Do You Download Music In The Internet?

[Guest music]

sorry, if this is not interesting for you, but i want to discuss the problem of free music in the internet.

there are many sites where you can

download music

You don't have to pay for it because you can find free music downloads

there is a kind of war between singers that don't like free online music

and people that doesn't want to pay and looks for free mps music downloads

i think that music must be almost free because lot's of people just can't afford buing music and they try to download music for free.

may be not every music download must be free

i can't imagine one who looks for free piano music. if it is really qualitive it may cost money...

but if you download pop music you should not pay

so what is your opinion on this subject?

do you download online music

i used so many links just to check BB-code... actually i've neevr used it before...

there is nothing interesting there. don't click.

[pushka]

Hi Music,

Yes I've downloaded music on the internet, for free. I feel that the only people being 'ripped off' by us downloading for free are the big companies that are actually ripping off the artists with the % of their earnings that they make from them, and are attempting to rip off the public by charging so much for an item that costs so little to produce. Therefore I have no objections to downloading for free.

I must admit that I feel more for the struggling up and coming independent artists who have not joined the ranks of the big companies, and would gladly pay them directly for their music, cutting out the middlemen..

[Guest Monica]

I get my music the old fashioned way. I buy the cd. Its more fun, because where as burning a cd takes time between downloading and getting the cd's to write on, i prefer to head to the mall and have a nice lunch. Also the inserts and covers of the artist cd has all sorts of geeky info, artwork, and pics on it that i cant download online.

[shanstress70]

I download music at a site called www.allofmp3.com.

It isn't free, but is extremely cheap, and that makes it legal. They have everything I've ever searched for (which happens to be mostly 80's, but my husband is more into the indie stuff and he's always pleased with what he finds there as well).

[Royalohh]

I used to download music all the time but then this whole thing came out about pirating and all so I stopped and I wont get any more unless a judge says its ok or a law is passed that tells me I can. For the time being its illeagle so I must stop. I have a neighbor who downloads all the time also movies. I don't let my children watch those movies unless I rent them or buy them. In my mind its against the law so we shouldn't and no amount of justifing makes it ok to do so. Just my opinion

EDIT: Just wanted to add that I am referring to non pay downloads. as far as I know paying for downloads from a lagit is perfectly legal.

[Fiannan]

This issue is perplex. France recently made it legal to download, while it was legal in Sweden until recently. And then what if you go to anyplace in the 3rd. World and buy pirated CDs, is that morally wrong if there is no law against it there?

I don't download because to me it isn't worth what could happen if caught. However, I do not see it really as a moral issue.

[Outshined]

I used to download from the shadier sites, but now just pay 10 bucks a month at Napster for unlimited downloads for my MP3 player...pays for itself if I get more than an album per month.

[BenRaines]

Seems to me that the idea of what is right or wrong is way off base here. Some need a law to help them determine what is morally wrong? Since the first records I purchased it was wrong and a copyright infringement to take an old record, copy it to a cassette tape and sell it to others. It is not yours to sell, or even give away. Someone, the artist, the music company(who someone refered to as having ripped off the artist), the marketing company and everyone else involved spent time and money producing to make a profit. Are all records, tapes, CDs profitable for a music company, No.

The is what is called intellectual property, I am not a lawyer by the way so I don't need to be corrected on this. Someone owns the right to make money from this recorded music, they have paid for the right to sell it. Copying it to a site where anyone can go down and download it and burn it to their own CD or as in many Asian countries burn it and sell ripoff copies is illegal.

I other countries it is ok to have more than one wife, is it ok to move to that country if that is what you want to do?

Something for nothing is wrong if someone else has worked hard for it. It is stealing.

That is my not so humble opinion

Ben

[Fiannan]

Perhaps. However, you do bring up an interesting philosophical question. For instance, In Poland you cannot have an abortion legally just because you want one. In China now you cannot have an abortion legally for sex selection. In the United States abortion is upheld by the Democrats as the cornerstone of liberty and you can have an abortion for sex selection, economic or whatever reasons your little heart desires. Geography certainly does make a difference in human law.

[BenRaines]

While countries may have laws limiting powers or abilities it does not change what is morally right or wrong. Most countries do have copyright infringement laws but much bigger things to deal with, like feeding their people, so who cares is the attitude.

I know copyright infringement, burning and selling copies of MS Pro, for an example, was a point discussed with Bill Gates and President of China when he recently visited US.

I am all for honest wage or hard earned but not by stealing someone elses eggs, or ideas, and selling them for less. In the case of music stealing it and then using it.

