 Board Message |
Re: What is right? |
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Board Message |
Re: What is right? |
[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ The Recording Website Message Board ] [ FAQ ] Posted by JC on June 07, 2000 at 17:00:21:
In Reply to: What is right? posted by EddieRay on June 07, 2000 at 16:21:31:
It's tough! I'm guilty of all that stuff, too.
"People notice large numbers (everything counts in large amounts!) Napster makes it extremely easier for large numbers of people to share a single copy of a song. When it hurts someone's income, it gets noticed. "
Actually, I don't know if Napster is noticable just for large numbers- like I said before, pirating has been going on for quite some time, but the critical differance between other pirating and Napster is that there is an easy way to track Napster downloads- and they can PROVE that someone is getting a copy of a song.
"The anecdote has been going around that free music ultimately improves sales."
I've heard that argument and I don't know if anyone can prove that it holds water.
"But I just read something stating that music sales among the college market has been dropping."
I've also heard that but wondered how they could know for sure that was true. Sales overall are on the rise. I don't know if MP3 or Napster has anything to do with "college sales" declining or if it's just a cyclical trend. I'd concede one could easily draw that conclusion.
"What is the right thing to do? Is it okay to steal? Should you or should you not support your favorite artists? If you are guilty of copying, should you speak up or stay out of this argument?"
It's not OK to steal. But it's also not OK to ask people to buy a substandard product and the industry has no problem with that- add to that price fixing and all the other crap that the record industry imposes on us and I don't feel terribly sorry for them. I personally DO and will continue to buy the CD of an artist that I think is deserving of my dollar.
I'd also add that FWIW i've never downloaded an illegal MP3. Not that i'm a choirboy or anything- I just haven't heard anything that I liked enough to download, and yet didn't like enough to buy. It takes me ages to download a song, so I only download what I can't get on a CD- like free downloads from independent artists. Otherwise I buy the sucker for 10-15 bucks and be done with it. I personally enjoy critiquing elements of a song or mix and don't feel it's fair to do so unless I am listening to the best copy available.