File-sharing or file-taking?

When I think about the popularity of file-sharing technology, the first thing that I assume is that the motivation for the users of these programs most likely lies with the desire to have access to things they otherwise wouldn't, ie. movies and music that they would usually have to pay for. But in assuming this, I'm forgetting about the fact that for file-sharing to work effectively it relies on the users to not only download the things they want, but to also make those things available to others users. This leads me to Kevin McGee and Jörgen Skågeby's question, 'Could the ability to give be one of the central features that determines the popularity and success of computer–mediated "sharing" activities, communities, applications, and services?'

As someone who does use file-sharing software, I think it's a very interesting idea that McGee and Skågeby suggest, especially considering my use of file-sharing is based solely on taking and never giving - simply because I don't like the idea of a file that's stored on my computer being made available to anyone who wants it. Even so, there are countless users out there who don't feel the same way as me and regularly share files and thanks to the vigorous enthusiasm of those sharers it means people like me are able to jump on the computer and watch the latest episode of True Blood, or whatever else, just hours after it's screened in the US.

The speed with which these uploaders get each new episode online, to me suggests that there might be some validity in McGee and Skageby's theory, because I can't see why else anyone would feel such a need to do that (unless it's their way of sticking their fingers up at the people who say file-sharing is a breach of copyright). Another thing that makes me think it might be true is the growing popularity of sites like Yahoo!Answers, where anyone can post a question and be almost guaranteed numerous answers within hours, from complete strangers in various places around the world. There's no reward for answering someone's question (except for the possibility of being awarded Best Answer), yet the idea of  being able to help someone else out by answering their question seems to compel people to write very serious and detailed responses.

It could be possible, however, that people do these things with the pretense of their actions eventually being reciprocated, by way of other files being made available to them or someone answering one of their own questions and therefore meaning it would not be just for the pleasure of giving. But I think it's nice, even if just for a while, to believe that people really do enjoy the happiness of others enough to do these things completely unselfishly and purely as a 'gift'.