Downloading music, your ethical opinion

[Sombeech]

What do you guys think about it? Should file sharing be legal? Is it ripping off the musicians?

Same ballpark---How do you guys feel about Film Piracy?

[derstuka]

Technically, it doesn't effect me directly because I not in the music industry, but it is stealing if you want to get technical. Have I been guilty of it? You're damn tootin' I am!

Same with the music industry. I don't mind as much because the some stars make 20-30 million a movie, and ticket prices are so damn high. Hell, I love getting my money's worth and doing "double-feature's!"

[live2ride]

Rock on man, I need to do it more, these people that make the music are still making million, I know that it is technically considered stealing but oh well I have paid thousands of dollars for CD's is my days so ripping a few tracks for my own good won't hurt.

[theprof]

Tough question....... many attorneys argue this every day!

I haven't ever downloaded music illegally. I've downloaded legal stuff before, but 99.9% of my stuff comes from my own CD's, my friend's CD's, or copying things they've already ripped. I can't say how much of their stuff is downloaded (legally or illegally) but I know there is some.

I will say that I've bought CD's of bands that I'd originally heard with their origin coming from a friend's collection - that I never would have bought had I not given them a listen. I think it's perfectly OK to borrow CD's and rip them, as the artist did receive revenue from it, and it's no worse than when the only options for music were taping it off of records, cd's or the radio - which also were shared quite a bit. I can't tell you how many times I did that in my youth, buy an album and instantly make a cassette so I could listen in the car.

Technology has certainly made copying/sharing easier, and the quality of the copy is equal to the original (if desired). I suppose the same thoughts apply with movies/VCR's/Tivo etc. Doesn't mean I still don't go the theatre to see shows, or spend $ to see bands play live.

I do have to admit this is coming from a non-actor/non-musician so the feeling may be different if I were trying to make a living off it, for sure.

[accadacca]

I used to do it....... Until I found out about the spyware attached to many of these programs.

I think it is ok for the pay programs. I guess I am against the free ones. But I don't have any room to talk. It is really cheap too. I may sign up for one as soon as I get an Ipod.

[derstuka]

I still buy new CD's here and there, and most of the albums that I rip are from friends old collections. Once I start seeing Britney Spears and P. Diddy living on the street in rags I'll change my ways...

[live2ride]

Derutska,

Man I second that. Those people make too damn much money to worry about that bull crap. I know it is a huge issue, but they can survive

[Sombeech]

Some people say it's stealing.

I call it "reducing their huge profit margin".

I call $10 for a movie ticket "robbery".

Technology makes it easier for us to share files, just like "taping" a video or CD. It's just happenning on a bigger scale now, but at the same time, there's more musicians and filmmakers now too.

If it's stealing now, it should have been called stealing when tape recorders first came out.

And, technology is also helping the film and music industries to produce their products at a much lower price. But are the movie tickets going down?

You know those ads against film piracy, how the lighting guy gives you this sad look 'cause his wage is being "reduced"? These guys get paid before the movie is even released. Don't believe those sad stories.

[crazy horse]

I'm all for it. I download music almost daily, a lot of it is legal, but some not. Like a lot of other people have said, the artists aren't exactly struggling to make money, so i don't feel bad.

[Sombeech]

the artists aren't exactly struggling to make money, so i don't feel bad.

And you know what? There's a lot of professions that used to pay a lot more money, but they've become less profitable over the years.

If the music and film industries start profitting less, there's other jobs out there. There's always a career out there that can provide a decent living.

I hope we don't feel sorry for the "artists" who go into the studio once a year, and never have to pick up a shovel.

But, I hope my opinion doesn't sway this topic. I still want to hear your opinions, whatever they may be. Don't be afraid to support the artists in this topic. We won't allow any trolls here.

[derstuka]

You free-loaders are all evil people and your time will come! How dare you steal money/profits from some fatcat in Hollywood. I personally don't know how y'all can do it and go on living guilt-free!

