In 2008, I started experimenting with the whole BitTorrent thing. First I had to grapple with the ethical concerns - do I really feel bad about downloading movies and music without paying? Sure, there are laws...but in my opinion, they are ridiculous. However the ethical question still remains - am I stealing? In my mind, I don't think I am. Look, I pay Netflix less than $20/month and get all the movies I want to watch, and then some...so how much am I really taking out of the pockets of the movie people?
I am also someone who likes to own movies - if I really like it I will buy it. That goes for what I watch via BitTorrent - if I like it, I will buy it for my library. I downloaded "Charlie Wilson's War" and thought it was brilliant - when it is released on DVD, I will buy a copy.
So I come down on the side of not feeling guilty about downloading. You may differ, and I respect your opinion. But there is also a part of me that gets that rush like George being a bootlegger in
that episode of Seinfeld.
So I have my newly acquired Xbox, and I am downloading movies and converting them to .MP4s, transferring them to a memory stick, and plugging that into the USB port. It is an excellent setup, and I am really enjoying the Xbox for more than just games.
There is no real meaning to this post - I am just kind of ranting. Feel free to comment on the legality, ethics, or just your own setup for downloading and watching...as well as any tips, tricks, et cetera.
