Issues on sewing machine warez

November 14, 2006 9:59 PM

I thought I'd clear up some of the issues raised in this (now closed - gee, thanks) Ask MeFi thread about sewing machine warez.
posted by obiwanwasabi to Etiquette/Policy at 9:59 PM (52 comments total)

I don't own a sewing machine. My wife does, but it's an ancient model manufactured long before memory cards were invented. I don't know how to use a sewing machine. I have precisely zero interest in using a sewing machine, let alone in using a sewing machine to embroider something that looks like it came out of a clip art collection circa 1994. The only reason I even know these things exist is because a friend works in a sewing store - we dropped by for a chat, my eye was drawn to the shiny tech stuff, and then both popped out of my head when I saw the price tag.

My question was driven purely by curiosity. Did the high price of these things drive people who might not otherwise infringe on intellectual property rights to do so? I can't imagine the blue-haired quilters who frequent my friend's store doing that sort of thing, but who knows? Was there somebody out there who saw an opportunity to exploit the market by offering pirated examples at cut rate prices - prices so good your grandma couldn't resist? How "out" are such activities? Is there a piratebay for people who want to make Winnie the Pooh tea towels, or is it sewing clubs and the like? What technical barriers do sewing machine barriers put in their way?

Thanks to those who got it. Meh to the rest of you. Couldn't you go rag on the heroin thread, or the body hiding thread instead? It's _embroidery_, ffs.
posted by obiwanwasabi at 9:59 PM on November 14, 2006

sewing machine barriers

Manufacturers, even.
posted by obiwanwasabi at 10:00 PM on November 14, 2006

Not to belabor the point but couldn't you have just asked the question like you did above?
posted by Pollomacho at 10:03 PM on November 14, 2006

Phrasing matters, especially when one of the two tags you used was warez.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 10:12 PM on November 14, 2006

I suspect that your mistake, obiwanwasabi, was not knowing that there is in fact significant intellectual property theft in the sewing world, and that it has been a real problem since copy machines were invented.

Had you known this, I doubt you would have phrased your question as "Warez the warez, d000ds?!?". Of course, had you known this, you probably wouldn't have asked the question in the first place.

As for "It's _embroidery_", you should know by this point that there is no topic so seemingly banal that it is not taken deadly seriously by someone, somewhere.
posted by tkolar at 10:16 PM on November 14, 2006

(now closed - gee, thanks)

Let me get this straight: You've been here since February of 2001 and you didn't know the site avoids warez posts? And then you snipe at the moderators for removing a question you asked for no real reason, phrased vaguely *and* tagged with "warez"?

Does that about cover it? Because I think you're done here.
posted by mediareport at 10:25 PM on November 14, 2006

Please just answer yes or no:

Have you stopped pirating sewing machine warez yet?
posted by ernie at 10:36 PM on November 14, 2006

If you were asking about the nature of the problem then it certainly wasn't very clear. It sounded to me like you were asking for people to hook you up with sites where you can get warez. Duh, of course that's going to be deleted.

Embroidering On a Copyright Shakedown Theme

Grannies and Pirated Software
posted by Rhomboid at 10:48 PM on November 14, 2006

Am I the only one who finds this MeTa thread just a wee bit disingenuous?

Oh, looks like I'm not.
posted by grouse at 12:33 AM on November 15, 2006

So Matt deletes the askMefi asking about "warez", but not the one about how to service stolen laptop?
posted by orthogonality at 5:02 AM on November 15, 2006

The Matt, much like The Pope, is infallable. Infallable.
posted by Pollomacho at 5:33 AM on November 15, 2006

Pollomacho writes "The Matt, much like The Pope, is infallable. Infallable."

And, like the Pope, full of Bulls.
posted by orthogonality at 5:36 AM on November 15, 2006

orthogonality : "So Matt deletes the askMefi asking about 'warez', but not the one about how to service stolen laptop?"

Yes.
posted by Bugbread at 5:58 AM on November 15, 2006

So Matt deletes the askMefi asking about "warez", but not the one about how to service stolen laptop?

dear metafilter

what's the most accurate and reliable rifle i could buy to shoot ____ _______?

thanks

L__ H_____O_____
posted by pyramid termite at 6:24 AM on November 15, 2006

So Matt deletes the askMefi asking about "warez", but not the one about how to service stolen laptop?

