Recent Xbox Live bans done to retain 'health of the video game business'

No, by your logic its assuming that pirates physically steal a game from a store.

If you could download, copy and build a Mercedes from the comfort of your own bedroom, then more people would be doing it.

Physical theft and digital theft are yes, both theft, but they have to be treated differently. Physical theft for a start has a far higher risk factor involved due to its very nature.

However, if you have found a way of copying Mercedes let me know as there's a very nice Porsche 911 GT3 Cup S I'd quite like :)

I'll just toss this in, even though it won't change anyone's mind.

Ungained revenue is NOT lost revenue.

If someone doesn't pay for a game but plays it anyway, and would NOT have paid for it in the forst place no matter how cheap, then there is no loss to the manufacturer. Sure, they'd be better off if that person paid before playing, but when NO MONEY was going to come from it anyway, it's just a lie to claim there was one. People enjoy rented games all the time with no further income to the manufacturer (unless the Big Renters give a percentage?) but those people playing without paying the manufacturer is not called a 'loss'. Maybe the renter will buy later? Well, so MIGHT the pirate.

This is the whole problem with selling Intellectual Property. The value is in the experience, and experiences are fleeting. Putting a high value on an experience then crying when someone else gets that experience cheaper or free just gets old.

Hey, I'd like a cut of the experience bucks like making movies, but I'd avoid whining about 'losses' when not everyone having that experience pays full price. Some folks just don't play along...

Having to pay for games and seeing other people just burn games for free sux too, but yet I still pay, cause Im not a dirty thief.

If you pirate games, you will answer to the Locust horde ban stomp!!!

you should realize that theres some false positive.

pirates and hackers know how to avoid this anyways...

So whats your point? Lets give them a freakin medal. I'm sure drug dealers dont find it hard to get more drugs when their supply gets raided, doesn't make them super heros worthy of our praise now does it?

(I woke up moody this morning, lol)