week and I've owned it for 13months.

I'm barely halfway through Little Big Planet and I got it for my birthday last year right around this time.

I did play Twilight Princess all the way through in 2 weeks though since it was so freaking awesome.

[Zacho]

tisk tisk

If people would burn their disk's properly it wouldn't happen. going on 2 1/2 years reflashed firmware on live at least every 2nd day.

makes me think though. I figure those copies of mw2 that came early were MS's way of finding people with flashed drives. You send out x amount of copies, and in that time period you have 2x as many people playing than amount of copies you released, you have issues. not real amounts but just showing that MS could have done it for a reason.

[coww-cho!!!!!]

i told my bro not get his xbox modded and play online and what does he do
well all i can say as that as of now he just got banned hahahah!

[silviaguy240]

so its probably all the people who downloaded a version via torrent, which was probably uploaded by microsoft with some special coding to report home that this version isnt legit.. I figure thats what they could do. just like the RIAA with music thing.

or with CODMW2 they look at how long you've played, and a game that has been out for 4 days and you have 8 days and 16hours worth of online time?

[aznpoopy]

or with CODMW2 they look at how long you've played, and a game that has been out for 4 days and you have 8 days and 16hours worth of online time?

not likely, because so many stores broke street date, including gamestop.

[meteorite_flo]

My friend got his banned, but he bought another one on the same day MW2 came out; It's nothing. Shit happens, people do thing's the cheap way and learn in the end. You can say that for cars too I guess. Just do it the right way, and you'll never have a problem.

[Future240]

You sound like me.

I just beat Uncharted: Drake's Fortune last week and I've owned it for 13months.

I'm barely halfway through Little Big Planet and I got it for my birthday last year right around this time.

I did play Twilight Princess all the way through in 2 weeks though since it was so freaking awesome.

I still haven't beat GTA 4. I just beat mass effect and assassins creed this year. School keeps me busy. Next semester though 2 classes = xbox love making

[drift freaq]

exactly.

Its not like all these people "pirateing" software, movies, music and games are buying fucking houses with this shit.
they still take that money and put it back into the economy in other ways.

I know that I have seen a shitload of movies and dont ever go to blockbuster.
Making movies is my job and i constantly watch movies (up to 5 a day) to study and get better at it than anyone else in the world.
i also read film books with highlighters like i was in college and all kinds of other shit.
ANYTHING to make me a better Cinematographer.

You think Coppola, zumeckis, tarintino, lucas or spielberg wouldn't pirate movies when they were just starting out??
Of course they would.

Not telling you whats right or wrong, just saying.........................

Eric stop trying to justify your actions it just makes you look that much more aware that you are guilty.

As For M11's , dude you may justify your stealing but you are ripping off all artists when you download music.

All you motherfucking punk asses can cry about how piracy does not hurt people and fuck the RIAA and major labels but the fact is you are stealing.

How the fuck would you like it, if I came over to your house and said damn I like your wheels I am going to take them because I don't way to pay for them? Its the same fucking shit. Written music and film is intellectual property. Its bound by the same property rights as your wheels and your fucking cars.

Shit someone steals your cars your going to scream and yell and be vengeful. You download some of the music I have written without paying for it and you have ripped me off.

Fuck your justifications for stealing and fuck your justifications for being immoral and not being bright enough to see the bigger picture.

All you fucks were raised on Napsters bullshit line that they were helping out the people with free downloads. Ya and then when it went to court it came out that Napster was scam and that they were planning on making money from it.

I.E. misleading your dumb asses and ripping you off in the end as well as the musicians.


Fucking piracy is wrong period and there are no justifications for stealing which is what your punk asses are doing.

[Matej]

Entertaining movie about how Microsoft came to be.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51QWStY0JqL._SL500.jpg

[JayDee M Rolly]

people that got their consoles banned are dumb, not because they play modded. but because:
1) a really big game just out
2) an update is gonna come out as well.

why the fuck would you log online. atleast give it time before the new shit comes out.