No. I removed the warez post and we both left the stolen laptop post.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 6:26 AM on November 15, 2006

UNITED FRONT DAMMIT
posted by cortex at 6:29 AM on November 15, 2006

I think it would be best if we just realized we are all guests here, and even though the host is a cool cat, we can't be bringing the heat down on his place.
posted by Brave New Meatbomb at 6:48 AM on November 15, 2006

dear metafilter

what's the most accurate and reliable rifle i could buy to shoot _predatory_ _birds_?

thanks

Likes_ Hunting_ Owls_
posted by mr_crash_davis at 7:18 AM on November 15, 2006 [2 favorites]

There has been so little about warez on MetaFilter that I had to go look in wikipedia to see precisely what the term means, and there I discovered much to my surprise that it is not pronounced "juarez." Heh.
posted by JanetLand at 8:03 AM on November 15, 2006 [1 favorite]

From now on, I am pronouncing it "juarez."
posted by klangklangston at 8:19 AM on November 15, 2006

we have always been at warez with embroidery.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 8:29 AM on November 15, 2006

Posting about juacks, juracks, and juarez is verboten.
posted by Big_B at 8:32 AM on November 15, 2006

I have pronounced it "Juarez" since this geeky kid at high school (back in the '80s) came in one day to tell us, his fellow nerds, about this new BBS he had discovered called "Juarez World." They had all the latest Juarez! Needless to say, he became the butt of much ridicule.
posted by kindall at 9:17 AM on November 15, 2006

It's pronounced "OZZ WEE PAY".
posted by scrump at 9:47 AM on November 15, 2006 [1 favorite]

we both left the stolen laptop post

Why?
posted by timeistight at 1:23 PM on November 15, 2006

Funnily enough, neither mathowie or jessamyn bothered to contribute to that one.
posted by timeistight at 1:48 PM on November 15, 2006

are you kidding me?
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 2:24 PM on November 15, 2006

maybe matt's laptop got stolen ... but seriously, some anonymous jerk asking how he should get a stolen laptop fixed isn't going to create any legal liability for the site ... people linking to warez or places one can get warez just might
posted by pyramid termite at 2:28 PM on November 15, 2006

Phrasing matters, especially when one of the two tags you used was warez.

I used the tag becuase the post was about warez, and because "possibleintellectualpropertyinfringementdependingonthelawsofyoursoverignstate" is a stupid tag, and so I could find it easy later on. You know - like what tags are supposed to do?

And anyway, oooh, scary warez. Somebody call the FBI. Or maybe they're too busy chasing body-disposing, heroin-dealing laptop thieves. You know - the ones who ask about really serious criminal matters, but who get to keep their posts (as well they should, unless we have a thought crime policy these days). Other people in the thread seemed to get it, which just confirms that the rest of you were knee-jerking.

As for asking the question the certain way - well, I figured brevity was better, and I assumed you'd all be mature and adult enough to figure it out, or at least refrain from passing your sanctimonious-arsed judgement on the question without knowing the details. I guess I was only right about some of you.

Let me get this straight: You've been here since February of 2001 and you didn't know the site avoids warez posts?

Let me get this straight - I've been here since February of 2001 and I don't get the benefit of the doubt, or at least an e-mail from asking me to clarify what I mean, or a fucking courtesy e-mail letting me know my post was deleted? Does that about cover it?

Seriously - lets say I asked this question:

I have {insert expensive sewing machine here}. Memory cards are really expensive. Where can I get them cheap or download them for free?

How would asking or answering this be any different to answering in the body disposal thread, or a thread on removing DRM from iTunes, or one on "backing up" DVDs, or modding Xboxes, or soliciting from a prostitute?

And can we get over the "we're just guests" thing? There is no site without us. Without us, it's a fucking link to cat-scan.com. Grow a backbone and smell the hypocrisy.
posted by obiwanwasabi at 2:40 PM on November 15, 2006

are you kidding me?

Ouch! I searched the page but somehow missed that. Sorry.
posted by timeistight at 2:48 PM on November 15, 2006

I wrote...
polite response to obiwanwasabi

Obiwanwasabi,

Suck it up, man. You asked a question and you got an answer. Say thank you and go on your way.

