tl;dr the more you try to make it impossible for me to download your entertainment, and try to 'force' me to buy it, the less i want to buy it and the more justified I feel going out of my way to pirate it instead.


Dear entertainment industry,

I have been downloading from torrents for about 10 years. I started downloading shows from overseas along with my roomate we didnt have access to here in the united states. Eventually it occured to use that we could also download shows that we could get here in the US as well.
You see, when I started downloading shows, I also paid for cable. I had all of the channels, up to and including HBO. I did this because I love your shows. I love your entertainment. When cox cable offered me a DVR, I jumped on the oppurtunity. I recorded all of my favorite shows. Sometimes when I really loved a show I'd also 'pirate' it, because there was only so much room on my DVR. that way I could rewatch a show I'd already paid to watch.

You guys didnt like that very much because in 2005, you wrote my cable company and asked them to turn off my internet because I had downloaded a show called 'six feet under'. It was a great finale, for a show that I held dear. Later I bought the DVD's and gave them out as christmas presents. I kept a copy for myself. But you didnt want me to have a copy on my hard drive, even though I had a copy on my DVR.
I was furious. I canceled my cable service that day, everything except my internet. I vowed that I'd download my shows from then on out. I'd use private trackers and use a program to hide my IP from you and I'd go on about the rest of my life, to never be bothered paying for your entertainment again. Sure, I'd goto the movies still. Sure, I'd buy the DVD's. Eventually i'd invest in a ps3 and rebuy my DVD collection on blu-ray. But would I continue to pay 85 dollars a month for cable? not a chance.

That was in 2005, mind you. Its 2011 now. Even though there were a few periods there I was so broke I'd have had to cancel cable anyways, I think that means cox cable and a few other people have lost a total of 7200 dollars worth of revenue because of that letter you sent to my ISP. Just thought you should know.

You say to yourself "well, if he didnt have the option to pirate our shows, he would pay for cable." That's not true. I'd pay for netflix and hulu plus, sure. I already do. I'd continue to buy the DVD's I want to own, just like I do now. I'd goto the movies once a week, same way I do now. nothing would change. Its just when people made references to shows like "How I met your mother" I'd still be in the dark. Unless, of course, you had the good sense to let netflix have the first few seasons finally. Then I'd also be aware of and enjoy your intellectual property.
Doing things like writing my ISP, or trying to create an internet blacklist, or censor the internet, only makes me want to stray further from supporting you, your intellectual property, and your license.

I am a consumer. I still spend thousands of dollars a year in your field, even though money can be tight. I often pay for myself and a girlfriend, or friend when I can. I purchase seasons of your shows for gifts for christmas and birthdays. I am the guy you're supposed to love.
If anything, you need to ask yourself "If we cannot beat them, why dont we join them?" Give me a chance to log into hbo.com and download your quality programming for a monthly fee. Since I gave cox.com 15 dollars a month to view your programming, I'd be glad to pay 15 bucks there. But you won't let me unless I also pay for cable. That is the dumbest thing I can imagine. For a frame of reference, I live in the United States, so I'm used to hearing some pretty stupid shit.



tl;dr the more you try to make it impossible for me to download your entertainment, and try to 'force' me to buy it, the less i want to buy it and the more justified I feel going out of my way to pirate it instead.