Ben

[StrawberryFields]

Here is another thought about this...

Say that you have already bought the original in another form such as video. Video's don't last as long as DVD's and are much bulkier to take along when you travel. Would it then be ok to duplicate it in another form for your own personal use? As technology changes and copies get better, is it still wrong to keep up with technology by making the upgrades yourself?

Years ago I purchased the entire set of "The Living Scriptures" on video and made my monthly payments on them. It was about 20 years ago and they are still in great condition because we have taken good care of our 600-800 dollar "investment" That was a lot of money to us at the time but we felt that we would have them forever. I have a friend who purchased a machine in which she could do exactly what I am talking about...making videos into dvd's. I have wondered of it was ok to upgrade something that you have already given your money to the artist/producer and that you were not doing it for profit.

What do you think?

I do not download music or dvd's.

[Heather]

I looked into this quite a bit before I started my business so I knew what was legal. You are allowed to make 1 copy, but you must retain both the copy and the original. I do a lot of transferring from PAL VHS format to DVD. (Such as movies or music videos that have been purchased overseas.) Often times the customer I am transferring the tape for tells me to just keep the PAL tape or throw it away, since they have no way of viewing it. I let them know that legally they need to keep the copy to prove that they are the original owners. There was also a family who wanted to copy their living scripture library and then keep the originals safe and allow their children to view and handle the copies. (At $30/DVD, I don't blame them.)

I see no problem with you transferring your VHS tape to DVD, as long as you keep the VHS tapes and you're not viewing both copies at the same time and you only make ONE copy. In fact, I would highly recommend it. The moment a video is created, it starts to deteriorate. Burned copies of DVDs are projected to last 100 years (I would be leery of that projection, especially if you are using cheap media.) Unlike your videos tapes, the quality of a DVD will never fade, even copy to copy.

One of the problems I run into is music for DVD menus and slideshows. Most times when a person has a DVD created, they want a lot of copies. I've found the best thing to do with that is purchase the MP3 file on the internet, and then repurchase the same MP3 again equal to the number of copies they want. I think the best thing to do with home movies is to just use freeplaymusic.com, as they have a huge selection of royalty-free instrumental music.

The sad thing is most businesses that do wedding videos and such really don’t care. And honestly, I really don’t think anyone does. They are such small fries, it’s not like anyone is going to waste their time going after them. It seems that either people don’t know the laws, or they don’t care. I read an article in EW by Stephen King and he was talking about all the great music he has downloaded and made mixed CDs for his friends. I would assume he was paying for each MP3 downloaded, but I highly doubt he was purchasing multiple copies of the MP3 for each copy he made. At least he never stated that. If it were me, I would make sure everyone knew I was doing it legally.

[SarahMaree]

I download music at a site called www.allofmp3.com.

It isn't free, but is extremely cheap, and that makes it legal. They have everything I've ever searched for (which happens to be mostly 80's, but my husband is more into the indie stuff and he's always pleased with what he finds there as well).

Shanstress- thanks for the site tip! I've bought several songs now this afternoon (instead of studying, oops) that I've been wanting for a while!

At college I know the music downloading is pretty rampant, especially because we're behind the university's firewall, and because all the on-campus housing has high-speed internet. The campus computer office does monitor large file transfers though, and my roommate has gotten a couple of phone calls about specific songs that they've seen go through!

A lot of people here aren't too concerned about getting sued by the record industry- the big concern here is getting viruses and spyware from the free music download sites...that alone was enough for me to avoid those sites- I have way too much valuable stuff on my computer to risk losing my hard drive for the sake of a couple of free songs! People are a little more hesitant I think about downloading movies off the internet- I know of some people that do it, but I think people assume it's a lot easier to get caught downloading a whole movie vs. one song!

[BenRaines]

Heather,

I agree with the way you put it. For individuals and companies. Making a copy of personally purchased music for backup is not wrong. Making copies of cds for all your friends that like it is. Puting the MP3 online so others can copy is assisting someone else in stealing.

For the others it is not being sued that worries me or keeps me from downloading. I believe that it is wrong.

Making a copy of your purchased VHS tapes to DVD to preserve them is not copyright violation.

Ben

[pushka]

I was asking somebody about the right to play videos/dvds to a number of people in your own home, not charging them, just inviting a number of people to your house to view a film, say 15 people, not all relatives. My friend claimed that it would be infringing the copyright to do so, I stated that I thought that was wrong, as long as it was being viewed in your own home, your copy of the movie, you could show it to as many people as you liked, without charging them. Has anybody any idea about this? Was my friend just being picky and awkward?

