Software piracy where you live

[zurich]

Just wondering what other people's area is like in regards to software piracy.. you know, the sketchy shops downtown that sell PS2 games out of a binder? That have signs that say "while you wait mod chip installation!" Etc.

Here in Toronto, there's a very very large Chinese/Hong Kong demographic (hi SARS heh), and from what I've seen, thats where 95% of the software piracy comes from. Infact, after touring DT Chinatown and Uptown Chinatown (Pacific Mall), I couldn't find even ONE single store that sold legit packaged PS2 games (XB and GC were absolutely non-existant in anyform). GBA was all flash card adapters, handful of stores sold legit carts (I think).

Anyways, I was just wondering what its like in your area, whether its rural United States, NYC, Europe, or even Asia/Taiwan/Hong Kong/etc. As far as I know, Japan has always been very strict in protecting its copyrights/IP.. isnt it illegal to sell even used software there? What's Korea like..? And is it even possible to buy legit games in Hong Kong?

I don't want to sound like I'm slandering, but really I honestly never saw a non-binder game store in all my travels around China town in TO (Chinese/Asian are actually the largest demographic in Toronto...). I guess its feasable that other stores do the same for specific clientel (in theory), but I've never ever seen that - they all seem more than happy with the margins on used games.

 

[jvd]

i live like 10 mins away from nyc . Nyc has chinatown and its crazy for stuff. I can get anything i want. I had the matrix 2 a few days befor eit came out on dvd . Real copy too. I hurt my back but my friend picked me up italian job and finding nemo. I will be going to see these movies. I saw matrix 2 twice before i hurt my back .

 

[notAFanB]

I am currently residing in hong kong......draw your own conclusions

 

[Deepak]

It is New Delhi, India.....thanks to the efforts of our chinese friends and our own indigenous efforts ....

Honestly one of the resons for piracy is price.....original software prices are too high....as you know per capita income levels in Asia is too less compared to developed world....we can hardly afford/purchase original stuff even if we want to...

 

[notAFanB]

actually original software is pretty popular here too, considered as a status quo 'not' pirate gazzillions of titles tey will never even open.

 

[zurich]

I am currently residing in hong kong......draw your own conclusions

Lol, is it that bad?

 

[notAFanB]

I am currently residing in hong kong......draw your own conclusions

Lol, is it that bad?

you have to 'search' for legit titles..........u get the picture.


kids and casuals tend to pirate all media (it's all because we're poor blah blah blah).

 

[zurich]

Honestly one of the resons for piracy is price.....original software prices are too high....as you know per capita income levels in Asia is too less compared to developed world....we can hardly afford/purchase original stuff even if we want to...

I guess, but it does miff me to see it in Toronto where the standard of living is quite high (and shops like EB have very generous trade in/discounts/etc programs) :?

 

[Deepak]

I guess, but it does miff me to see it in Toronto where the standard of living is quite high (and shops like EB have very generous trade in/discounts/etc programs) :?

That is a part of human nature.....I think we have more evil instincts than good....thats why I dont think piracy can ever to stopped...

I see it as god's justice to developed world for the crimes they committed on Asians....it is time to pay...

 

[zurich]

I see it as god's justice to developed world for the crimes they committed on Asians....it is time to pay...

Like Canada's horribly cruel and unjust immigration laws?? (not even gonna get into that one :? [that was sarcasm btw!])

Seriously though, I just thought it had something to do with HK/Taiwan/Chinese copyright laws that never caught up with the world..

 

[maskrider]

Here in Toronto, there's a very very large Chinese/Hong Kong demographic (hi SARS heh)

I don't want to sound rude, but how much do you know about SARS ?

And is it even possible to buy legit games in Hong Kong?

There are plenty of places to buy genuine copies of games and they are selling pretty well despite many people buys pirated copies. The simple fact is some games will be priced much higher during introduction will tell you that there is a demand for genuine copies.

 

[maskrider]

Seriously though, I just thought it had something to do with HK/Taiwan/Chinese copyright laws that never caught up with the world..

HK has copyright laws that are really strict, and the customs department has been very actively after the pirates, but the pirates are backed by triads (which has always been a problem with Chinese communities). It is really hard to eliminate all pirates when "selling pirated copies" is a good income to them (triads).

 

[maskrider]

I am currently residing in hong kong......draw your own conclusions

Lol, is it that bad?

you have to 'search' for legit titles..........u get the picture.


kids and casuals tend to pirate all media (it's all because we're poor blah blah blah).

I have lived in Hong Kong since my birth.

How long have you been residing in Hong Kong to draw your conclusion ?

