Victoria Cole 11:38, 10 Sep 2004 (EST)
Warez. Where did the word originate? According to Shirky (2001), since the start of the Internet boom, "warez" has been one of the top terms searched for on search engines. In the early 80's, the word "warez" became the slang term for trading software among others via online bulletin board sites, the precursor to the Internet. Shirky goes on to explain that in those early days, the industry labeled file traders pirates - which almost romanticized the act for young warez traders. As the size and popularity of the Net grew, so did the amount of warez sites and the desire to find those hidden treasures. As McCandless (2001) concludes that today, "warez" is the underground term for all the software, music, and movies posted on websites or traded through peer-to-peer networks.
Despite threats and tactics by the gaming, music and entertainment industries, millions of people trade warez everyday, and both Shirky and McCandless believe that it will always be part of our society. Most everyone agrees that the bootlegging of packaged media for profit is a serious crime. However, McCandless (2001) argues that the non-profit trading or backup of media is considered fair use by the masses. Are the various industries losing money? Or is peer-to-peer trading the best promotion a music artist can hope for? McCandless further argues that there have been many myths about file trading and much propaganda, but in the end, the majority judges what is right or wrong. Ward (2001)believes that the industry now has to figure out a solution: Sue everyone or harness the marketing possibilities of millions of warez traders.
The three industries (software, music, and film) have approached "Warez World" with different attitudes. A Ward (2001) explains, the software industry has adjusted, the music industry is in a full panic, and the movie industry is becoming concerned about future income losses. Shirky proffers that a look at the different industries and the attitude and actions by their consumers/file traders, shows two things: The overall consumer trades warez, and the overall warez trader is still a consumer.
Whatever the concerns of the three major industries, the trading of warez will certainly continue. As Ward (2001) believes, the Pandora's box of P2P networking has been opened and cannot be closed. People will always choose online innovations that provide them with the content they want and the privacy they need. How the money is made and where it goes is not their concern. Industry must let the user become a consumer, not force them to be one.
Victoria Cole 00:00, 29 Oct 2004 (EST)
References
Victoria Cole 20:26, 28 Oct 2004 (EST)
