of course its a good idea, something for nothing seems like the best idea ever (linux anyone) but it is illegal due to copywrite laws. theres a whole debate at the moment in the courts about p2p (peer-to-peer) software that shares the files on your hard drive so you arent downloading off the web, your downloading off peoples computers. The music industry fatcats are anti p2p and want it shut down but you cant get rid of something like this.

links of recent developments:
link1
link2
link3

Some Record Labels have free downloads

"A TopGun through and through"

Why don´t you read the following article: To rip or not to rip

That will make you think I guess.

I wouldn't panic to much about the feds busting down your door though Red. I doubt that there are many computer literate people out there without some form of ripped MP3's. Ahem.....all except me of course, Im a regular Dudley Doo-right when it comes to pirated data **eye's crowd suspisiously and makes a mad dash for the door**

RIAA was targeting the software itself, which failed. Now they're targeting the people who mass-distribute the mp3s, IE people that have like 3000 mp3s in their shared folders. It will be a while before they could consider persecuting casual mp3 users, not to mention extremely difficult, simply because there are so many people who have them. On the other hand, I know somebody who was using Kazaa and he got a message from RIAGENT saying something to the effect of "I have detected activity on the following ports: "blah blah blah" Delete your stolen files and uninstall this software or we will take action." The ports he mentioned didn't even do anything (one was the port that Ultima Online chat program used or something) and he didn't detect activity on 6667 which is what IRC uses (he was on IRC at the time).

Nothing has happened to him so far. Maybe it was a prank by another Kazaa user, but nothing has happened to him so far. Though I did hear another story where somebody downloaded a song and he received an e-mail asking for like $1.50 for it from his ISP, though I don't know how large his collection was.

My guess is that RIAA is just trying to scare the filesharers by spreading this kind of news (it already has some effect, because Kazaa has been experiencing a decrease in users) , but to actually do something about it ? I seriously doubt it. Kazaa alone has about 4 or 5 million users online each day...how the hell does RIAA know where to begin ? Besides, Kazaa is somehow showing your IP address sometimes (which RIAA could use), but many people have changing IP addresses or software installed which has the capability to hide your ID and therefore making you an anonymous user.

most bands are split about music downloads, some like radiohead promote it because the record labels are ripping off their customers (its on launch.yahoo.com for the interview with radiohead), whilst all the pop people like kylie minogue get pissed off. metallica hate it as well.

so it's legal for what music your intending to download

If you act like a "black hole" and do nothing to propagate the spreading of an item, are you liable? Depends.

If someone can get through my firewall, turn on any PHP program, sign in with my password (which they'd have to hack) and then turn on the sharing...then maybe I'd be liable, but for now, I'm feeling pretty safe.

Is it illegal? I don't know.
Is it wrong? Yes.
Am I gonna continue doing it? You bet.


Careful what you wish... You might just get it.

i love the RIAA going on about artists loosing out on funds.

OH CRAP NO!

y'see music stars who have albums out at the moment are relying on the sales of every album to get them thru the week. Without your extortionately charged funds, a music star will go hungry and will have to sell their body nightly just to get by, so you see, downloading music isnt only breaking copywrite, its making manufactured bands less profitable and MAY put an end to it altogether.

we can only hope.

-arcon
------

It doesn't matter that somebody has money flowing out of their ass, that still doesn't mean that they don't deserve to get the money for their product. I mean, yeah I think CDs are overpriced, but that isn't a good enough excuse IMO.

@Stinger: That would be accepting stolen property, so yes, it is illegal. Doesn't mean I'm not going to keep downloading games tho
NOTE: as a matter of honor, I DID NOT download SL, nor do I plan to download FL, although I was very tempted in the case of the latter

___________________________
-Fang

Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not too sure about the former.

-Albert Einstein

A Liberal is a man who is too broad-minded to take his own side in an argument.
-Robert Frost
Join my army[!

Edited by - Fang on 10-07-2003 17:45:41

it is leagal to dowload music from a rgestered site that has bought the copywrite

well in the uk any way.. or if the peice'c copyright has run out (50 years) or if you actually own the peice anyway eg on a cd

beware of the leopard
bill gates is watching you

Its legal to download music if a person puts his mp3s availible on his site like mp3.com..

Or soundclick.com

Edited by - Sunchild on 20-07-2003 05:41:03