digital piracy

[Gangrene]

Where do you guys stand on digital "piracy"?  Is sharing files, despite any copyrights, perfectly acceptable use of digital technology?  Or is file sharing piracy, plain and simple?

I am torn on this issue.  I don't engage in rampant piracy myself.  I have bought, or was given as a gift, the majority of videogames and movies that I own.  But music, OTOH, I have no misgivings about downloading.  I have even gone out and boughten CD's based on what I heard on mp3's (its how I got into Newsboys).

I know Romans says we are to give everyone what we owe them.  But honestly I would never pay money for a lot of the songs I download.  So where do you guys stand on this issue?

[Saved_4ever]

The problem is that the "rights" are so vague that you can argue a lot of things.  The problem comes from the companies stealing from the buyers and then the buyers feeling justified in stealing "back" from the sellers.  I don't buy any music anymore anyhow so it means little to me.  The problem is with M$ and the music companies is no one is allowing you to "own" anything anymore.  You don't "own" windows you rent it and now people are trying to do the same thing with music too.  They don't want you to own it just lease it.  Problem for me is with this new DRM I can't make a legal backup of things I "own" and I don't see them dishing out new copies if mine gets ruined regardless of the fact I already paid for it.

That's my stance as of now, that is a disgruntled "buyer" so I use my rights and I don't support them.  Another gripe of mine is the putrid quality of contents that people expect top dollar for(windows for instance).  It's all tied into greed.  So as a Christian I'd have say "buy it or don't" but downloading copy written songs without permission would by law as of now (though truely vague at best) states it is illegal and hence we should not engage in these activities.

God bless,
Jason

[Sapphire W34P0N]

Bloody music dowloaders are running the industry under...

[Saved_4ever]

I'm hoping that was a joke.  The "industry" has sucked for quite a bit now and has been declining for years.  It has more to do with garbage music and poor economy than any thing else.  That and the ridiculously greedy price of CD's.  It's pretty pathetic that music co's think we don't know how cheap it is to press cd's and get them to market.

[Symphony]

Nope, the first problem I'm gaving is...um..."gangrene"??

Good point, Saved4, 'bout Windows, that we rent it.  Yep, if you want to put it on two computers, I understand you have to buy it AGAIN for the second one(tho they might give you a slight discount).

Microsoft seems to have the copyright thing carefully sown up, in their case.

But increasingly, Gangrene, (why THAT name?), I steer clear of anything tainted with the copyright question.  I listen to the KimKomando radio computer program; she discourages it definitely, saying they're coming to get us, even with tech'y that will detect piracy(but violate one's privacy, too).

Of course, without IP(intellectual property) protection for artists/authors/musicians/composers, the incentive for them to "create" dissolves, since IP is their source of income, and their livlihood.  At least this is how I understand it.

[Saved_4ever]

The funny thing is, the dolts that run the music companies have gotten so greedy they've forgotten who buys the most music.  Do they really believe there's a whole lot of people over the age of 15 listening to Nsynch or the horid lot of teeny bopper bands, or even more precisely girls?  What kind of income does this age bracket have and where do they get it from?  If they put cd's in a reasonable price bracket (eg: no more than $12) they'd sell much better again.  I know I'm not the only one who doesn't like being shafted by spending $20 for a Cd with 2 good songs.  Not that I've bought anything from the mainstream for a while now except the VERY rare instances, but regardless when I do buy something like it I get it for, guess how much?  $12 is the most I will pay for a CD.  If I know I can get decent quality CDR's for about 10cents a piece how much cheaper can the big guys get them.  I know it doesn't cost much for those slip jackets as I was in a band and it didn't cost too much for full color CD jacket.  If I recall something in the ball park of $1500-$2000 for 500(shrink wrapped and all) and it got cheaper the more you bought.  That's a whoppin $3 a CD plus the cost of recording and that was me, some joe schmoe doing it myself.

Ah it's all a ridiculous game and the best solution is to just opt out.  If we all did that they'd do something.  Hey look at the fuss we've created with "file sharing" deal!  It's funny though how you didn't see them come running to your door because you copied it for a friend on cassette a little while back.  I used to do that all the time actually I had recorded more records and stuff then I've ever "file shared".

