Unfortunately/fortunately (determined by which side of the bed I get up on), I don't think piracy will ever leave these shores, since it now has it's roots firmly cemented in the ground. Let me firstly state that I have been knowledgeable about PC's in one way or another for more than 25 years, and piracy has always been around. True, not to the extent which it is currently, but it's always been there, peeping out over the covers, trying to not get noticed. My first exposure to piracy included the C64, as kids would swap the cassette tapes with each other around the playground. I received a tape, and not thinking it would work, decided to copy it to an alternative tape. To my delight it worked, soon word spread throughout the school, and before you knew it, everyone was doing it. Following the commodore 64, I went through a little bit of a console phase, and I'd heard various reports of people with the ability to copy SNES games by copying the chips on the cartridges etc, but this was beyond the finance and effort levels of the majority of individuals I knew, so overall, this wasn't really investigated.
My next taste of it came with the PC, and this is, I feel, was where the government bodies, publishing houses etc etc royally screwed up. Around the PC, things have invariably been simple to copy. Back in those times however, there was no where near a big of a scene as there exists today. Back in those days, it might be a little game which got copied, or something similar, now however, we're talking the discography of your favourite artist, or maybe a blue ray being uploaded for everyone to get hold of on it's release day. The part where I felt the 'big boys' screwed up on was when it came to mp3's, with software named Napster. The thing is that, presently, there were various ways to obtain mp3s online. You may do it via an ftp site, download it from a web page, use various point-to-point software applications for instance direct connect or audiogalaxy, but none of these methods had really gripped the scene by the scruff of the neck, until Napster came along.
We, the lineal representatives of the successful enactors of one scene of slaughter after another, must, whatever more pacific virtues we may also possess, still carry about with us, ready at any moment to burst into flame, the smoldering and sinister traits of character by means of which they lived through so many massacres, harming others, but themselves unharmed.
—William James (1842–1910)
Napster was an easy to use interface, which allowed a novice to easily download and share mp3's without having really experience, precisely what the scene needed. And because of it being so easy to use, the community increased in size in no time at all. Before you knew it, an incredible number of mp3's were being distributed across the internet illegally. Now, the 'big boys' had an opportunity to view this, and make a judgment on how they would take care of the situation. They may have set up an identical system, offering a subscription or charge per download (akin to Itunes in a way) or they may have perhaps played a role in Napster, legalising it and making a profit in return, but no, they decided to sue Napster, forcing it's closure, and forcing the hand of people in the scene.
Now, generally in everyday life, if a person wants something bad enough, they'll obtain it. As long as it's actually something obtainable - don't expect your angel wings to grow over-night just yet. This is basically what went down. Those individuals who wanted to share and download mp3s and other media, who were no longer able to, thought privately, 'ok, if they've closed down my main source for getting the information I want, I'll simply create one myself', and before you knew it, there were many applications delivered which could do the same as Napster, some even offering better service. At this point, those searching for illegal downloads were now spoilt for choice, as things were different to before. Previously, there were programs out there that allowed you to share media, but they either weren't very simple to use (I'm thinking about you 'direct connect') or they simply weren't powerful enough to serve the requirements of it's users. However, presently there were a large volume of different applications, and various systems to actually share this data, utorrent for instance. When the word got out about Napster being sued, those that had no knowledge on Napster or sharing media, began to explore methods to get their piece of the pie, and the scene took off from here.
All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players.
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. At first the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms.
Then the whining schoolboy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress’ eyebrow. Then, a soldier,
Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honour, sudden, and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon’s mouth. And then the justice,
In fair round belly with good capon lined,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws and modern instances;
And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slippered pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side,
His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide
For his shrunk shank, and his big, manly voice,
Turning again toward childish treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,
That ends this strange, eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion,
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
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