Students + Piracy = Ok?

So, is it acceptable for students to pirate software, music, tv shows, movies etc.? The obvious argument I can see is that students have little to no income and thus can't afford to pay for everything. The general argument for piracy (some things just aren't worth the price) might also apply, but the big ringer is the fact that piracy is stealing period (right?).

So, is it acceptable for students to pirate software, music, tv shows, movies etc.? The obvious argument I can see is that students have little to no income and thus can't afford to pay for everything. The general argument for piracy (some things just aren't worth the price) might also apply, but the big ringer is the fact that piracy is stealing period (right?).

Hell no!

Piracy is never OK.  Now you know, and knowing is half the battle.

NO

the fuck, that's the dumbest thing I've heard

It's okay if you aren't caught, bro.

I'd say no. I just dealt with the fact that I couldn't afford a lot of brand new things, so I enjoyed what I had and picked up some stuff at a much lower price a year or so later.

" Piracy is never OK.  Now you know, and knowing is half the battle. "

Being able to pirate everything makes the college life dull and less challenging. No. 
 
Get a job.

Who cares.

"  The obvious argument I can see is that students have little to no income and thus can't afford to pay for everything."

Nope, I don't think it is ok to pirate something just because you don't have the money for it.

I purchase all my games... But I acquire software packages I need for uni (such as Photoshop, 3DSMax and Zbrush, etc) through other avenues.
 
Even student licenses for those packages stack up to an amount I cannot afford, but I'm not profiting off my use of them monetarily, so I see it as excuseable.

all i have to say is to each there own i for example have a modded wii and games but the game i have i own, like Metroid Other M  
im playing it ahead of time but i already paid for the one at the store just waiting for release 

" It's okay if you aren't caught, bro. "

" Who cares. "

Piracy of software is the only acceptable piracy.  Unless it's independent software, then you're just a dick.
 
Do you really think it costs Adobe $400 to produce a digital copy of Photoshop? Same with Microsoft Office or the latest version of iLife (or whetever the fuck it's called, admittedly I don't keep up on apple products)? No. The only reason said software is so expensive is because companies know they can get away with it because there are always people who will happily accept being raped up the ass.

" Being able to pirate everything makes the college life dull and less challenging. No.  Get a job. "

The company isn't losing money if the only way you would ever get their product is by piracy.  
Lets say I really wanted Photoshop but had no money. And couldn't ever afford to blow $400USD+ on it. The only way I would get it was to pirate it but if pirating wasn't here I would also never buy the software. So either way weather I could pirate it or not I wouldn't buy it. 

Only if it's for educational purposes. :P You know, kinda how they say scanning books is illegal unless it's for school?

I don't think it's wrong if you were never going to buy it in the first place, because the developers don't lose anything. I do it all the time with video games I would never pay for, and most of the time I just play for them for a few days before getting bored. If I have any plans on playing the game often, then I'll save up and get it when I can. The only exception is if it's an old game that can be played on an emulator, 'cause I'm not paying $100 for it over eBay. 
 
Or maybe it's not fine. Either way, that's just what I do. 

Okay first off, all ya'll saying piracy is never okay are retarded. There are numerous reasons that some people need to pirate digital media. Just because you guys can afford shit doesn't mean everyone can. I mean, let's look at, oh I don't know, pretty much every single country in or around South America. They get totally and completely fucked over on everything when it comes to entertainment with all the outrageous importation tax and shit. 
 
Secondly, yo it's hard a fucking enough for some people without all of you trying to bring your false moral pretenses up in here. So guy wants to save a few bucks for, oh I dunno, food? Does that mean he shouldn't be able to play some god damn games once in awhile? I mean hell, I know I've stopped playing a lot of new games simply because I don't have the money to pay $60 for a god damn game. I need $60. $60 is pretty decent chunk of money. 
 
Now let's talk about software, like real software. How many people out there with Photoshop or Flash do you think got it legally? Not a majority. That shit is like over $600, for the one program. There is no way in hell someone is going to pay that much money for god damn Adobe software when they don't need it for their job. Are there some people that probably have? Yeah, probably. That's a minuscule percentage though. Then comes the question of how is dude gonna get a job if he doesn't know how to use the software? Could he? Yeah. Are the going to hire the more experienced applicant? Yep. 
 