[mrmephistopheles]

M$ is smart for doing this.
It'll lead to more console sales. It's less about protecting the intellectual property of third-parties than it is about generating more money for M$. Banning users who run modded consoles won't do a thing to stop them from pirating software.

[tricky_ab]

Entertaining movie about how Microsoft came to be.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51QWStY0JqL._SL500.jpg

This was better then I had thought it would have been! People should check this one out!

[ZilviaKid]

Entertaining movie about how Microsoft came to be.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51QWStY0JqL._SL500.jpg
when did esomz start acting? lol

[okc240]

all you people bad mouthing banned users I dont bootleg games but was banned after having a friend fix my red ring of death.

[ThatGuy]

Fucking piracy is wrong period and there are no justifications for stealing which is what your punk asses are doing.

Fucking piracy is wrong period and there are no justifications for stealing which is what your punk asses are doing.

Fucking piracy is wrong period and there are no justifications for stealing which is what your punk asses are doing.


Some people may miss this point. I just want to make sure everyone gets a chance to read it.

[innovation]

^^agree, my friends laugh at me for being a chump and paying $30 for Windows 7, but at least I know my version wont ever be banned or plagued with Windows Genuine Advantage crap.

[ericcastro]

Some people may miss this point. I just want to make sure everyone gets a chance to read it.

It may be wrong.
But I came from a extremely poor family living in a trailer, 3 people in a room.
Spent nights living on the street.
You ever eat out of a dumpster??

And now Im shooting movies in Hollywood.

I will do whatever it takes to educate myself.
Its not a game, in this industry I am in.
Its a fucking war everyday.
And I will do anything to rise to the top.
my compitition is every person from around the entire world that also has the same Oscar dreams as me.
Just like all the great directors and actors,I will do everything i need to do.
I will use all things given to me.
If me watching/studying 4 movies a day puts me ahead of some other guy cause he refuses to download media, then hey.
Guess who moves on.........

So guess I will live outside the law.:wan:

Lucas and Coppala used to watch 5 movies a day in a blacked out house.
I need to watch at least that much to catch up to where we are today.
In the end, the world will appriciate me doing that when the quality of work they get to see is that much better because of it.


And I have photos stolen all the time.
so I ACTUALLY have experience on this subject.

I wanna see em freeze all the Iphone accounts that have any mod or game or app that they didn't put out themselves.
same thing right???
MAC Kicks 1 Million I phone users for Illegal 3rd party App's?????????????
lamo!!



Righteous.



Anyways, besides this, i think we get along guys, lol
And I still like to talk with ya'll online ;)

[ThatGuy]

Eating out of a dumpster? No, I had it a little better than that, but I, by no means, come from money.

What my parents couldn't buy for me though, they made up for with instilling strong morals in me. I had friends with brand new bikes, every G.I.Joe toy made, home computers, Cable TV, etc. I bought my bike in pieces from yard sales, and built it myself. Pieces were bought with money I made walking dogs and mowing lawns. I could've just stolen a bike and repainted it, or even just stolen one from a neighboring town. But I wouldn't dream of that bullshit.

Now, if you're done with the bullshit excuses. Perhaps you can explain to me how stealing video games and modifying game consoles, is HELPING YOU EDUCATE YOURSELF.

I could, MAYBE, see your point in downloading movies to watch them, provided once you've LEARNED what you can from them, you delete them, though rentals are fucking cheap these days. I fail to understand how a Modded Xbox 360 and an unrealistic War game fall into this category though.

It sounds more to me like you are just using ONE INSTANCE to attempt to justify low-life behavior in all aspects.



Hope your having a great day. :bow:

[ILoveMyRHS13]

Holy shit I never thought this would turn into a huge argument, hahah.

I'll admit it, I've pirated movies, and music, nothing I'm proud of, but it's too late for that. However, I would NEVER pirate video games. I have loved video games since I was way young when my dad got an NES for the house. If it's something you love, you have to support it, and by pirating, you're doing the opposite. I will continue to buy video games, or hell, even get them through GameFly if I have to.

[drift freaq]

Oh and a word to Eric, Eric if you are poor enough to not be able to buy something and you download it learn and benefit from it and then actually go out and buy the product?

