guys we need to preserve the history of movies and the only way to do that is 123movies
there's no other way!1!1!!11!1!1!11!!1!!1!
i mean, kinda? all creative works should be preserved. for software it's been important because tech has moved so fast that emulation+archival have been the only ways to really even reliably run old software. there's gonna be a point in history where not a single functional original NES exists, and cycle-perfect emulation will be the only substitute short of re-manufacturing perfect replicas. bein able to continuously develop and improve emulation for current and recent consoles is important for that reason too. but eventually, film reels, discs, or whatever other video media will deteriorate and digital archival is one of the best ways to keep these things safe
obviously copyright laws exist to protect artists and make sure they're able to claim ownership and profit from their works, which i'm assumin is your point and i agree, tho in the long term, ripping+archival are the best ways to make sure creative works aren't lost to time