Just would like to have a discussion on the topic. I’ve purchased around 20ish movies/shows on Vudu, and my wife has grown to be unhappy with Vudu’s UI and especially how the watch progress works. I am curious what some others thoughts on this are. My initial thoughts are I recognize I’ve purchased a license to watch the content, but feel that because I’ve purchased it I should have the right to retain total control over it and do what I please. I would like to purchase movies on physical media from now on, but wouldn’t like to repurchase all the same movies and shows again when I’ve already paid for them

      • alex@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
        4·
        10 months ago

        ::: you can download it off internet archive

        you need:

        • windows - maybe, ive only tried on windows
        • internet archive account
        • adobe digital editions
        • calibre with alf’s de-drm plug-in

        borrow the book

        put this link into your browser and replace bookid with the identifier https://archive.org/services/loans/loan/?action=media_url&identifier=BOOKID&format=pdf&redirect=1

        you should get acsm file open it in adobe digital editions you now have drm-protected pdf in my documents/my digital editions/

        add this pdf to calibre (with the plug in installed)

        now you have drm-free pdf

        :::

        easier solution - just search it up with a book search engine

  • Daniel QuinnEnglish
    45·
    10 months ago

    There’s a couple angles you can take on this. My favourite is from the dotCommunist Manifesto:

    Society confronts the simple fact that when everyone can possess every intellectual work of beauty and utility—reaping all the human value of every increase of knowledge—at the same cost that any one person can possess them, it is no longer moral to exclude.

    Essentially, this argues that the unethical position is the one that creates the false scarcity.

    Another less extreme position would be that many countries allow for exemptions for format shifting: if you buy a CD with some music, you’re legally permitted to rip it so long as you don’t distribute copies. One could argue that someone in your position is operating within the spirit of these laws… provided that you haven’t torrented the videos since that necessarily includes some partial distribution.

    Finally, the least generous interpretation would point out that you didn’t buy the videos in the first place, but rather a licence to let Vudu stream them to you. Given that you don’t own anything, you’re not morally entitled to own it in a different format. This is why many people have rejected the streaming model.

    As someone in camp #1, I think you’re a-ok ethically, but I thought you might want a broader perspective.

  • uriel238@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
    241·
    10 months ago

    One of the rights we are continually trying to claw back from the IP Maximalist lobby (and their minions in office) is the right to enjoy the media you own in a format available to you.

    However, the studios and labels like taking another bite of the apple by releasing new versions, or versions in new formats, sometimes twice as they release better versions that correct for bad transfers (e.g. the lightsaber problem with the early blu-ray release.)

    Hollywood has established though repeated bad-faith behavior, it’s not interested in getting your money legitimately or while retaining a positive customer experience, but extracting your money any way they can.

    The DMCA forbids breaking DRM even for legal or non-copyright violating reasons (which is how we lost the right to repair or even jailbreak phones). And they could use this to prevent you from converting formats of your media to one you can actually use, but they’d have to make a stretchy case in court.

    Sony also overcharges for scratched or failed media, so they’ve been caught treating their stuff as licenses or media when it legally suits them.

    PS: Illegal ≠ Wrong. LGBT+ people are not grooming children, but religious ministries are.

    • donkeystomple@lemmy.mlOPEnglish
      3·
      10 months ago

      Yeah it’s crazy how much the world has changed even in my short lifetime, especially with the mass adoption of digital media. It’s going to be so difficult for people to retain their rights to what they purchase.

    • Blizzard@lemmy.zipEnglish
      6·
      10 months ago

      Not necessarily - depends on the way of obtaining the file. Downloading a copyrighted video is not illegal (it’s fair use), sharing it with others is illegal. If they downloaded it directly without sharing, that’s perfectly legal.

  • Yote.zip@pawb.socialEnglish
    17·
    10 months ago

    It’s completely down to your opinion. Legally I would guess that you’re not allowed to do it, but nowadays we live in a hellscape where we own nothing so I wouldn’t base your moral compass off of the rules that corporations set. Personally if I’ve already bought it somewhere it is mine. They’re lucky I even purchased one copy, they’re not getting anything else from me.

  • rockhandle@lemm.eeEnglish
    11·
    10 months ago

    Personally, I feel the same way you do about DRM. If you’ve paid to own it, then it should be owned outright. With this in mind, I would say pirating them wouldn’t lose you any moral ground.