That is something I might have sympathy for.

If you steal it even though you're making money you have no excuse. If you need software for a business your in and your making money from that software you should be paying for it.

Holy shit I never thought this would turn into a huge argument, hahah.

I'll admit it, I've pirated movies, and music, nothing I'm proud of, but it's too late for that. However, I would NEVER pirate video games. I have loved video games since I was way young when my dad got an NES for the house. If it's something you love, you have to support it, and by pirating, you're doing the opposite. I will continue to buy video games, or hell, even get them through GameFly if I have to.

Ah excuse me, pirating Movies and music is the same shit, by justifying yourself with a statement of you will never pirate video games is completely hypocritical.

You are no better and you are just as guilty of stealing.

[ILoveMyRHS13]

Oh and a word to Eric, Eric if you are poor enough to not be able to buy something and you download it learn and benefit from it and then actually go out and buy the product?

That is something I might have sympathy for.

If you steal it even though you're making money you have no excuse. If you need software for a business your in and your making money from that software you should be paying for it.



Ah excuse me, pirating Movies and music is the same shit, by justifying yourself with a statement of you will never pirate video games is completely hypocritical.

You are no better and you are just as guilty of stealing.
I never said I was any better. :duh:

[cc4usmc]

Holy shit I never thought this would turn into a huge argument, hahah.

That's drift freaq for ya. Just make sure you don't catch him when he's too tired.

:keke:

:love:

[tricky_ab]

It's like telling someone their dog's just died. It was pretty much like that for me. I love it, I love playing Xbox live. I play with my mates all the time. It's just a good laugh, we all sit there chatting, playing games. Now I don't know what to do.

BBC - Newsbeat - Xbox gamer 'gutted' after cut off (http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/technology/newsid_10000000/newsid_10002900/10002915.stm)

What a piece of work! He had what was coming to him along with every other cheap skate out there. If you cant afford to buy games then get a better job (or in some cases just get a fucking job). I cant believe the stupid fuckers actually complaining they cut off.

It would have been even better if MS had added some new gamertag trophies:

http://i34.tinypic.com/14y4ina.jpg

[ESmorz]

when did esomz start acting? lol

Apparently 10 years ago.

[ericcastro]

That's drift freaq for ya. Just make sure you don't catch him when he's too tired.

:keke:

:love:
Or me, I can lay into people on occation too, lol.

Naw, Barry.
just movies for work and to see them, then they get deleted.
And not usually alot of new realeases.
Crap like the Black Stallion and others that are "out of print" and cost $15 plus at Ameoba and block buster doesnt carry anymore.
(BTW, anyone notice BB doesnt carry shit but new realeases lately?)
A little soft ware too.
Photo and Video editing($2500.00 for CS3 is to much for a guy thats just teaching himself and needs a couple short vids of all his work)

video games, never downloaded.
And I am fine with what Xbox did, just think its not totally the right approach.
But I guess a step in any direction but backwards is better than them standing still.
It just seems funny how they wanna fight that but not all the "hacked phones" and "non Mac backed Iphone apps")

Music, guilty.
But I would never be able to afford all the music i listen too.
Plus I mainly listen to alot of hard to find DJ stuff, so Torrents help.
I do use sites like LAstFM to listen to streaming music alot.
The days of recording tapes from buddies and CD's are over.
Now its just MP3 downloads.
And I still do buy some stuff from Itunes.
And before the studios started putting streaming TV episodes on thier websites with adds (the way they should battle piracy), i used to buy lost episodes on Itunes as well :)

Went to the track and hung with some guys and took a couple passes, good day :)

Now to attack the dishes:doh:

[drift freaq]

I never said I was any better. :duh:

Yes, but you posted it like it was not a big deal, Then proceed to say you would never pirate a video game like there was a difference.

You may not have intended to say you were better, but the fact is you drew a distinction between the two. That is the point I was making.

You made it seem like you felt there was a difference. I was calling that into question.

If that was not your intention maybe you should have thought out what you were going to say before saying it.

You yourself put you, in this position with your own poorly chosen words.