I don't even know why i'm trying to explain all this shit to you people. 
 
This should be obvious.

" Okay first off, all ya'll saying piracy is never okay are retarded. "

Shit.

"Piracy of software is the only acceptable piracy.  Unless it's independent software, then you're just a dick. Do you really think it costs Adobe $400 to produce a digital copy of Photoshop? Same with Microsoft Office or the latest version of iLife (or whetever the fuck it's called, admittedly I don't keep up on apple products)? No. The only reason said software is so expensive is because companies know they can get away with it because there are always people who will happily accept being raped up the ass. "

"Okay first off, all ya'll saying piracy is never okay are retarded. There are numerous reasons that some people need to pirate digital media. Just because you guys can afford shit doesn't mean everyone can. I mean, let's look at, oh I don't know, pretty much every single country in or around South America. They get totally and completely fucked over on everything when it comes to entertainment with all the outrageous importation tax and shit.  Secondly, yo it's hard a fucking enough for some people without all of you trying to bring your false moral pretenses up in here. So guy wants to save a few bucks for, oh I dunno, food? Does that mean he shouldn't be able to play some god damn games once in awhile? I mean hell, I know I've stopped playing a lot of new games simply because I don't have the money to pay $60 for a god damn game. I need $60. $60 is pretty decent chunk of money.  Now let's talk about software, like real software. How many people out there with Photoshop or Flash do you think got it legally? Not a majority. That shit is like over $600, for the one program. There is no way in hell someone is going to pay that much money for god damn Adobe software when they don't need it for their job. Are there some people that probably have? Yeah, probably. That's a minuscule percentage though. Then comes the question of how is dude gonna get a job if he doesn't know how to use the software? Could he? Yeah. Are the going to hire the more experienced applicant? Yep.  I don't even know why i'm trying to explain all this shit to you people.  This should be obvious. "

This shit again? Hasn't this topic already been beaten into the ground?

" I don't think it's wrong if you were never going to buy it in the first place, because the developers don't lose anything. I do it all the time with video games I would never pay for, and most of the time I just play for them for a few days before getting bored. If I have any plans on playing the game often, then I'll save up and get it when I can. The only exception is if it's an old game that can be played on an emulator, 'cause I'm not paying $100 for it over eBay.  Or maybe it's not fine. Either way, that's just what I do.  "

" Okay first off, all ya'll saying piracy is never okay are retarded. There are numerous reasons that some people need to pirate digital media. Just because you guys can afford shit doesn't mean everyone can. I mean, let's look at, oh I don't know, pretty much every single country in or around South America. They get totally and completely fucked over on everything when it comes to entertainment with all the outrageous importation tax and shit.  Secondly, yo it's hard a fucking enough for some people without all of you trying to bring your false moral pretenses up in here. So guy wants to save a few bucks for, oh I dunno, food? Does that mean he shouldn't be able to play some god damn games once in awhile? I mean hell, I know I've stopped playing a lot of new games simply because I don't have the money to pay $60 for a god damn game. I need $60. $60 is pretty decent chunk of money.  Now let's talk about software, like real software. How many people out there with Photoshop or Flash do you think got it legally? Not a majority. That shit is like over $600, for the one program. There is no way in hell someone is going to pay that much money for god damn Adobe software when they don't need it for their job. Are there some people that probably have? Yeah, probably. That's a minuscule percentage though. Then comes the question of how is dude gonna get a job if he doesn't know how to use the software? Could he? Yeah. Are the going to hire the more experienced applicant? Yep.  I don't even know why i'm trying to explain all this shit to you people.  This should be obvious. "

" Fine then.  1.) I can't afford shit but I don't steal entertainment. 2.) Pay for food, leave some money on the side for games or other forms of entertainment. 3.) Wait for the price to go down, games do that you know. 4.) The people that buy shit legally get hurt by pirates since prices will start going up faster like the 360's new online prices being like $15 instead of $10.  5.) There are more jobs than the ones that require computer programs. "