Shame on you!

[Black Mage]

Personally, I don't download movies. I still have dial up and movies are far too large to download. Plus the quality is never anywhere near as good as a dvd.

As for music, I don't download much P2P. Most of my stuff comes from sites like Overclocked Remix, VGMix, CTG Music, and G.S.P. Magazine. All 100% legal, but more importantly, 100% free as well.

As for the idea of stealing from the artists...I am sick of artists who put out a cd with maybe eight or ten songs on it and then have the nerve to charge you $15+. Eventhough the cd only has one or two good songs on it. I refuse to pay for the music I don't want. In this way the artists and RIAA are stealing from us. I'm not a fan of iTunes either. I've downloaded songs off there before, but they are always in MP4 format, which neither WinAmp nor my MP3 player can play. So I'm really left with no other choice. Even then, there isn't a lot of "standard music" that I want enough to spend my time downloading/want to buy, therefore I don't download P2P often.

[Superriffic S*]

I am a HUGE itunes freak! I bring my ipod with me everywhere I go and listen to all kinds of music all the time like for instance today; I started out listening to Depeche Mode 101 then went on to BECK's new album then listened to more Depeche Mode (exciter album) then listened to JEM's only album and am now listening to John Mayer.

I think that the majority of people who download free music (like me for instance) will eventually go out and buy the cd if I like it enough. It gives you a "taste" of the artist without having to spend money on a cd that you only end up liking one song off of (like the Britney Spears album with "I'm A Slave For You" loved that song, but there is only one other song on the album that is worth anything and now I have this useless Britney Spears album at my house that people make fun of me for).

Which is why I like the itunes store. You can listen to the songs on the album BEFORE you buy it. And if you only like the one song... thats all you have to buy, the one song!

My two cents...

S*

[icthys]

I've downloaded a few songs. I do however burn music from this huge MP3 server we have at work. Everyone here gets a new album and just sticks it on the server for everyone to enjoy.

A few have commented that they burn from a friend or whatever. It's still technically illegal if you burn but didn't burn it from a disc you bought. So all you felons gettin' your tunes from your buddies I'll see you in prison

[live2ride]

Hey that is a good idea, where do you work so I can turn you in!!! Or else burn me some music....j/k that is a good idea as long as everyone pitches in a cd here and there and just doesn't free load off those who are buying the cd's

[Sombeech]

Thought I'd dig this one up again.

Since I've got a DVD burner, I've been burning every DVD I rent. What do you guys n gals think about that?

Piracy? Or is it just the same as back in the day of the double VCR trick?

[PunchKing]

Since I've got a DVD burner, I've been burning every DVD I rent. What do you guys n gals think about that?

Piracy? Or is it just the same as back in the day of the double VCR trick?

It is true that it is the same as the double VCR trick but for some movies it is the only way to get a copy.

Recently I decided I wanted a copy of the Hit Movie "Rad" the BMX movie from the 80's. Well I found it on one of the music & movies "Stealing" services.

Now who has the coolest DVD ever. Ha!

[Sombeech]

Rad! Oh, man, that was a cool show back in the day.

Training for the bike backflip...

[DickHead]

I have a bunch of stuff I downloaded back in the Napster days, but these days I don't download without paying for it.
I've been having trouble buying from Wal-Mart lately, thier software doesn't want to install properly on either of my PC's. Any suggestions on where else I can pick up music paying per song, rather then some bullsheot membership fee? I usually only go for a few songs at a time.

[PunchKing]

I have a bunch of stuff I downloaded back in the Napster days, but these days I don't download without paying for it.
I've been having trouble buying from Wal-Mart lately, thier software doesn't want to install properly on either of my PC's. Any suggestions on where else I can pick up music paying per song, rather then some bullsheot membership fee? I usually only go for a few songs at a time.

First, WalMart Controls America.

Second, I know of a few but they are 99 cents instead of the 89 cents from Walmart. MSN has a service and you can buy them from apple's I-Tunes.