Almost free online music? - Page 3

Sweaburg · #21 02-20-2005, 06:47 PM

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Would you steal from record stores if you wouldn't get caught?

People that think downloading music without the artists and/or record companies consent isn't stealing should give there head a shake.

RT

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You're a huge noob. First, this analogy is retarded. Steal a CD and you're not only stealing the music, but the record company had to spend $0.50 or so to physically create the thing, and the record store probably spent $5 on it.

You're not stealing a physical product when you d/l.

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It doesn't matter whether you're stealing a physical product or not, you're still stealing. By your analogy skipping out on a cab fare would be okay?

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Secondly, yes, I believe artists should be compensated for their work.

What I don't believe is that there needs to be a huge infrastructure (record labels) to bring us music anymore.

Record companies are the ones making millions for an obsolete service.

The answer?

Create a better subscription service. iTunes is way too expensive.

The labels could have set something similar up, sat back and raked in the dough for years while cutting their production costs significantly, but they're a bunch of crusty dinosaurs that are holding on so tight they're going to choke themselves to death.

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I agree with this part of your post but that doesn't make stealing okay.

RT

Sweaburg · #22 02-20-2005, 06:48 PM

Beat me to it...
I chose to ignore the noob comment on the basis that it was totally irrelevant.

RT

BusterStacks · #23 02-20-2005, 06:50 PM

As long as I am stealing vastly more from record companies than the actual artist, then I am fine with it.

Sweaburg · #24 02-20-2005, 06:53 PM

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As long as I am stealing vastly more from record companies than the actual artist, then I am fine with it.

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Why is it okay to steal from record companies?

bear187 · #25 02-20-2005, 06:55 PM

Because its the internet.

BusterStacks · #26 02-20-2005, 06:55 PM

Because they stole from us. Did you forget the price fixing lawsuits? If so, here is one:

CNET news story

SomethingClever · #27 02-20-2005, 06:57 PM

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"You're not stealing a physical product when you d/l."

Yes, you are. I don't see how the amount of money it costs to produce something has anything to do with whether or not one is stealing. Is it okay to steal things that are cheap but not those that are expensive?

Even if it's not a physical product, what does that matter? And it IS a physical product.

Also, what does being a "noob" have to do with one's argument?

-Michael

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1) I like to call people noobs.
2) How can you possibly describe a song as a physical product?
3) I understand the "free ride" problem in economic theory. And I do believe it applies here.

However, record companies have been screwing consumers for decades. They no longer serve a purpose in their current form; they should disappear or adapt.

One thing I think everyone needs to keep in mind is that even with all the illegal downloading going on, record companies still make a ridiculous amount of money just for "packaging" the artists' music.

Furthermore, popular artists are in no way hurting for cash (even after the record companies take their huge chunk out of the artist's earnings).

A flat-rate subscription service that entitles the downloader to unlimited property rights, and gives the larger % of the pie to the artist is the answer, IMO.

SomethingClever · #28 02-20-2005, 06:58 PM

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It doesn't matter whether you're stealing a physical product or not, you're still stealing. By your analogy skipping out on a cab fare would be okay?

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Wear and tear on the cab, gas, cabbie's time, etc...

Making a digital copy of something takes nothing away from someone else.

BusterStacks · #29 02-20-2005, 06:59 PM

Also the nice thing about downloading free music is that it distributes the pain in the best possible way. The most popular music gets pirated the most, thus taking money from those who can best afford it.

BusterStacks · #30 02-20-2005, 07:01 PM

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It doesn't matter whether you're stealing a physical product or not, you're still stealing. By your analogy skipping out on a cab fare would be okay?

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Wear and tear on the cab, gas, cabbie's time, etc...

Making a digital copy of something takes nothing away from someone else.

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Agreed. Especially if you wouldn't have bought it anyway, which is a point a lot of people forget. Also by the rationale in this thread, it is stealing to make a copy of a tape for someone... or record a song off the radio...