Such theft disturbs me too. Many of these same people who take music and other creations and do not see it as aprobelm would be very opposed to car theft or the theft of a wallet. They would want those "thiefs" locked up and called to account.

I am with you on this - theft is theft !! This music, etc. is how many of these folk make their living. What are these Christians going to do nect - steal a plumbers tools?

When I make music, I don't really care if somebody gets a hold of it for free. First, I don't want to make a career out of my music, because I'm not too happy with the majority of the music industry. Second, I love my music more than any money that it could bring me. There are some damn good artists out there, who I do support legally. Other crap though, that is marketed for a selling group, I don't even care about. I don't care if people rip off shitty music, as long as they don't play it loud enough that I'll have to lay some serious smack downs. How many of these marketed "rock stars" are living larger than many of us could even realistically dream of?

I used to be in law inforcement and most of the time I asked the question: Why did you do it? The answer was always: "Because I could"
As long as music, movies and software are highly available on a personal level and easy to come by for free, they can't blame people for getting what they want.
I do think it's wrong to create more copies for distribution or sales. That's where I draw the line.
I think it's the responsibility of the creator of the media to protect their product and to invest in that protection. If it fails, don't blame the people.
If I don't want my bicycle to be stolen, I lock it properly.
What if I tape a movie from the TV or record music from the radio? Is that stealing?

This whole issue is very confusing. I am at a loss as to where to draw the line. I am against illegal downloading or p-to-p-ing of any kind of files,though when I used to not care I don't remember feeling guilty. Guilt is a matter of concience, which is god talking to you about a particular situation. When I was downloading things illegally I didn't feel like god was opposed, so I don't know if he is or not...

Sandor - I agree with your wisdom. It's all about getting caught. And so far, thieves of this kind are hard to catch. If they weren't, people wouldn't do it and risk going to jail. I reject the reasoning that rock starts are "living large" so they can be stolen from. Would you walk into their houses and take money out of their pants pockets? Why not? Taking something that belongs to someone else without asking permission to do so is stealing. Our moral behavior shouldn't be based on who knows or doesn't know.

I don't download TV, Movies or things like that, but last I checked, music was legal to ~download~ (I don't upload things) so I do that with a clear concsious, although I'll admit that if I see an album from one of my favourite bands I'll buy it even though I have everything on it downloaded already because it feels better to have the hard copy and know that the money I'm spending will actually get to the band itself as oppose to the general music industry (in fact I probably wouldn't download my favourite bands at all if I could ever ~find~ their stuff in stores. But Alas! My music taste is too weird for normal stores to handle lol, and I don't like buying over the internet...)

Wow... sorry for the ramblage.

Like Proudhon said, property is theft.

I steal all the ideas in the world. Music, Movies, pictures.

Random bananas.

Hi, I don't download music, games or software, unless it is from an authorized site, with free downloads, examples: Adobe viewer, or sample songs from band sites. If I want something, and it isn't free, I pay for it.

It is one of those things that I am strict about, and, part of it was because of having had good discussions with musicians regarding their work, how little the majority make, and the importance of copyright.

If i wish to use a musician's material at a conference, I contact them for permission, and rates. I do not copy music sheets for the same reason, unless I have been given permission, which may include destruction following.If I am responsible for the event, neither does anyone else.

Does stealing make it okay if it is easy? Is it easier to steal from someone who is anonymous. My sense is, yes, but for me, it doesn't matter.

Then again, if I get extra change, I give it back.
As a pre-teen, I didn't have the same values or barrier around theft. Not sure when it shifted, probably around 15.

Maybe it is because I buy so much music that isn't mainstream, that I am particular about it. My guess is not, as I also refuse to use hax on items. Just part of my persona.

Possession is the only rightful justification of property, and no one possesses information.

aaaaaaaagh....dilema.....

I've spent enough and been mightily peeved at some of the artists recording music today. I have a large CD collection and bought most of them and some I've been happy with but others are obviously an album containing one hit and a load of fluff as filler. This ticks me off....

Musicians get such a small slice of the pie from these sales that most of them now make a lot of their money from touring. It's the record companies that inflame the downloading epidemic by their greed. If they charged a fair price for the product then we'd buy it more.

For the artists that are touring you will hear that they are not so upset at the downloaders as this gives their music more airplay and a wider audience hence more people likely to pay to see them live.

Illegal downloading isn't going to go away unless something radical changes. Look at iTunes...what is it...$1 per song or something? Some iPods can hold 80,000 songs...are you telling me that the average iPod owner is going to pay $80,000 to fill the contraption up? Get real...

Make the music affordable and people won't download illegally anymore. We may have approached the day when a career in music is not an instant ticket to massive riches through CD/download sales anymore. Perhaps the music industry and the artists need to realise this.

Sandor....that's the best avatar I've seen yet. Father Jack!! Classic!!!!

For anyone who doesn't know what I'm on about..get down to your local video store and rent the British series "Father Ted". It's a modern comedy classic!!!

Hi Folks,

I tend to be middle of the road with the concept of 'stealing' of music. I don't download video of any sort, but regarding music, I find myself a bit more lax.
I prefer to justify some of it to myself with the argument that I have spent my share over the last 30+ years, buying favorite artists' material not once, but multiple times, as the formats have changed. Regarding newer artists, I'm not really sure if any of the mainstream artists, that seem to be the biggest 'victims' of this,(Metallica comes to mind), have missed many meals because of the practice of people ripping their music...I agree with other posters that distributing ripped music is wrong, but for personal use? Any of us over the age of about 20, would have to spend a couple weekends getting rid of all the old VHS and cassette tapes that are cluttering our basements. This is nothing new,
I'm not sure why the industry(particularly the music industry) is so up in arms. Let me go to the local 'Record shop', buy the newest whoever, for $9.99, instead of $19.99, and it will be a done deal, therein lies their problem....

Peace

I dont think that its wrong but its up to your friends to decide if they are going to be dommed for all eternity

I am not a lawyer and this is not intended as legal advice, it is probably even all wrong, use at your own risk..

Copying music and videos is not stealing, it may be violating copyright; and in many cases it is not illegal. The problem is that many home users don't know what is allowed and what is not allowed.

Copying and ripping music for private use is expressly legal in Canada because of the recording media levy.