[hamworld05]

The strangest thing happened! Somehow, my uncle has received a DVD-R with Spiderman 3! Is that actually legal?

[alkalineangel]

No, it means it's pirated... did he purchase this?

[hamworld05]

no, it means it's pirated... did he purchase this?

I'm not sure, I'll go ask him when I get the chance. Hey, uh, what's "pirated"?

[alkalineangel]

Pirated is stolen. When someone buys a dvd and burns it to sell the burnt copies. Instead of people going an legally buying the dvds in a store where the money is given to the appropriate parties, they buy it from the thief (sometimes unknowingly) and then the money only goes to him, and he did nothing... its illegal and very common now a days.

[PortalWriter]

:eek: Spiderman 3. Surely you jest.

If you aren't jesting, please elaborate. What kind of packaging is it in? Have you watched it? Is it indeed Spiderman 3? Is the DVD-R second hand, or store bought?

My imagination is thinking of all kinds of possiblites. And if it is indeed Spiderman 3 I do not believe it is a legal copy, unless perhaps your Uncle bought the DVD player from Sam Raimi himself. Even then I don't think it would be perfectly legal.

But then I'm a writer, not a lawyer so what do I know? :o

[hamworld05]

:eek: Spiderman 3. Surely you jest.

If you aren't jesting, please elaborate. What kind of packaging is it in? Have you watched it? Is it indeed Spiderman 3? Is the DVD-R second hand, or store bought?

My imagination is thinking of all kinds of possiblites. And if it is indeed Spiderman 3 I do not believe it is a legal copy, unless perhaps your Uncle bought the DVD player from Sam Raimi himself. Even then I don't think it would be perfectly legal.

But then I'm a writer, not a lawyer so what do I know? :o

No, I'm really serious! Yes, I have watched it and it really is Spiderman 3! I don't know what you mean by packaging, but it looks like a typical DVD-R, Staples Business Depot, recordable discs, 16x speed, that sort of thing.

[PortalWriter]

I meant the packaging on the Spiderman DVD itself. Not the player. Is it on a Recordable Disc labelled with Ink that looks like somebody copied it, or does it look like an official DVD from Columbia Pictures? Does it have Bonus Features? Did they advertise that Spiderman 3 came with the player?

That is weird, if its from Staples.

I wonder if you should notify the store?

[hamworld05]

I meant the packaging on the Spiderman DVD itself. Not the player. Is it on a Recordable Disc labelled with Ink that looks like somebody copied it, or does it look like an official DVD from Columbia Pictures? Does it have Bonus Features? Did they advertise that Spiderman 3 came with the player?

That is weird, if its from Staples.

I wonder if you should notify the store?

It is on a recordabledisc and there is no ink, but it does have a funny little tape labelled " Spiderman 3" on it. It doesn't have bonus features and I don't think they advertised that Spiderman 3 came with the player.

[alkalineangel]

If its spiderman 3, it's a bootleg, also very common. I once bought a DVD set from someone on Ebay who ended up being from China instead of Los Angeles, and they had printed DVD-Rs in a handmade box. To an untrained eye it would have seemed legit, but there were too many typos, and I know a bad print job when I see one...

[hamworld05]

if its spiderman 3, its a bootleg, also very common. I once bought a DVD set from someone on Ebay who ended up being from China instead of Los Angeles, and they had printed DVD-Rs in a handmade box. To an untrained eye it would have seemed legit, but there were too many typos, and I know a bad print job when i see one...

Oh. Would I be charged for actually having it? What could I be charged for, and how?

[alkalineangel]

It isn't likely. And You didn't do the crime... and you have to be mass producing these things from them to even bother with it. They are mostly busy cracking down on the online downloads of movies.. You still didn't say how this came to be in your uncle's hands.. did he buy it? Was it given to him? I would let the person I got it from know. They may not be aware. If it is from a friend/family member, they may not realize that this copying of dvds is illegal, people used to copy VHS all the time... but it is..

[hamworld05]

it isnt likely. and You didnt do the crime...and you have to be mass producing these things from them to even bother with it. They are mostly busy cracking down on the online downloads of movies.. You still didnt say how this came to be in your uncle's hands..did he buy it? was it given to him? I would let the person i got it from know. They may not be aware. if it is from a friend/family member, they may not realize that this copying of dvds is illegal, people used to copy VHS all the time...but it is..

I just found out: He borrowed it. I don't whether it was from a friend.
So, basically I have an illegal DVD-R. What do I do with it?

[alkalineangel]

Nothing.. give it back.. like I said, it is so minuscule compared to the bigger problem. He didn't buy it so that's good, at least the thief isn't making money... It won't be as good as the real DVD because it's a Bootleg, meaning someone videotaped the movie from the theatre... the DVD when it comes out, will be better, I suggest keeping it if you want, but buying the real thing if you liked it once it comes out... I might choose better friends.. lol.

[hamworld05]

nothing..give it back..like I said, it is so miniscule compared to the bigger problem. He didnt buy it so thats good, at least the theif isnt making money...It wont be as good as the real DVD because its a Bootleg, meaning someone videotaped the movie from the theatre...the DVD when it comes out, will be better, I suggest keeping it if you want, but buying the real thing if you liked it once it comes out...I might choose better friends..lol.

LOL. All right, thanks, alkalineangle!