What are your thoughts on downloading copyrighted stuff?

Originally posted by Schecter
i understand: you feel that theft of any nature is wrong. thats your opinion and its certainly valid.
the problem i am having is that you use the law to define theft as an absolute concept, with no consideration of severity/damage. so when backfire downloads purple rain, he is on the same exact level as an enron executive robbing the public of billions of dollars. also, your claim that leniency on internet piracy enables all types of thieves is completely ludicrous.

Clearly I did address severity and damage. I believe all theft should be punished, but I do not feel someone stealing an album deserves to share the same jail time as a bank robber, that would clearly be ludicrous.

My claim was pointing out if all theft was legal, not suggesting internet piracy enables thieving everywhere.

-AC

Originally posted by Alpha Centauri
Clearly I did address severity and damage. I believe all theft should be punished, but I do not feel someone stealing an album deserves to share the same jail time as a bank robber, that would clearly be ludicrous.

My claim was pointing out if all theft was legal, not suggesting internet piracy enables thieving everywhere.

-AC

Originally posted by Alpha Centauri

By stealing being legal you would be saying the thieves in the world, who take from others unwillingly (With varying severity), could go about their business without consequence.
-AC

Originally posted by Alpha Centauri
I prefer to think of it as "Free from Idiots". -AC

But that's not the issue here, is it? Looks like you just seized the opportunity to come across as a condescending dick.

Originally posted by Grinning Goku
But that's not the issue here, is it? Looks like you just seized the opportunity to come across as a condescending dick.

I disagree, AC is right!! Copyright breaking is theft!

Let's not forget that a lot of the money made by the artists, doesn't even come from the music itself.

And as for the weed issue, me harming myself wasn't the point I was trying to make. It being illegal, but doing it anyway, was. But, lets not forget that weed isn't illegal because it's harmful. Weed is illegal because it's a threat to the established mechanics of our economy.

But this isn't about weed, so I'm sorry for bringing it up.

Originally posted by Schecter
My quotes and that

Yes? I was just saying that if stealing was legal thieves could go about their business without consequence. What's the problem?

Originally posted by Grinning Goku
But that's not the issue here, is it? Looks like you just seized the opportunity to come across as a condescending dick

Looks like you just seized the opportunity to be a weeping vagoina about something or other.

-AC

Originally posted by Devil King
Let's not forget that a lot of the money made by the artists, doesn't even come from the music itself.

And as for the weed issue, me harming myself wasn't the point I was trying to make. It being illegal, but doing it anyway, was. But, lets not forget that weed isn't illegal because it's harmful. Weed is illegal because it's a threat to the established mechanics of our economy.

But this isn't about weed, so I'm sorry for bringing it up.

As that Usher garak guy said, breaking copyright affects recording studios. Let's just remember it's not just music which is "stolen" online.

Originally posted by Devil King
Let's not forget that a lot of the money made by the artists, doesn't even come from the music itself.

And as for the weed issue, me harming myself wasn't the point I was trying to make. It being illegal, but doing it anyway, was. But, lets not forget that weed isn't illegal because it's harmful. Weed is illegal because it's a threat to the established mechanics of our economy.

But this isn't about weed, so I'm sorry for bringing it up.

Don't be sorry, it was an interesting comparison if you understood the point you were trying to convey, which I did.

Whirly, if you're actually going to civilly contribute, why not just stay here with one account?

Also, nobody is arguing that it isn't theft.

Originally posted by Devil King
Let's not forget that a lot of the money made by the artists, doesn't even come from the music itself.

Nowadays record labels request bands sign over royalties, or a high percentage of them at least, of everything. Including merch and live show revenue, much more than previously, which is why a lot of artists are considering ditching labels for a while or a period of time, and self-releasing their material.

Only bands that can rely on raking in direct profit enough to finance their own releases could do this, though.

-AC

Originally posted by Alpha Centauri
Whirly, if you're actually going to civilly contribute, why not just stay here with one account?

Also, nobody is arguing that it isn't theft.

-AC

I don not know anyone called Whirly 🙄

You're right though about downloading.

🙂

Originally posted by Alpha Centauri
Yes? I was just saying that if stealing was legal thieves could go about their business without consequence. What's the problem?

-AC

oh, my bad. i thought you were addressing a point, especially since nobody suggested that theft should be legal.

Originally posted by Ushgarak
If you steal, say, a car, the crime is that not only did you not pay for the car, but that the owner of the car is deprived of it. Doesn't happen with downloading tracks; effectively you created a new product rather than taking one from anyone.

And that's the difference. Downloading a song won't make a musician late for work.

I think the main reason the artists get their panties in a bunch over this is because they view it more as someone giving them the finger as opposed to literally stealing. Besides, don't musicians want their music to be heard and enjoyed?

But all in all.......

Originally posted by Leo.M
I don't care.

Originally posted by Schecter
oh, my bad. i thought you were addressing a point, especially since nobody suggested that theft should be legal.

😕 What?

Nah it was just more or less me rambling about theft in general, and the comparison between it and weed, or at least the legality of.

I wasn't aiming it at anything specific.

-AC

Originally posted by Alt. Account
😕 What?

do they speak english in 'what'?

Originally posted by Alt. Account
I don not know anyone called Whirly 🙄

🙂

Then why did you respond? I didn't see him address your new name.

Originally posted by Quiero Mota
Besides, don't musicians want their music to be heard and enjoyed?

As if an artist is not entitled to being heard and enjoyed without being stolen from, and as if he or she being stolen from should just be thankful they're being heard.

Ridiculous argument. If someone stole a car you spend a long time working on, would you feel highly satisfied that at least it was your work they stole and are now enjoying? I doubt it.

Dumbest argument in the book really, besides the "I can't afford it." one.

-AC

Originally posted by Quiero Mota
And that's the difference. Downloading a song won't make a musician late for work.

I think the main reason the artists get their panties in a bunch over this is because they view it more as someone giving them the finger as opposed to literally stealing. Besides, don't musicians want their music to be heard and enjoyed?

But all in all.......

Not equal to someone stealing your car or kidneys, but it's still theft though... they want their music to be heard and enjoyed; they also want to make a living from it.

Originally posted by Devil King
Then why did you respond? I didn't see him address your new name.

Because he addressed me as Whirly earlier in the thread.... 🙄

Obviously. 😕

Originally posted by Schecter
do they speak english in 'what'?

Where is what? I'll look it up on Wiki.

🙂