I have been reading quite a lot on the cdfreaks website about people getting sued for illegally downloading mp3s and movies on P2P programs. But I havent heard much about them suing people who illegally download games, programs cracks and serials on file sharing networks. What I would like to know what type of file downloads do the RIAA and MPAA mainly sue people for?

No!
Riaa = Music, MPAA = Movies since that is there primary industry.
I can see the games & Applications industries organising something similar though to protect themselves.

And I'm sure the MPAA & RIAA would happily hand their results over to another organisation (for a fee) if they catch you sharing something other than their products.

No the RIAA and the MPAA don’t but the FBI will put any one they catch downloading games and programs behind bars. If you think the RIAA and MPAA are bad, That’s nothing compared to the FBI and what they do !

Ofcourse that only applys to those living in the US. In other countries we have our own versions and punishments if it is illegal where we live.

But there are thousands perhaps even millions of people using p2p networks for illegal downloads how do they get away with illegal downloading? Surely they cannot sue everyone using a p2p program and is it the amount you download on a p2p network that gets you caught? Also do people who illegal download on torrent websites get caught also or is it safer than p2p?

Basically they hope the big cases will scare people off. Torrent is just another p2p network and you are downloading from other peopl on the network not from the sites.

The basics are if it is illegal in your country and you choose to do it you accept the risk that you may get caught, even if it is your first time, and that if you do get caught you will have o acept the consequences. If you are not willing to accept that risk then don't do it.

Im so scared LOL

I am I think they created the little people

As it's been quoted I won't do an arachne and edit my post to correct the numerous typos.

Though if you go into the side of illegal downloads don't ask for help with what you have donwloaded here as it is against the rules.

Coaxely,
You are banking on what most downloaders bank on...safety in numbers. Yes, most people do get away with downloading but some don't...and the ones that don't get hung out to dry by the authorities, if you live in a country that outlaws such downloading, which is most of the western world. They do this to ordinary folk to scare others and it's a pretty effective tactic, tantamount to putting people in the stocks in the Middle Ages. The authorities concerned treat downloading like shop lifting from Kmart here in Australia or Sainsburys in the UK or Walmart in the States. The policy is the same in all of these department stores. It doesn't matter if you steal a 30 cent eraser or a $300 lawn mover...they will take you to court. It's not the amount involved, it's the crime itself, you see.
I don't like the prosecute-at-all-cost policy and I'm not saying it's morally right or wrong...it just is. We have all heard of cases where a person downloading a handful of mp3s has been sued to the hilt. If that happens to you then you are at the mercy of the magistrate or judge. And if you do manage to strike a benevolent judge then, no doubt, the MPAA, RIAA or the FBI will appeal to a higher court. You have to ask yourself...is it worth it?

Does that thing called PeerGuardian work? is it 100% safe or would using this while downloading not be as safe as some people say?

Peer Guardian operates by constantly updating IP numbers of known observers of illegal downloading and then preventing you from accessing their server by blocking them as hosts in your P2P software. They update the list every hour or so but even they say that the program does not provide 100% protection. This is because some canny investigators work from home and compile IP listings for investigation the following day.
The typical scenario is this:
Inestigator sets up a fake download file; you download it, he/she sees your IP number and you're stuffed.
No amount of filtering by Peer Guardian is going to protect you from this...why? Because an investigator can upload a fake file in five minutes and nab hundereds of IP numbers 10 minutes later.
I suppose you could argue "entrapment" but are you willing to take the risk?

coaxley, if you are that bothered don't do it. There is no anonymity on line, there is no way to be 100% hidden. If you do it you take the chance and accept the risks, simple as that.

Wrong way round stroppy if they put the file on the network they have given implied consent for it to be share. They take advantage of what all good p-2-p systems use, the fact to download you upload too, thus they set up a client to download the file and get you that way.

Your analogy for shop lifting is incorrect also, well for the UK anyway, if the goods stolen are below a certain amount there is no court case, just a police caution and statutory fine.

