Paying for mp3's, stupid or no?

[nolanfan34]

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Stealing from the big names seems OK to me, but if you listen to bands that still play small bars and have to hold down second jobs, buy their album for [censored]'s sake.

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I agree this this, generally. I just had a friend in Spokane who released his first album (rap, BTW). My brother is a huge rap fan, so I bought a second copy to send to him. Couldn't imagine pirating a copy when I know it's a guy who works another job, and is trying to get the music career off the ground.

[YourFoxyGrandma]

If you like an artist enough, you owe it to them to buy their stuff, no matter how big they are.

[Lazymeatball]

why not just pirate the album, and send the artist a check for half the cost of the CD. you will both benefit from this.

[daryn]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In risposta di:</font><hr />
Stealing from the big names seems OK to me, but if you listen to bands that still play small bars and have to hold down second jobs, buy their album for [censored]'s sake.

[/ QUOTE ]

note that i have no problem with people going out and buying CD's. paying for MP3's however, i see as stupid.

[daryn]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In risposta di:</font><hr />
why not just pirate the album, and send the artist a check for half the cost of the CD. you will both benefit from this.

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correct. the artist might even benefit more than he would have had you bought the CD! after all how much of the actual CD price goes to the artist?

damn lazy you win this thread.

[ilya]

I voted no, but I think the "stupid/not" question is only relevant if you don't think there's anything wrong with stealing music online. Which is a popular opinion, evidently. If you have a problem with the stealing, I don't see how you could do it even if figured to be the "smart" thing.

[daryn]

i agree with that. however, to all those who consider it stealing: would you consider it stealing if your friend bought the tape and recorded you a copy? oh yeah, we don't use tapes anymore. eh, the question still stands.

[turnipmonster]

I would consider that stealing. record companies did also.

--turnipmonster

[lowroller]

I remember when DirecTV pirating was real big as little as a year ago. Everyone was doing it, with all kinds of rationalizations as to why it was OK...until they got served by DTV. Everyone backpedaled and started crying "I didn't realize..."

This reminds me of the same thing. If the record companies take a page out of DirecTV's playbook, they will go after the site hosts and get end-user's info from them. Then the party starts.

[ilya]

[ QUOTE ]
i agree with that. however, to all those who consider it stealing: would you consider it stealing if your friend bought the tape and recorded you a copy? oh yeah, we don't use tapes anymore. eh, the question still stands.

[/ QUOTE ]

I suspect I'm in the minority but yeah, I would consider it stealing. At least if it was an exact copy of an album. I wouldn't take it unless the artist was dead. Also I wouldn't take something like a Mozart tape unless the pianist or whoever was also dead. There are exceptions for me both ways but I've already gone into too much detail.
With a mix-tape I'm not sure because a mix-tape is almost like an ad for a bunch of bands.