1. Good for you. That doesn't prove anything. 
2. You could do that, but if you are poor as shit then why do that when you could get games for free? Why should you subject yourself to that kind of finical risk when an easier option is available? 
3.  And? I really fail to see your point here. 
4. 360 games aren't pirated nearly as much as PC games or the portables. Microsoft marked those prices up because they could. You are right though, piracy does hurt the consumer, but only because publishers try to find ways around piracy instead of living with it. Pirates will always pirate no matter what barriers are put up in their path, that's just the way it is. By companies steadily increasing these obstacles they just end up hurting the consumer instead of their intended target. Plenty of indie musicians, game developers, and the like live with piracy as a reality and plenty of them have made careers out of their work. 
5. I know a guy myself who is getting into digital art as a potential future career. That is his passion, and he wants to devote his life to it. Problem is, he is just starting college and he doesn't have any money for the software required to hone his skills. Should he just abandon his dreams because Adobe decides to mark up their software to insane prices? I don't think so, but then again I'm one to believe that every person is entitled to pursue what they want most.

If you want to pirate something then just do it, it's up to you. Why should you care what people on the net think? Joe average pirates music, heck a lot of people in this thread that say it's wrong probably pirate music.
 
People taking the moral highway over piracy on the Internet are always amusing. You can say it's wrong but don't bother calling people scum over it and such, piracy isn't in the same league as breaking into somebody's house and stealing physical possessions.
 
Edit: I download TV shows (takes fucking ages for US shows to air in the UK mostly, plus I get them in HD), some films, music and the odd app, only Photoshop really. I used to pirate games but now I always buy them on Steam. I also got rid of my modded 360 and went legit.

Say no to piracy. If you do want to pirate then keep it to yourself and not say you're doing it like I do. Wait a second........

" @SethPhotopoulos said:

" Fine then.  1.) I can't afford shit but I don't steal entertainment. 2.) Pay for food, leave some money on the side for games or other forms of entertainment. 3.) Wait for the price to go down, games do that you know. 4.) The people that buy shit legally get hurt by pirates since prices will start going up faster like the 360's new online prices being like $15 instead of $10.  5.) There are more jobs than the ones that require computer programs. "

1. Good for you. That doesn't prove anything. 
2. You could do that, but if you are poor as shit then why do that when you could get games for free? Why should you subject yourself to that kind of finical risk when an easier option is available? 
3.  And? I really fail to see your point here. 
4. 360 games aren't pirated nearly as much as PC games or the portables. Microsoft marked those prices up because they could. You are right though, piracy does hurt the consumer, but only because publishers try to find ways around piracy instead of living with it. Pirates will always pirate no matter what barriers are put up in their path, that's just the way it is. By companies steadily increasing these obstacles they just end up hurting the consumer instead of their intended target. Plenty of indie musicians, game developers, and the like live with piracy as a reality and plenty of them have made careers out of their work. 
5. I know a guy myself who is getting into digital art as a potential future career. That is his passion, and he wants to devote his life to it. Problem is, he is just starting college and he doesn't have any money for the software required to hone his skills. Should he just abandon his dreams because Adobe decides to mark up their software to insane prices? I don't think so, but then again I'm one to believe that every person is entitled to pursue what they want most.

"

" So, is it acceptable for students to pirate software, music, tv shows, movies etc.? The obvious argument I can see is that students have little to no income and thus can't afford to pay for everything. The general argument for piracy (some things just aren't worth the price) might also apply, but the big ringer is the fact that piracy is stealing period (right?). "

I would pirate school college textbooks if they were available on torrent.
 
I would not feel one bit of remorse either.  

" 2.)   You could do that, but if you are poor as shit then why do that when you could get games for free? Why should you subject yourself to that kind of finical risk when an easier option is available?    I don't have an x-box but I'll take yours because I can't afford one.  3.) And? I really fail to see your point here.  The point is wait for it to be affordable instead of feeling entitled to something.   4.)  Doesn't help they're perception of pirating if people pirate which still hurts us.  5.) I'm sure colleges give those programs to students that need it since my friend was able to get it from the school. "  

1. You can't equate piracy to stealing from another person. Technically you are stealing directly from the producer of the content. 
2. You are right. Poor people don't deserve anything. 
3. @Jeffsekai said:
   

   " My friend is in a Graphic Design Class and he is pretty much expected to pirate photoshop and such to do the course. "