I just thought that all the files got onto the file-sharing programme from somewhere. So somebody must have bought them before they got on there. Some people must have bought albums, placed them in their shared folder, and installed a file-sharing programme. That's how things get started.
So if your friend buys an album, and sends you the songs, is it illegal? Because you didn't buy it. You just borrowed the album and took the songs. You didn't put any money towards it. So is that wrong?
I think the difference is that between you and your friend, only 1 person hasn't bought the album. If you upload an album of whatever then there are hundreds of people who are downloading the songs...therefore hundreds of people who don't buy the album.
Most discs have some sort of disclaimer stating that copying/sharing of any sort is against the law...personal use only etc. I don't know if this techinically extends to copying the album/DVD from a friend?
Last edited by Dreaming. : 03-03-2009 at 09:23 PM.
Reason: Edited quote/removed file-sharing software. Cheers :) x
I download stuff off iTunes all the time. Obviously that's completely different to downloading stuff illegally. I only buy CDs/DVDs if it's something I can't get off iTunes (and TBH, I can't remember the last time I bought a CD - only DVDs really), cause iTunes is faster than Amazon.
I do occasionally download things illegally, but only when I literally can't get it legally (e.g. it's not available in the US, or on Amazon UK), or a few times when I wanted to watch a TV show that I later did buy the DVD but I wasn't sure if I'd like it at until I watched an episode or two and I couldn't watch it on TV, either because it wasn't airing at all or because I don't even get broadcast at school. I've never illegally downloaded a movie though, and I've never illegally downloaded anything that I could potentially buy and didn't. I see no harm in illegally downloading things that I absolutely can't buy though, because there's no loss for anyone, and the only difference is whether or not I get to listen to/watch it.
My daddy works in the movie industry. Whoever said about movie stars getting paid enough and such, it's not just movie stars that have a financial interest in movies doing well -- it's the entire company/studio that produce the film, and that includes a hell of a lot more people than just the actors. As in, a couple hundred other people for every actor, and most of them aren't getting paid enough that it doesn't matter how the movie does.
Emily
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(> < ) This Is Bunny. Copy Bunny into your signature to help him on his way to world domination.
]I don't know if this techinically extends to copying the album/DVD from a friend?
It doesn't. Copying albums or DVDs from a friend is still illegal, it's just extremely hard to catch people doing it, and a single instance not nearly as wide-spread as illegal downloading, so it's not generally prosecuted.
Emily
(\__/)
(O.o )
(> < ) This Is Bunny. Copy Bunny into your signature to help him on his way to world domination.
So if your friend buys an album, and sends you the songs, is it illegal? Because you didn't buy it. You just borrowed the album and took the songs. You didn't put any money towards it. So is that wrong?
Yes, it is illegal. Whether it's wrong is more complicated. IMHO, it's wrong if you could have potentially bought the album yourself, but if there was absolutely no way that you could have bought the album, then there's no harm done.
Emily
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(O.o )
(> < ) This Is Bunny. Copy Bunny into your signature to help him on his way to world domination.
i download a couple of songs every now and again, but i dont really download music,never have the patience and the quality isnt usually awesome.
I dont download films,i just watch them online.
Last edited by Dreaming. : 03-03-2009 at 09:24 PM.
Reason: Removed the name of a file-sharing site. Love you, Liv! :) x
There are times to stay put, and what you want will come to you.
But there are times to go out into the world and find such a thing for yourself.
I aint no abacus but you can count on me.
i never download films, i always wait till thy are on dvd and buy them normally.
I have used limewire in the past but mostly i buy real cds or if i only want the odd track i use itunes.
Its better quality legally, you know that you are going to get a good product.
This is turning into quite an interesting thread! I do get what everyone is saying, and of course we are all going to have different opinions. Personally, I don't find downloading wrong.
"How can I be a gynecologist? I can barely look a woman in the eye!"
♥
This is turning into quite an interesting thread! I do get what everyone is saying, and of course we are all going to have different opinions. Personally, I don't find downloading wrong.
Would you go into a shop and steal a CD from there?
The only time I really download is when I want to listen to an album and see if I want to buy it. If I like it, I'll buy it when I can afford it and, if not, I just delete it.
I also sometimes download anime series, but that's about it really.
Would you go into a shop and steal a CD from there?
No I wouldn't. But I still don't find downloading wrong. After all, it's just a way for me to get more music and it's cheaper than buying CDs isn't it? After all, you are only paying for the blank CDs and you are getting the exact same thing. Just no covers and stuff.
"How can I be a gynecologist? I can barely look a woman in the eye!"
♥
No I wouldn't. But I still don't find downloading wrong. After all, it's just a way for me to get more music and it's cheaper than buying CDs isn't it? After all, you are only paying for the blank CDs and you are getting the exact same thing. Just no covers and stuff.
