Larian Studios Forums General Chat @Lucretia, wat's happening in greece?

[color:"orange"]Greek holiday warning on fake CDs, buy them you go to Jail [/color]
Source: BBC News


Millions of holidaymakers going to Greece this summer have been warned they could be jailed for buying pirated CDs after a buyer was imprisoned.
A man was jailed for three months by an Athens court for buying illegal CDs in the country"s first case of its kind.
He had been arrested as he bought [color:"orange"]two[/color] CDs from a vendor in Athens last week, said the International Federation of the Phonographic Industries (IFPI).
The group gave a clear warning it would target buyers of counterfeit CDs. IFPI spokesman Ion Stamboulis said: "This is not a symbolic measure.
We are determined to prosecute the buyers and we have the support of the authorities." Greece has the worst piracy rate in western Europe.

In Greece, 10 million pirated CDs are sold each year, which equals the sales of genuine CDs.
They run about six euros (£4) each and are sold openly on the streets, outside cafes or on beaches.
There is some speculation that the man mentioned in the article may be an example, to hopefully ward off any activity increases during the Olympics.
The authorities are expecting quite a surge of business for those weeks.

Also, you can read the full article here

Mmmmm...i'm off in three weeks, mind you i won't be buying any CD's, maybe the odd DVD if you know what i mean.(wink, wink). <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />

not sure what u meant by that, spick. *wink wink back at spick*

AMEN!

Hacked cds have flooded the market! You go down to the beach, you are swimming in the sea and you have this Black/Albanian/whatever person asking you constantly to buy faked cds. They make a lot of money out of this! So it was about time something to be done.

On the other hand, Greek market of legal cds is very expensive. And people who buy hacked cds do it because originals are pretty expensive. And remember people we do not have the wages you have in your countries. Of course this is unfair for the atrists and developers of the cds. True. But answer this : A 25 year old boy who takes 750 € per month can he aford to buy <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beyond.gif" alt="" /> for 43 €? Cause those are the wages they offer here. I work for 10 years in the same company for about 10 hours per day and I only take 1.000 € per month. So it is obvious why people buy those cds and they are right.

IMO there is something to be done in order to lower the prices (or increase the wages). That would be the first thing they should do in order to prevent such phenomena. Then they should prosecute not the buyers but the sellers! The sellers make all the profit. And they are not even Greek! Please note that I am not rachist (sp?). But for Gods names! They come to Greece, they take Greek and other music and they sell it for their own profit! Have mercy! And then people from other countries say that Greeks have a wide market of hacked cds...

I live in the US and have come to appreciate how fortunate we are when I read stories like the above. Most Americans don't know about the difference in economies worldwide. I'm not even certain I completely understand the disparaging wage differences only that we (Americans) have a pretty good life compared to other countries. Also, from what little I do know about Greece, their ethics are far different than those in the US and Canada. Crime and criminals although not non-existent, are treated much differently than where I live.

Interesting article! Thanks for posting.


Faralas <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mage.gif" alt="" />

I guess that's why I came to the US. Money money money. If you have the right skills that is.
Not sure what you mean by the criminals Faralas. Most of the criminals I've seen here are elected.... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

My opinion in cracked/pirated CD's is that if the damn things weren't so easy to copy onto in the first place there wouldn't be this problem. DVD's have a better protection system. If you buy a copy of a DVD its usually sub-par visually so its easier to tell.
Also, there will always be a market for copies if someone wants to buy them so its also a question of people's morals.
I simply don't buy many copies because I think they have crappy quality. Did I use my friend's cracked version of MS office? Hell yeah! Totally overcharged peice of software. Then again we ain't talking about computer CD's here. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

LOL!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/up.gif" alt="" /> You're soooo right there, Morbo! They are criminals (or wannabe's). Look at Marion Berry, Mayor of Washington, DC. Was caught selling and using cocaine with a hooker (no less) and they re-elected him! That says a lot about the morals of our society. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />



Well, because someone leaves a million $$ out in their front yard doesn't mean I have the right to take it. (It just makes them careless, stupid idiots for leaving it there in the first place!) <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> But I understand your point. The last 2 CRPGs I bought have feature that prohibits them from being copied by simpletons like myself. And you're further correct, there will always be a black market just as there are people who are willing to steal or take the shortcuts to striking it rich. That's a sad commentary on human nature, but it's a truth.

