No more free downloads?

Well, its been awhile since it was announced and all, but i just happen to came across this recently. So basically what it will mean is..

picture from lowyat.net

Apparently the Trade and Consumer's Affair Ministry are looking to impose a limit or maybe none what so ever to any Malaysians who download 'stuff' of the internet. A whopping fine of RM250k to RM 500k will be imposed to whoever who are caught doing so.

One may ask, do we even get fined if we download open source applications ( free stuff) off download applications such as bit torrents. Its absolutely absurd to literally track down every single downloader in the counrty.

Heck, as we all may know, softwares are not cheap to come by, costing at least RM100 for each application. Lets say a student needing several software to complete a certain assignment or pursue their studies, what option do they have but to get the software off downloads or even from a pirate source. Its not that their university or college will willingly supply all their students with the required software. Use the campus computer labs u say? Each campus may have, let say 200 computers at their labs, are they looking to cater over 500 students with the mere 200 computers. And , as a student myself previously, who starts works until about 10pm at night... will the computer labs still be opened? Cyber cafe's? will the computer's there have the software we require for our work? 99.9% does not even have MS Word.

An average Malaysian earns about rm30k p.a., how does the government expect them to pay the enormous fine this is imposing. Downloaders are more for private use and all; the government should actually looking in impose heftier fines to offenders such as rapist or robbers, even some public service personnel who are taking bribes; protecting the safety of the public. Downloaders will not go , " Damn i cant download this, i must kill someone". :)

As most downloaders may realize, the stuff that you download are actually shared from another source in the world. So by banning download, they are also in way banning sharing. Agree? They bought the stuff, they find it nice and look to share something good to everyone else around the world, we happen to came across it, curious and since they are sharing it, why not?

What they should be looking to do is actually crack down pirate VCD and DVD peddlers and as we can see its not really successful over the years. Trying to ban downloads? Its more like a dream. What if we actually payed for the software and download them, will we still get fined? lol


p/s will we still get fined if we download trial programs, which are meant to be free?

adios