Filesharing - Give us a chance!

[Spivonious]

Until there is a penalty for stealing music and other media, I will continue to do so.


If I can't afford it and therefore won't buy it anyway, how am I hurting the band by stealing it? They can't count my download as a loss of a sale.

That is the difference between music and your motorcycle. Taking the motorcycle costs the company money to replace it.

I agree that it's not a lost sale in most cases, but you're still getting it illegally. Do you get your Netflix movie and make a copy of it before sending it back? Netflix hasn't lost any sales, but you now have an illegal copy of a movie.

There is a penalty for stealing music and other media: fines and jail time.

Copyrights exist to protect the owners of the material. If you wrote a book, wouldn't you want to be able to make some money from it?

[jacksoncsplayer]

I always download things first. If I find they're worth the money (most are NOT), then I'll buy them.

Quite frankly, it would cost me on the order of $30,000.00 to buy all of the CD's I have in my mp3 library at $15 each.

Add in DVD's of movies, TV shows, and concerts which I have downloaded and the cost is ~$50,000.00 for the media I have.

Buying everything is simply not an option for me at this time. If you don't like it, take some action more than whining on a forum.

That is fuckin lame.

[Bengal]

There are currently 2 options for me when hearing about a new cd:

1 - Don't buy it and don't listen to it.

2 - Don't buy it but do listen to it.

How is 2 worse than 1 for the artist?

That's it? That's the only way you can hear about a CD?

How about youtubing a band and checking them out that way?

What about myspace? Bands make songs available there to listen to.

What about word of mouth? Friends telling you what's good?

I have no sympathy for what you have stated. No defense in my book for theft. Sounds like instant gratification to me.

[jacksoncsplayer]

I have no sympathy for what you have stated. No defense in my book for theft. Sounds like instant gratification to me.

Another victim of the me me me generation scott, very fuckin sad.

[SEEGERMANY]

I'm 50 years old and I've never downloaded and burned one single song for free. Word of mouth is usually the source I depend on when buying new music. Yes, I've been burned a few times, but for the most part, I'm pretty satisfied with my luck.

Now, before anyone gets bent, I'm not condemning your actions. You've gotta do what you've gotta do. But for me, it's a matter of right and wrong and I'll be damned if I'm gonna steal from an artist.

[thetroy]

Not saying it's legal or should be legal or asking for sympathy. I'm simply explaining my logic.

If you guys think it's such a problem, then do something about it. Yelling down at me from your old-guy towers of superiority doesn't accomplish anything.

[joelayres]

I always download things first. If I find they're worth the money (most are NOT), then I'll buy them.

Quite frankly, it would cost me on the order of $30,000.00 to buy all of the CD's I have in my mp3 library at $15 each.

Add in DVD's of movies, TV shows, and concerts which I have downloaded and the cost is ~$50,000.00 for the media I have.

Buying everything is simply not an option for me at this time. If you don't like it, take some action more than whining on a forum.

So, why do you feel "entitled" to $50,000.00 worth of media that you clearly can't afford?
You are no better than a common thief and as such should be rotting in jail.

[Spivonious]

Not saying it's legal or should be legal or asking for sympathy. I'm simply explaining my logic.

If you guys think it's such a problem, then do something about it. Yelling down at me from your old-guy towers of superiority doesn't accomplish anything.

26 is old? Geez...

[thetroy]

(This isn't my position, but I could see one defending filesharing in the following manner)

It's the most effective way to wage war against the media giants without hurting ourselves. Sure the artists get hurt a little, but by most accounts they make more from tickets and merch than CD's. The artists might have to suffer a little, but that's the way things go in a "war" - (semi-)innocent people get hurt.

[Bengal]

(This isn't my position, but I could see one defending filesharing in the following manner)

It's the most effective way to wage war against the media giants without hurting ourselves. Sure the artists get hurt a little, but by most accounts they make more from tickets and merch than CD's. The artists might have to suffer a little, but that's the way things go in a "war" - (semi-)innocent people get hurt.

This is a war? I don't see this either. If that's the case, burn down their buildings. All the record company is going to do is raise thier prices which effect all of us that don't steal.

This isn't a "young vs. old" thing but I knew that would get thrown out there.

It's a legal vs. illegal thing.

Bark all you want, it doesn't change that fact.

[Bengal]

I still put out the question waiting for an answer.

If you can't afford it, why should you have it?

Maybe someone can convince me that this is a victimless crime.

[AK47]

I buy CD's because of the superior sound quality. I dont care for MP3's, but thats me.

I do listend to bands material on youtube and live performances and if I like them I buy the CD.

The Music Industry is changing and if you are basing your success on the old model which is album sales you are already setting yourself up for failure. The big business is Merchandising and Itunes were people pay per a song.

Now a days people are just not buying whole albums. Alot has to do with a album just having one or two good songs or single realeses. Then the other songs just fall short leaving the user feeling burnt.

If your music is that good your band will not fail based on a leaked album. Like I said this is not 1991 and if you are basing your success on initial album sales you may as well throw in the towel.

[joelayres]

All the record company is going to do is raise thier prices which effect all of us that don't steal.

This isn't a "young vs. old" thing but I knew that would get thrown out there.

It's a legal vs. illegal thing.

Bark all you want, it doesn't change that fact.

Right on the money.

[åron]

I buy CD's because of the superior sound quality. I dont care for MP3's, but thats me.

I do listend to bands material on youtube and live performances and if I like them I buy the CD.

The Music Industry is changing and if you are basing your success on the old model which is album sales you are already setting yourself up for failure. The big business is Merchandising and Itunes were people pay per a song.

Now a days people are just not buying whole albums. Alot has to do with a album just having one or two good songs or single realeses. Then the other songs just fall short leaving the user feeling burnt.

If your music is that good your band will not fail based on a leaked album. Like I said this is not 1991 and if you are basing your success on initial album sales you may as well throw in the towel.

+1 Excellent post! Hope the album in question is good enough.

[thetroy]

This is a war? I don't see this either. If that's the case, burn down their buildings. All the record company is going to do is raise thier prices which effect all of us that don't steal.

This isn't a "young vs. old" thing but I knew that would get thrown out there.

It's a legal vs. illegal thing.

Bark all you want, it doesn't change that fact.

Oh but burning down their buildings carries a serious risk of hurting people and the environment along with an almost infinitely higher probability of being punished for doing so.


Stealing all of their shit, on the other hand, does not physically harm anyone or anything and can be done in relative anonynimity with little to no punishment.


As far as convincing you that it's victimless, well, my post with the 2 options is about the best I can give you in that regard. Who's the victim in that scenario and what do they lose?