[Tibby]

Bloody music dowloaders are running the industry under...

Right… when why have more CDs been bought seen Napster first came out then ever before? How can the music dowloaders be running the industry under when the industry today is doing better then is even has before? None of the New bands complain, it is bands like Matallica who already have Millions of dollars in the bank already that whine about it. The bands that are coming up, they started out online, with free samples. Iti s either that or paying extra to make demo tapes and handing them out. These programs like Kazaa and predecessor Morphous and predecessor Napster have done nothing but helped the music industry.

[Sapphire W34P0N]

$12 is the most I will pay for a CD.

...Which is why used CD stores are so nice.

I don't have a file sharing program on my computer because I have a 56k connection, and the downloads would be horrifically slow. I don't think I would use one even if I did have a better connection, because it's too much trouble and it's much easier just to go out and buy a CD. I've got nothing better to spend my money on; I'm not old enough to buy a car, and I'm too lazy and ignorant to save up for one. Plus, I'd rather feel like I actually earned the CD, rather than feeling like I stole it.

I suppose it's a matter of preference.

[Saved_4ever]

$12 is the most I will pay for a CD.

...Which is why used CD stores are so nice.

No I buy them brand spankin new.  I won't pay more than $9 for a used CD which I haven't bought in eons.  The music that I listen to (which is rare anymore) is independent of the blood thirsty companies and their CD's sell for as little as $10 new.

I don't have a file sharing program on my computer because I have a 56k connection, and the downloads would be horrifically slow. I don't think I would use one even if I did have a better connection, because it's too much trouble and it's much easier just to go out and buy a CD. I've got nothing better to spend my money on; I'm not old enough to buy a car, and I'm too lazy and ignorant to save up for one. Plus, I'd rather feel like I actually earned the CD, rather than feeling like I stole it.

I suppose it's a matter of preference.

I don't either but when I did I liked to use them so I couild see how much I really liked it.  If it was worth buying then I would if not I wouldn't.  MP3's sound like crap compared to the original so it's not worth it to have a CD for of eh sounding songs.

[Gangrene]

But increasingly, Gangrene, (why THAT name?),

So people would ask me that question

Actually its just a name I have used for years since I started multiplayer gaming (back-in-the-day).  I adopted it for message boards a few years ago.  It seems to fit my personality well enough, as I can come off as abrasive online and in multiplayer gaming I don't have problems with using el-cheapo tactics.  That, and I just like the way it rolls off the tongue.

I steer clear of anything tainted with the copyright question.  I listen to the KimKomando radio computer program; she discourages it definitely, saying they're coming to get us, even with tech'y that will detect piracy(but violate one's privacy, too).

One would hope they would just evolve their busines model.  As long as songs are broadcast over the radio a diehard mp3 collector can always copy the song from analog and not worry about getting caught.  Sure, the quality would suck, but it would be free.

[Shiro]

As long as it's commercially available, getting it free w/o the owners knowing about is is piracy, illegal, and (in most cases) immoral. There are a few exceptions for the last one (like being about 10 years old, not selling, and unprofitable.)

[vicjr]

it is bands like Matallica who already have Millions of dollars in the bank already that whine about it.

Amen, Tibby! That has been my contention since the whole Napster thing started. Metallica, during the Napster hearings, had just sold 10 million copies of their latest album and had just come off a sold-out world tour. And they had the nerve to complain that downloaded songs were costing them money. Give me a break! Greedy Capitalist pigs, both them and the music industry. Eh, who cares anyway? I listen to and buy mostly Christian pop/rock. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Christian artists weren't doing much complaining about their songs being downloaded.

[Gangrene]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but Christian artists weren't doing much complaining about their songs being downloaded.

Not that they have a big problem with that.  Honestly, I don't think your hardcore digital pirate gives a rats rear end about Michael W. Smith.

[Sapphire W34P0N]

Actually, I don't really give a rat's rear about most Christian music.

[Ambassador4Christ]

Actually, I don't really give a rat's rear about most Christian music.

I wonder Why?