[BenRaines]

Your friend was being picky. If you purchased or rented the DVD then it is yours for using. If you are charging admission to see it then it is wrong.

Here in Las Vegas the sports books and other places are not able to show on big screens the Super Bowl where they charge to get in with food and drinks. It is perceived as being charged also to see the game.

I say invite your friends. Have them bring a few things if they would like or you can buy it all. Have fun watching the movie.

I have thought of using the work video projector and just projecting it on the wall. My own version of a big screen tv. :)

Ben

[pushka]

Thanks Ben...I thought he was just 'pulling my chain' as we say over here!!

I have a projector and large screen too, so me and my chap usually watch movies on the screen in my living room...gives them a whole different feel..

[Christos]

In my school we put on plays.

We are not allowed to charge for the play....so we charge the adults £5 for the cup of orange juice or cheap wine

[pushka]

Haha, that's a good way around it Christos!! In fact I was thinking of doing something similar myself... :)

[SarahMaree]

I was asking somebody about the right to play videos/dvds to a number of people in your own home, not charging them, just inviting a number of people to your house to view a film, say 15 people, not all relatives. My friend claimed that it would be infringing the copyright to do so, I stated that I thought that was wrong, as long as it was being viewed in your own home, your copy of the movie, you could show it to as many people as you liked, without charging them. Has anybody any idea about this? Was my friend just being picky and awkward?

I used to think that it was totally fine to do that, but I work as an RA and we're actually not allowed to show a movie as a program without getting written permission from whoever owns the license for the movie, and usually we have to pay some kind of fee (it's cheaper for older movies). This is even for a free program! So who knows!

And just to clarify about my earlier comment- I do believe that downloading music is wrong and I don't do it, but I wanted to throw those other concerns in there as well!

[pushka]

Thanks for the extra information SarahMaree.

[prisonchaplain]

Something for nothing is wrong if someone else has worked hard for it. It is stealing. That is my not so humble opinion. Ben

Ben, humility is unnecessary when you're right! This should be an easy call. Piracy is both wrong and illegal.

I do understand that it is okay to copy purchased media onto other formats for personal use (i.e. CDs - cassettes), but to give away, and certainly not to sell.

[Bones]

I do understand that it is okay to copy purchased media onto other formats for personal use (i.e. CDs - cassettes), but to give away, and certainly not to sell.

That's the way I am. I have approx 1000 tunes but for personal use.

[Fiannan]

I know copyright infringement, burning and selling copies of MS Pro, for an example, was a point discussed with Bill Gates and President of China when he recently visited US.

Wonder how much human rights were discussed.

[CaptainTux]

I would like to pipe in if I may.

I only purchase my online music from MP3tunes.com. The reason? Not only is it legitimate and inexpensive, but they document how much goes to the artists. I used to buy from iTunes alot, but I do not like the DRM restrictions. If I buy the song for my personal use, I should be allowed to have the song on every computer in my house, my iPOD, a cd player for the car, and my entertainment server. iTunes restricts what I can do with something I have purchased. Within reason, I feel it is okay to do that.

There are artists that do offer their music for free on the web and that is legit. They are the owners of the property and can distribute is as they with. When you download free music that is not approved by the owner...you are stealing, case closed, end of story. Legally, you are stealing, morally you are stealing. You may call the RIAA Machiavellian crooks and you may be right to do so. If I steal from the old lady down the street from me, I am a thief. If I steal from a crime bosses home, I am a thief. Either way, I have taken something that is not mine. The moral position of the person I stole from does not change my act.

Now, DRM is beginning to bug me. Under the fair use provisions on the DMCA, you are allowed to make a backup copy of your media. That includes back up cd's, dvd's etc. Sony recently put measures to prevent you from copying their cd's that inadvertently harmed computers running the Windows Operating system. It installed a rootkit that you could not remove easily until they released a patch...after denying they did anything wrong.

Anyway, other measures that they do is to copy protect the cd's in such a way that the fault tolerance on the CD is reduces. This produces a cd with s shorter life span. So you are now better off breaking the DRM and copying it so you have a copy with acceptable fault tolerances. That action is defensible due to fair use.

At the end of the day it is kind of like having a car. You can drive places with it and use it as a utility. You could also murder and commit crimes with a car. The device is not more or immoral. The person behind the wheel is. We have choices when we go online and listen to music. We can make the right choices or the wrong choices, but it is not up to sony to restrict my ability to use the technology in a correct manner just in case I decide to use it in an incorrect manner.