[S13shaka]

When you live in a country where nobody cares about the humanity of anything and all anyone is concerned with is profit then piracy in certain arenas becomes moral.

[TheWolf]

There is a difference between piracy and stealing..

Stealing deprives the other person of their property. The argument of stealing someones bike implies. Someone gained a bike... Someone lost a bike.

Piracy On the other hand makes a copy. Someone gained a bike. Someone retained a bike. +1 Bike in the world.

Now if you could just make bikes for free by pirating them then people would. Does that mean the person who got the free bike would have bought one? Is every free bike a "lost sale" for the bike company? probably not if your honest. There would be alot of free bikes in the ghetto but that doesn't mean if there wasn't piracy that there would be a ton of bikes in the ghetto. Cause there's not. Economic factors always win out. If the money ain't there it ain't there. Some portion of sales would be lost because some people are a cheap asses. I also do think theft has gone down since piracy of music and movies have been around for free. People don't break into cars any more to steal head units and CD cases to hawk used CD's at pawn shops any more. It definitely cuts down on the theft generation desire to steal. Everyone I know that stole money out of the register (petty theft stuff) used it to buy video games, movie tickets, cd's etc. There are indirect positives to piracy.

So the next argument is that piracy isn't stealing from the person I copied it from but stealing from the original artist. By copying a CD/game/movie you arn't going to watch it in theaters/buy it/ etc. That's not true actually. Study after study after study has shown people who pirate music buy more music. People who steal movies buy more movies. I will be glad to link you to these studies but it's true. People who download ebooks for free generally have a giant book collection. You can look at these as "lost sales" or "Loss leaders". I know personally 9 out of 10 of my favorite artists, I've found by the internet downloading of music. only 1 from traditional radio sources. In business these loss leaders drive sales. Music sales have surged in digital format so while brick and mortar retailers have seen declines the industry is thriving.

What is happening is music/movie companies have a distribution system. It was a monopoly on how music was sold to the main populace. You had to get signed to a major label because if you didn't then you couldn't capitalize on your music. Now since they have this distribution system they feel they deserve aproximatly 70% of all your sales. Cause your using their system. 90% of your ringtone purchases. But on any planet it's a monumental screwing! Case in point. All blank CD-Rs pay a royalty for "music copyright infringment" even if they are to be used for data. Hence why the chinese ebay ones are so much cheaper. Their strong arm monopolistic practices have finally been broken by digital media, itunes, etc etc. This has them and their lawyers in a tizzy as someone is offering a much better deal to distribute music that they don't have control of. Piracy is just the tip of the iceberg. Their business model is threatened by digital media, not piracy. Thier tactics are a money grab, nothing more, nothing less.

[tricky_ab]

Apparently the modders have released a new tool that allows replacing the CPU code of the console with that of another XBOX and therefore unbanning the console from live.

In order to do this they buy an XBOX, replace the codes, then return the XBOX. The returned XBOX's new order will find their shiny new XBOX banned from XBOX Live.

DailyTech - Update: Potential Fix for 1 Million Banned Xbox 360's Has Arrived (http://www.dailytech.com/Update+Potential+Fix+for+1+Million+Banned+Xbox+360 s+Has+Arrived/article16823.htm)

[ericcastro]

Apparently the modders have released a new tool that allows replacing the CPU code of the console with that of another XBOX and therefore unbanning the console from live.

In order to do this they buy an XBOX, replace the codes, then return the XBOX. The returned XBOX's new order will find their shiny new XBOX banned from XBOX Live.

DailyTech - Update: Potential Fix for 1 Million Banned Xbox 360's Has Arrived (http://www.dailytech.com/Update+Potential+Fix+for+1+Million+Banned+Xbox+360 s+Has+Arrived/article16823.htm)
LMAO!!!

totally not right.
And there is where the line is.
these guys went from finding the endless quarter supply in the arcade to ruining things other people will spend thier hard earned cash on.

But at the same time, they are making microsoft deal with it when all the returns come abck.

But I sure hope they pay cash and dont get store credit or else it will be trackable.