illegal downloads?

[dragonslayer32]

Hello fellow Escapists. My friends and I have this conversation often. What are your views on file-sharing software? Do you class it as theft?

Personally, I think it is theft and it is slowly destroying the music industry. So, what do you think?

 

[GundamSentinel]

It is theft, yes, but it isn't destroying the music industry. The music industry was already dying before the downloading rage started. In fact, file-sharing has even given an impulse to CD sales. People who download a lot are often also the people who buy more CDs.

 

[Dragonforce525]

Of course it's theft, but I rationalize it by buying the CDs later.

 

[iLikeHippos]

It's outright theft and copyright infringement. Give anyone violating those laws the punish the law seems fit.

 

[WestMountain]

Well, downloading makes some indie bands and so on more popular because they're free to download and therefore they can be known by alot more people, if piracy didn't exist we would probably just have artists like Lady Gaga and other MTV trash.

Though it's still theft...

 

[S.R.S.]

Illegal downloads of course but it may not be as detrimental as you might think. Maybe all those downloads convinced people to support the bands they're ripping off by attending live gigs and purchasing band merchandise. Casettes FTW!

 

[Rayansaki]

Edit: Was ninja'd by above poster, but ^ is 100% right.


It is 100% not theft. Theft means you take something physical they spent money publishing and take it away from them. Piracy only results on one less "Potential" customer, and no money loss came from it, only potential income is lost.
And potential income isn't really income, because chances are, the person who pirated something didn't intend on buying it anyway, even if he had no means of acquiring it for free.

Spoiler: arrr

 

[0bserv3]

Kind of a grey area for me. It's not always wrong, but it's not right either. I try to stay clear of it.
To actually answer the question, yes it is theft, but in some cases it's justified theft.

 

[Raikov]

I think artists that really want to play their music should go on more live tours. Then they don't have to rely on companies to distribute their CD:s and such, and can probably make more money.

Besides, piracy has been around since the days of radio and recordable tapes. They should stop whining and get out of their studios once in a while.

 

[seanmcdow]

Piracy is not your enemy, obscurity is.

 

[dragonslayer32]

Clearly not theft nor copyright infringement. Nor is it destroying the music industry since the artists don't make jack off the actual CD sales anyway.
Plus if you actally think that it is that bad then you should not buy used games/cds nor borrow shit from a friend since borrowing is basically the same and the used market does more damage to the industry.

I don't borrow games/cds/dvd from friends nor do I buy them used. Personally I am against used sales and I never bother borrowing things, I just buy them. Also, I'm pretty sure that artists do get something from CD sales as this is how they make most of their money. It is gigs they get next to nothing for; sure, they get paid but they pay for their own set so if it is an expensive set, they are actually losing money.

 

[Gigano]

I do not think "theft" is the proper word, given that nothing is really taken away physically. "not giving due payment" would probably be closer.

While I object to not paying up for something you enjoy, I also oppose the rigidity and monopolistic approach of copy right laws of today. Due to intense one-sided lobbyism, they are far more concerned with the rights of the publishers rather than also preserving the rights consumers gain over their products; Which of course also serves to undermine consumer respect for them.

Furthermore, the real purpose of publishers receiving the due payment they could expect, rather than denying people the access to the information and works, should be more prevalent. Mindlessly forbidding the viewing of content not even on the relevant market does nothing to serve the economic interests of publishers (who did not lay claim to any profit on that regional market). I see no reason to extend punishment articles for copyright violation of for instance a French independent movie downloaded in China, if it hasn't been released there and never will be (unless the copies generate enough interest to warrant a release...). In such case you're merely denying access to artistic expressions without any commercial interests to protect.

 

[Lem0nade Inlay]

Clearly not theft nor copyright infringement. Nor is it destroying the music industry since the artists don't make jack off the actual CD sales anyway.
Plus if you actally think that it is that bad then you should not buy used games/cds nor borrow shit from a friend since borrowing is basically the same and the used market does more damage to the industry.

That logic...it doesn't work but....

BUT WHO THE HELL CAN ARGUE WITH THAT PICTURE!?

OT: Well I used to pirate heaps of music, now I don't really listen to music unless I really enjoy the band. In which case I'll just buy the album. I don't download movies/games and stuff off torrent websites, but I watch stuff on tv shack, so I guess I kind of do pirate.

 

[dragonslayer32]

I'm pretty sure that artists do get something from CD sales as this is how they make most of their money. It is gigs they get next to nothing for; sure, they get paid but they pay for their own set so if it is an expensive set, they are actually losing money.

No. They get most of their money from concerts and merchandise. CD sales they get honestly jack all since the record company gets most of it.
Quite a number of artists have said they don't care one bit if you pirate their album just as long as you show up to their concerts and buy their merchandise.
Besides, think about it, sure the roadies and equipment would be a huge cost to start with but once they start churning out tours, 5k+ people per performance at like $100 per ticket, the sets pay for themselves in no time. The CDs basically just act as a advertisment for their tours.

It all depends on their contract. I THINK it was meatloaf with bat out of hell when he got something stupid like 90% of CD profits because the record company said it was crap. The majority of good artists have ok contracts in which they get money from CD sales, otherwise they would just switch labels to get a better deal. (I am not sure it it was Meatloaf with that album but someone got a rediculous % on a record that the company thought wouldn't make shit and it one of the best selling albums ever, I'll have to get back to you on this one)

 

[Radiationsickman]

Besides, piracy has been around since the days of radio and recordable tapes. They should stop whining and get out of their studios once in a while.

I remember buying an under-the-counter copy of Windows 3.1, i still have the stack of floppy's lying around somewhere.

I was raised in a family that accepted piracy, so i don't really care.
It's not even stealing, besides, where i live piracy is legal!