The only "pirated" copies of stuff I have are 2 CDs and they (Pee-Ewe, P.U. *holds nose it's so bad*) stink. A friend got them for me as a Christmas present not knowing they were dupes. Her 16 yr. old son pointed that out to her after she got them home. He said the particular CD she bought for me usually costs between $17.99 and $19.99 not the $1.99 each. ROFL And the sound quality is just so bad. I know she felt foolish trying to save a few bucks but she wanted to make me happy at the same time. That was the last year we decided to exchange gifts. Just too darned expensive. And Christmas is for kids anyway. Besides we've been friends for nearly 30 years (met her when I was in college ----> That's how OLD I am!!) and there is no need to buy presents at this point in the friendship. *g* Now, how'd I get so waaaay <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/offtopic.gif" alt="" /> ??? I amaze my own self sometimes. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" />


Faralas <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mage.gif" alt="" />

Wow, first time I've been confused for Morbo before...... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ROFL.gif" alt="" />

LOL Sorry about that! I KNEW I messed up your name and a couple of times I've been meaning to come back and fix the message before you saw it. Aack! Nabbed. Dang it.

Oh well. I can't keep track of everyone's names in here. *sigh* I'm getting very old.


Faralas <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mage.gif" alt="" /> *cough, cough*

@ Wooble
That thing with the criminals you wrote, is one of the best things I ever read. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/up.gif" alt="" /> And I am not in a mood to start a fight with the others that have other opinions. That is my point of view and will not change as long as I see all those pictures in the newspapers...

Thank Gods we have different ethics. Otherwise I would have to go and live in a different country.

Hey Luc!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ROFL.gif" alt="" /> it's "WOMBLE" , but then again i'm sure sometimes he is a bit wobbly! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

at first i thought faralas was making an honest mistake by calling womble as morbo. now with Luc calling him wooble, well, i think womble has a problem being himself lately. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

about pirated cd's, well, malaysia authorities are negotiating with the bigshot companies to lower prices of original cd's. so far no such luck as i can still see prices of original cd's at very high price & very very very few get promo prices. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/disagree.gif" alt="" />

what's worse (for me) is that imported cd's are way way way expensive; 3 times that of normal originals. if i buy cassettes, i can buy 3-4 albums a month. cd's? well even 1 is painful to my nocando. not that i'm making money with my nocando. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

games? originals are a rarity! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/delight.gif" alt="" />

Ooops sorry Womble. I wrote the previous post in a hurry. I was ready to leave for the weekend and I messed up things. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/stupid.gif" alt="" /> My apologies

Janggut and Lucretia - you are so right here.

Here are just simple calculations -
Official minimum salary in Estonia is 150 USD.
Official medium salary is 300 USD.

Game CD's cost 70-80 USD here.
Music CD's cost approx 15+

What are the chances, that the young man/women having good salary of even 400 USD buying a game for 70 USD, where, as you can see, price for one game is approx 20% of his/her monthly income? Little to none.

Therefore, there is no variety of games in the stores. Why? Because demand is miserable.

I am lucky, I have a friend in Finland, who delivers me the latest stuff <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />


I will never blame above mentioned man/women for not buying legal CDs here.

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/offtopic.gif" alt="" /> Sorry to change the subject, but, first off...Hi ya Luc! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wave.gif" alt="" /> To get to my point. I have a friend at work and she just went to the Greek festival here in town. She was absolutely in love with the food they had there! I am to BTW, anyhow, I told her that I knew someone who was Greek- From Greece- Lives in Greece, and that was also (I hear) an excellent cook! Could you please, if you have the time PM me with some of your favorite recipies? Or just PM me anyway...I miss ya sister! BBFN Mslynx

Hiya Dearest! I missed you so much too!! I will pm you right away <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />