[DanBC]

> How many pirates have made any effort to sponsor creators, or pay creators directly for original content?

At least some, because cstross and Stewart Lee (among many others) have bits on their websites about what to do if you've somehow got some pirated content of their and wish to give them money for it.

(cstross asks people to buy a book, which sends money to the infractructure he uses to produce books. Stewart Lee asks people to send money to a donkey sanctuary.)

Some forms of piracy have been recognised by industry who changed practice to mitigate. Parent who buy DVDs tend to buy many, and to see them destroyed by children. It's easy for parents to buy a DVD then download another copy of the film than to keep rebuying the same DVD. Disney now provide a free digital download when you buy a DVD/Bluray.