Not sure zero time lapse kills all drivers for piracy. Given the market in cheap (and often poor quality) pirate copies of movies even after their release in cinema and on DVD in a given region, I’d say there is a group of consumers who are more sensitive to price than other factors.

Surely the big question for the studios is, if somehow all piracy was stopped, whether any of these people would convert to full-price consumers?

My guess is many would not, so maybe there is scope for greater revenues from lower prices?

Poor communications deter theft;
good communications promote theft;
perfect communications stop theft.
—Van Braam

it’s actually available on-line here: http://www.scifi.com/scifiction/classics/classics_archive/smith/smith1.html
more background here http://www.cordwainer-smith.com/

hat tip to http://edsfproject.blogspot.com/2006/03/mother-hittons-littul-kittons-by.html