Are you sure about the upload/download section of what you posted? I know of a few cases (can't quote them off the top of my head, unfortunately) where the powers-that-be have done exactly that. I don't doubt they can get you they way you described however I imagine both ways are feasible.
As far as the shoplifting analogy is concerned...the same caution process applies in Australia but it is entirely dependent upon the company and if they wish to press charges anyway...I think this would override the police inclination to warn...not a 100% sure as I'm not a lawyer. What I was trying to convey in the analogy was that a downloader might download 3 files or 300 files...If the authorities want them, they'll get 'em.

Upload or download will depend on where you are in the world I would suppose. For example I can download here in the UK but it would illegal for me to upload. Therefore I can't be caught if I were to download a file but could be if I were uploading it.

Here it is not upto the company though they can take a civil action if they choose, it is upto the the CPS and guidance to the police set the amount limit beofre they can send a case to the CPS for consideration. I know about the analogy but you know what people are like so I thought I would step in first as I can be polite when I want to be

Seems we've been down this path before with that poster called DKKsomething or other. People just can't get into their heads that in the end there is no anonymity on the web, even with anonymising services. If the FBI want you, they'll get you...simple. On this you and I are in total agreement.

So do any of you guys download on p2p programs? are any of you guys not scared of the RIAA,MPAA and FBI becuase I am

Too true stroppy, too true. People like to delude themselves then cry foul when caught.

coax that's a personal question and you should never have asked it about downloading.

Though I download plenty of progs through p2p they're Free and Open Source Software (FOSS), which is different from open source software, therefore completely legal, like open office, some linux distros, GIMP, etc. This take the trafic off their ftp servvers and a number of them have either torrent or ed2k link on their own pages for this purpose.

As to being scared of those organisations no I am not they have no jurisdiction in my country. I seriously doubt they will go down the extraordinary rendition (kidnapping to you and me) to get a filesharer outside their jurisdiction.

If you are afraid because you are breaking the law then stop doing it.

Where's the brick wall so I can do literally what I feel like I am doing metaphorically?

I don’t think anybody around here downloads anything of P2P. Like you we are also very worried of the RIAA, MPAA and FBI and stay well away from downloading anything. There some things that are Legal to Download like Linux and we all use our P2P to download updates and new Distro of Linux, but we all stay well clear and away from anything else. Nobody here wants to go the jail so we don't do it.

coathi not exactly correct not all linux distros are free. THat's why I made a point of the difference by using the FOSS title.

Very sorry Jay my mistake, yes you are correct not all Linux Distro are free I was thinking more of the mainstream free ones most people use. To name a few Xandros , Lycoris and Red Hat Corporate are not free but Xandros and Red Hat are more geared up for Corporations and not for your average desk top user. Mind you for $80 Xandros Deluxe is still a very good buy.

I agree on the value, about £40 will get you a complete Red Hat distro on 6CDs with absolutely everything you would need productivity wise. Thgouh we are now going OT

Of course not! Who, in their sane mind, would tell about their illegal activities on a public forum which is cached by Google 24/7.

Theoretically the RIAA, MPAA and FBI only have jurisdiction in The United States so i'm not that scared of them.

Of course ... Linux Iso's take forever to download & I really hate download managers.

The other day I downloaded a High Definition trailer for Xmen3 .... holy crap!
Twas 120MB & the trailer was almost as wide as the sum of my two screens. (aka 1920x816!)

I'd hate to download almost all of that without a download manager & then have it die

Of course, Linux Iso's are worst .. DVD iso's ouch!

I am more scared of the MPAA and RIAA than the FBI. While FBI is mainly limited to the USA area of jurisdiction, MPAA and RIAA is more globally encompassed. The big music labels have presence worldwide and if your government decides to criminalized p2p downloads, you will be damn sure its from the persistent calls of the labels and film makers.

LOL like I said stromp in pm. you sit in this chair for 15+ years you learn a few tricks along the way

Gee something is eating 600 meg of bandwidth. I must have a bug LOL

or maybe I should BACKUP disc 1005 to make sure it don't destroy itself Double LOL

It's a joke

Im willing to bet 95% of the people that get anydvd are rental rippers except i have not been in a rental shop in years. I don't need to.