My intention was to point ouy that if I was wrong to use the term "stealing," then allen is equally if not more so wrong in using the term "rape."

I was pointing out allen described a perfectly legal action as "rape."

But I had "AT LEAST" been describing the ILLEGAL act of online piracy as "stealing."

Both terms are not accurate LEGALLY speaking, my point again was that I was AT LEAST using STEALING to describe a crime, so if I was wrong to do so, then allen is equally wrong if not more so.

Joe, you said we pro-piracy types were criticizing you for using 'stealing' figuratively. We were not, because you were using it quite literally.

Allen wasn't using 'rape' literally. At least, I don't think he was.

No, I was not.

I was told that using the term "stealing" was to be invoking the specific legal term, stealing. So I then clarified it was never my intent to use it as a specific legal term, and I attempted to explain I was using it metaphorically, conversationally to describe my feeling that online piracy was tantamount to stealing. But I was told that either use was inaccurate.

Either way what does that have to do with the question...

How is pirating files illegally to enjoy the use of someones creations without compensating them, somehow different than a company using completely legal technicalities to enjoy the use of creations of someone without compensating them?

Downloading a movie online for free isn't much different than catching it on a friend's TV or something. Whatever you think of it personally, corporations putting it in the realm of "criminal offense" is nauseatingly greedy and evil. If you side with them you are probably going to hell. Like, I'm sorry that once a creative product is on the market, the owner doesn't 100% control who sees it and under what terms. Deal with it.

As for Marvel movies I just caught THOR the other day which was pretty bad, but still pleasantly surprising insofar as I did find myself oddly entertained by it, which is more than I can say for fan favorites like Spider-Man. Maybe just because THOR's so odd. What can you possibly do with the character that isn't sort of stupid? Branaugh seemed to have fun. I was surprised at how well some of the culture-clash humor played when Thor first comes to Earth, and felt disappointed they didn't do more with it. There were missed opportunities left and right throughout the whole movie, really. Yet still ... I somehow got a kick out of it. Probably wouldn't sit through it again though.

K

You assume much. I buy the things I enjoy. I often buy things I don't enjoy, but I use piracy to try and mitigate that.