Where have you searched ? I bought almost all of my genuine copies from popular places. Some of them from on-line when I think some highly demanded games are priced too high, although they will drop to normal price if I had waited.

edit: corrected a typo

 

[Reznor007]

I live in Norman, Oklahoma(about 3 miles from OU campus), and I've never seen a bootleg game in a store anywhere, be it retail, pawn shop, or flea market.

 

[zurich]

I don't want to sound rude, but how much do you know about SARS ?

Considering Toronto was on the WHO travel advisory list for a couple of months, causing immense financial loss and thus invading every newspaper headline and news report, quite a lot. We didn't have it as bad as mainland China or Hong Kong, but were definitely atleast #4 if not #3. It was contained for the past few weeks, but recently broke out again, except this time health officials haven't been able to trace it :? I just feel very sorry for all the people who need medical attention (pregnant women, emergency victims, cancer patients, etc) since all but one hospital in Toronto is closed/under quarantine.

It's definitely not the second coming of the Black Plague that the media makes it out to be (if this is what you were referring to, as in media FUD), and the average Torontonian's life hasn't really changed in any significant way, but SARS is still definitely an unwelcome guest. Hopefully it'll be contained/eradicated, and not turn into another influenza.

Heh the student from Bern, Switzerland who was staying with my family last month had to go into 3 week quarantine upon return home, simply because he was in Toronto. Bleh.

 

[maskrider]

I don't want to sound rude, but how much do you know about SARS ?

It's definitely not the second coming of the Black Plague that the media makes it out to be (if this is what you were referring to, as in media FUD), and the average Torontonian's life hasn't really changed in any significant way, but SARS is still definitely an unwelcome guest. Hopefully it'll be contained/eradicated, and not turn into another influenza.

There are simply too much media FUD on the issue, it is definitely an unwelcomed intruder. So many people died and it is definitely not funny when people are making fun of it. Everyone in the regions are suffering.

You read so much about Hong Kong because the place is wide open for the flow of information and we are honest in reporting.

China has blocked reports in the critical months and the disease spread over, Hong Kong is a victim like Toronto and any other places.

 

[notAFanB]

I am currently residing in hong kong......draw your own conclusions

Lol, is it that bad?

you have to 'search' for legit titles..........u get the picture.


kids and casuals tend to pirate all media (it's all because we're poor blah blah blah).

I have lived in Hong Kong since my birth.

How long have you been residing in Hong Kong to draw your conclusion ?

Where have you searched ? I bought almost all of my genuine copies from popular places. Some of them from on-line when I think some highly demanded games are priced too high, although they will drop to normal price if I had waited.

edit: corrected a typo

6 monthes and yes they are initial impressions.

 

[maskrider]

I am currently residing in hong kong......draw your own conclusions

Lol, is it that bad?

you have to 'search' for legit titles..........u get the picture.


kids and casuals tend to pirate all media (it's all because we're poor blah blah blah).

I have lived in Hong Kong since my birth.

How long have you been residing in Hong Kong to draw your conclusion ?

Where have you searched ? I bought almost all of my genuine copies from popular places. Some of them from on-line when I think some highly demanded games are priced too high, although they will drop to normal price if I had waited.

edit: corrected a typo

6 monthes and yes they are initial impressions.

I apologise if I had been rude.

People are changing, but very very slowly. I had been urging my friends in buying legit copies of stuffs for at least a couple of years already. Anyway, you can buy legit copies from many places, and certianly I think you know a place called "Golden Shopping Center" in "Sham Shui Po", there are plenty of legit copies (imports goods or from local distributors) of PC and console games. Most shops which sell legit copies won't sell pirated copies.

And there are other shops in shopping malls all over Hong Kong that you can get legit copies, too.

And you can certainly buy PS2 games from Sony Playstation Pro shops (in Sim City, Mongkok) and X-BOX games from many software retail outlets.

 

[notAFanB]

not at all. I've not been here long enough to form protracted theories on how everything works....yet

People are changing, but very very slowly. I had been urging my friends in buying legit copies of stuffs for at least a couple of years already. Anyway, you can buy legit copies from many places, and certianly I think you know a place called "Golden Shopping Center" in "Sham Shui Po", there are plenty of legit copies (imports goods or from local distributors) of PC and console games. Most shops which sell legit copies won't sell pirated copies.

the place to go for .. well just about anything really.

 

[Magnum PI]

i live in france ... but i never saw pirated/bootleg games in a store. they would have big problems with justice.

modchips were everywhere but some shops had problems so no they don't sell them openly anymore.

piracy is very developped here but usually pirated material (games, mp3s, lots of divx too..) is downloaded from internet and/or swapped with friends..

usually pirates argue that games are too much expensive, but they have the money for buying the latest expensive videocard, the dvd burner etc etc...