am i wrong for this?

[jokabofe]

bear with me, after i wrote it out and read it back, there's a lot of "friend" talk, but no names... i'm not sure if any of them read this forum (i doubt it) but i can't be too cautious....

a friend of mine got a new pc with a dvd burner in it, and he asked me to borrow my sw trilogy dvd's to copy them. i said sure, no problem, he's my friend and all... you know? so what if i paid $70 for the set, i'll just let him make a copy for himself. so, i took them with me when i went to his job the other day, and a fellow friend of his was there. his friend is also a star wars fan, and when he saw what i was giving to my buddy, and what he was going to do, he asked my buddy if he could have a copy as well. and he was like, "sure no problem, i'll just make two". now, i was standing right there, but wasn't asked if this semi-stranger could also have a copy of my discs. now, i know that he could have easily just made a copy from his copy and not told me anyway, but at least he could have asked. now, i was talking to another friend today at work, and telling him about how my buddy got a dvd burner, and he was like "cool... i can't wait for them to come out so i can finally get a copy of the trilogy". so i called up my friend, who still has my dvd's, and asked him if he could make an additional copy for me to give to my friend. and he was like, "uhmmm.... are you going to bring me blank dvd's or should i just use the ones i have here?". so kinda in a kidding way, i said, "just use the ones you have and i'll pay for them when i pick them up". and he goes, "cool. they're like $2.50 each".

i was in shock. i mean, i would think that after giving him my $70 trilogy set to copy - for free - that he could at least make me a few copies without asking me for the $7.50 for the blanks. i am pissed... i always thought that he was a good friend, but now i'm not sure. am i wrong to be pissed? is he right in asking me for the $7.50? and he told me that he has a bunch of movies that he wants to borrow, so that he can copy them. what should i do?

on top of that, he wants me to create a rather large diorama for his store, a diorama of the geonosis arena... should i charge him labor now?

[Snively Bandar]

I say you just take him outside and kick his ass real good.

OK, seriously though.  Yeah, that's pretty messed up of your buddy to do there.  Take for free, but not return the favor?  Not the end of the world, but definitely not too cool.

Some people just lack a certain amount of common sense when it comes to stuff like that.  They take for granted what they're getting from someone else, but act totally different when the table's are turned and someone needs something from them.

I'd just casually mention in a semi-joking manner when you go pick up the copies your friend's making you - "C'mon now, I hooked you up with a free set of the OT.  Least you could do is give me a complimentary set in return.  Cheapskate!"  Maybe that'll do the trick.  Sometimes people just need a little reality check or wake up call to realize what they're doing.

BTW, what version of the OT did you give him, and from where did it originally come?

Good luck with him.  Let us know how it goes!

[jokabofe]

BTW, what version of the OT did you give him, and from where did it originally come?

it is the re-release, non-special edition version, copied from the laserdiscs, that someone from scotland in the rpf was selling. i also have the 5 star special editions, but i'm not sure if i'm going to let him borrow those...

[Force Guy]

When you see your "friend" again, hand him his $7.50.  Tell him that you realize blank DVD's aren't cheap and that it's only right for you to reimburse him.  Then tell him that the trilogy wasn't cheap either and that it cost you $70.  Tell him that since he's a friend, you'll only charge him $35 (50% off).        

[Angry Ewok]

Your 'friend' is a cheap bastard ass dick. I say tell him he's a mutt for not doing it for free, since you were nice enough to loan him the set for free.

[Xander]

I'd just casually mention in a semi-joking manner when you go pick up the copies your friend's making you - "C'mon now, I hooked you up with a free set of the OT.  Least you could do is give me a complimentary set in return.  Cheapskate!"  Maybe that'll do the trick.  Sometimes people just need a little reality check or wake up call to realize what they're doing.

That's probably what I would do too.   I know your P.O.'d, but it sounds just like a simple misunderstanding. Friends are bound to make little mistakes like this, trip up once in a while.  I would let him understand your point of view, joking sounds good, and let him reconsider. Sounds like a small aggravation from a friend, rather than a real problem.  

I would immediately get ticked off too though.

[Boba Binks]

I would not let him borrow anything else again.

[MisterPL]

Tell Lucasfilm the whole story. They'll know what to do.

[JoshEEE]

It's so funny questioning the ethics and proper polite conduct of pirating media with your friends.

I wonder if other thieves do this?

"Hey Louie, when we rob the store, I'm going to kill the clerk...so that means I get 55% of the take and you get 45%."

"But Tony, I'm the one who cased the joint, and I should CLEARLY get at least 48% percent. Though, your car is the getaway car. Hmmmm. Ok, how about I pay for gas and we split it 50/50."


 

[Ben]

I wouldn't consider it 'pirating' since these versions will never be available on DVD. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to have an official version of the unmolested trilogy and would sooner buy that than a bootlegged copy.

But them's just my ethics at work.

[jokabofe]

It's so funny questioning the ethics and proper polite conduct of pirating media with your friends.

I wonder if other thieves do this?

"Hey Louie, when we rob the store, I'm going to kill the clerk...so that means I get 55% of the take and you get 45%."

"But Tony, I'm the one who cased the joint, and I should CLEARLY get at least 48% percent. Though, your car is the getaway car. Hmmmm. Ok, how about I pay for gas and we split it 50/50."


 

well, i think that by associating (a) me giving a friend - at no charge - a copy of something i paid for with (b) a friend and i holding up and killing a worker, you're comparing apples with a star destroyer, nevermind the oranges... you're basically saying that armed robbery and murder are the same as copying a disc? wow...

they are two completely different things. and let me guess - you've never downloaded music or movies, or copied anything for and/or from a friend?

[Famine]

well, i think that by associating (a) me giving a friend - at no charge - a copy of something i paid for with (b) a friend and i holding up and killing a worker, you're comparing apples with a star destroyer, nevermind the oranges... you're basically saying that armed robbery and murder are the same as copying a disc? wow...

they are two completely different things. and let me guess - you've never downloaded music or movies, or copied anything for and/or from a friend?

Im quite sure he was making light of the situation. No worries.


If it were my situation, I would inform him of the price you paid for the DVD's, and inform him that he is a cheapskate, after you let him have a 70 dollar set basicly for free.

Kevin

[Morgbug]

Bah, I'm completely unethical.  I'm Canadian after all.

I'll give ya $20 for a set?  $7.50 to your bud for the discs and you pocket $12.50 to help make some of your money back

[DSJ™]

Bah, I'm completely unethical.  I'm Canadian after all.

Your Canadian! No way.    
I'll give ya $25. Keep the change!  

[Morgbug]

Hoser.




Eh.