Are you talking about downloading from iTunes, or downloading illegally?
'Cause the difference is huge.
Plenty of bands put all their songs up for download for free anyway. One of the bands I interviewed while at Uni put their whole album onto MySpace for people to take, because they realised they would make more money from people coming to see them at gigs and buying merch as a result of the greater coverage.
People getting on their high-horse about this make me laugh. Can you all honestly say you have never done anything illegal. Never driven over the speed limit anywhere? 'Cus that's illegal ;) Never watched an 18 film when you weren't old enough? 'Cus that's illegal ;)
I used to download music when I had my own laptop, but now that I have to share one I don't. If I get my own again I probably will. I have also downloaded a couple of PC games in the past. And FYI, I've been to more gigs than most of you have had hot dinners, so the bands I am "stealing" from, are getting plenty of money out of me.
If bands are good enough, I'll more than happily part with my cash at gigs for t-shirts, hoodies, DVDs etc. I have even bought the same album twice before just to get the extra bonus stuff on it when it was re-released. So don't start lecturing me about it. My choice.
In which case, it is still stealing at the end of the day.
You are taking something, instead of purchasing it, which is against the law - whether or not you think it is morally right.
The only way I think you can ever justify that is if, as Colin said, you don't believe in intellectual property.
But your argument seems to be that it's okay to do it, because it benefits you at a lesser cost - completely disregarding the loss of money to the producing company, the shops & the artist themselves.
Quote:
Originally Posted by xADAMx
People getting on their high-horse about this make me laugh. Can you all honestly say you have never done anything illegal. Never driven over the speed limit anywhere? 'Cus that's illegal ;) Never watched an 18 film when you weren't old enough? 'Cus that's illegal ;)
I'm not getting on my high horse about this because it's illegal. That's a side point. I'm 'getting on my high horse' about this because at the end of the day, I think that stealing is morally wrong. The difference with your examples it that it only harms yourself - with the exception of the consequence of speeding, if you end up in an accident, but that's rare compared to the amount of people that speed. But, the definition of stealing is to "is the illegal taking of another person's property without that person's freely-given consent." - it's taking something that, at the end of the day, you have no right to just take.
As I said before, I'd quite like a Chloe bag. They're £500, for a relatively cheap one - and I can't afford that. I'm not going to go and steal one, though.
DVD's and games, I buy from a shop. If it isn't out on DVD anymore, then tough luck on my part =P
I've only started downloading music recently, which were free ones that came with our broadband package, so it was legal. I'm gonna try getting my head around iTunes soon as well.
So whatever I do download, I make sure is legal.
I know this is a crappy comparison, but part of my music coursework is writing my own music. If I wrote something really really awesome (which let's face it, isn't likely) and I sold it and then someone illegally downloaded it, etc. etc., I'd be kinda p*ssed. It's only fair on the artist who's worked so much on the music and those at the studios and stuff to get some recognition or whatever for it.
You can also get viruses with illegal downloading and stuff which is like
Last edited by Dreaming. : 03-03-2009 at 09:20 PM.
Reason: Removed the name of a file-sharing site. Thanks :) x
You can also get viruses with illegal downloadingand stuff which is like
I got loads of viruses. Nowadays, I'm more careful.
Anyway, I do respect what everyone is pointing out, but at the end of the day we all have our own opinions. I didn't actually start this thread because I wanted to have an argument. I don't think we are having an argument right now, I'm just saying... I wouldn't steal a Chloe bag either but I do steal music. Whether that is right or not, I don't really care. My point is that the artists have money already and they are going to get money even if we don't buy their music... from the concerts and merchandise etc...
Last edited by Dreaming. : 03-03-2009 at 09:19 PM.
Reason: Removed the name of a file-sharing site. Thanks :) x
"How can I be a gynecologist? I can barely look a woman in the eye!"
♥
Can I just ask those who don't think it is wrong, why they think that? Why do you not care?
I don't even think not believing in intellectual property is a good enough reason to justify it. Just because you don't believe something doesn't give you a right to go against the law really. You aren't just stealing against the band, you are stealing from all the people involved in producing that end product.
Bands allowing their music to be downloaded for free is fine. That's their choice. Most don't though.
Hmm, I don't think I care about downloading music because at the end of the day it is my choice. If I want to stay at home and download a CD instead of going out to the shop and buying it, it's my choice isn't it?
"How can I be a gynecologist? I can barely look a woman in the eye!"
♥
Hmm, I don't think I care about downloading music because at the end of the day it is my choice. If I want to stay at home and download a CD instead of going out to the shop and buying it, it's my choice isn't it?
I'm sorry, but I just don't understand this line of argument.
It's your choice to steal? It's my choice to shoplift so it's ok? It's my choice to assault someone? It's my choice to mug an old lady?