All this "Boo hoo, everyone thinks I asked for warez on a public site just because I asked for warez on a public site" stuff is just pathetic. I won't say I always care for the moderation here, but I thank the gods its not being done by a small-minded wannabe such as yourself.

So, wipe the drool off your chin, change into your big-boy pants, and move the hell along with your life.
posted by tkolar at 2:56 PM on November 15, 2006

crap, forgot the /i.
posted by tkolar at 2:56 PM on November 15, 2006

a fucking courtesy e-mail letting me know my post was deleted?

obiwanwasabi, I'm sorry this has rubbed you the wrong way, but as I've said before, usually I'll only send emails to people if they seem like novices who don't know how the site works. Otherwise, seriously, the specific issue is the idea of warez, the tag warez, and the way the question was phrased which is specifically what the FAQ says will result in your post being removed. Ask your question next week, the way you said it here, not in your l337 haxx0r way and I'm sure people will respond to it with good information.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 2:57 PM on November 15, 2006

obiwanwasabi : "I've been here since February of 2001 and I don't get the benefit of the doubt, or at least an e-mail from asking me to clarify what I mean, or a fucking courtesy e-mail letting me know my post was deleted? Does that about cover it?"

Yeah, pretty much. And if your goal was to keep your question up, you should have taken that into account.
posted by Bugbread at 2:57 PM on November 15, 2006

or a fucking courtesy e-mail

*laughs*
posted by mediareport at 3:00 PM on November 15, 2006

And anyway, oooh, scary warez. Somebody call the FBI. Or maybe they're too busy chasing body-disposing, heroin-dealing laptop thieves. You know - the ones who ask about really serious criminal matters, but who get to keep their posts

yeah, well you just keep running your mouth and matt and jessamyn can keep running the site ... it's not like you have to back it up with having to deal with the consequences, is it?
posted by pyramid termite at 3:01 PM on November 15, 2006

mediareport, not to be an ass or anything, but don't you feel like your contribution here in the grey for a few months now has been nothing but sniping at people? Not that I really mind, per se, since I've done it before as well, but don't you get mildly tired of always ::ahem:: being right and supercilious?
posted by SeizeTheDay at 6:12 PM on November 15, 2006

Without us, it's a fucking link to cat-scan.com.

and silly string. and the national day of slayer.
posted by quonsar at 6:22 PM on November 15, 2006

AND CAPSLOCK DAY
posted by quonsar at 6:24 PM on November 15, 2006

and cameras
posted by cortex at 6:26 PM on November 15, 2006

and camwhores
posted by quonsar at 6:38 PM on November 15, 2006

and cormorants
posted by cortex at 6:41 PM on November 15, 2006

and login
posted by quonsar at 6:53 PM on November 15, 2006

and portabello mushrooms
posted by pyramid termite at 7:02 PM on November 15, 2006

don't you get mildly tired of always ::ahem:: being right and supercilious?

Yeah, ok, I'll stop rolling my eyes so obviously. Thanks to you and klangklangston for the heads-up. I see my green:grey comment ratio is now below 3:1; that's probably a bad sign.
posted by mediareport at 7:05 PM on November 15, 2006

AND KNIFIN' AROUND

NEVAR FORGET KNIFIN' AROUND.
posted by loquacious at 7:22 PM on November 15, 2006

crap, forgot the /i.

n00b.

Ask your question next week

No. You can't make me. You're not my real mother.
posted by obiwanwasabi at 7:45 PM on November 15, 2006

No. You can't make me. You're not my real mother.

On this, we agree.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 7:57 PM on November 15, 2006

I think warez are about the only good freakin' thing about the internet. So even though obiwan is being a bit of a dick, I'm on his side.

Just in case you were wondering.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 9:27 PM on November 15, 2006

WITHOUT ME THERE IS NO SITE
It's just embroidery, for god's sake. I mean, when I started smoldering over my Kirk Cameron post, I had the good sense to realize I was being an ass, and backed down. I hope you do the same, obiwan.
posted by boo_radley at 9:30 PM on November 15, 2006

You guys should charge monthly.
posted by owhydididoit at 10:54 PM on November 15, 2006

owhydididoit, now that's entertainment.
posted by cgc373 at 12:46 AM on November 16, 2006