Is Downloading Music Stealing? Not In My...

[bestoutof2]

it is stealing it is just like runnung in a store and geting a cd

[TheDigable]

Give up the philosophical argument of whether it's "stealing" or not "stealing"...

those that want their shit for free will NEVER buy if the means to avoid it are there

those of us that buy...will continue to buy CDs(although this new RIAA crap has put a wrench in things)...however, these are the people that the RIAA have probably offended most and have the possibility of losing the most revenue from.

But then again, the crappy artist formerly known as Ashanti sold over 300,000 copies in her first week. So I doubt they'll really miss us.

stealing...sharing...stealing...sharing...stealing....sharing...star trek...star wars...oral...anal...less filling...tastes great...

some arguments are best left alone...as there will never be an agreement...


oh...and it's sharing, star wars, oral, and less filling...

[RealitY]

Originally posted by BlizZ@1 July 2003 - 21:53
Stealing or Not?

I download music.
Some people believe that it's stealing.
In my opinion, I don't think it is.

If it was stealing, then it would be going into a store and sneaking an object out to keep for yourself. When you go to the store to buy a music CD, that's not the same thing what you're getting when you DOWNLOAD an audio file. An audio file is NOT a music CD. When you download a song, thats not what you get when your buying a CD at the store, your getting a file on your computer.
Stealing (in my opinon) is NOT downloading some data with YOUR own personal computer, but is physically taking something from someone and keeping it.

When you're downloading music on the computer, you're not downloading a music CD, your downloading an audio file.

Anyways, that's what I think, PLUS I'm Christian and I don't want to believe that it's stealing.
Everybody let me know what your opinion is. If you think it's stealing or not.

Better go to CONFESSION, you are commiting an illegal act, at least when uploading. Though I'm not sure if this is considered moraly wrong.

I lost count on how many debates I've heard and discussed on this matter, however the LAW is very clear here, especially regarding uploading, which is the same as distrubution, illegal distribution.

If you got a copy of the new T3 and then played it in a private theater you owned for all to see for free, then gave copys to all your freinds, you would have comitted an illegal act. How can anyone see this any differntly than uploading.

Though regarding downloading, or those that watched T3 and took one of those free copies home, things become rather vague. Possesion of stolen goods would not apply since they were not stolen. On what legal ground could they actually make a case. Even my ISP stated that they are absolutely paying no attention to those that are downloading copyright material. Nor do I see any attempts by the AA as of yet to go after downloaders. Maybe someone can explain why downloading is illegal. I do know that in some coutries from what I've heard it cleary sated as being legal.

We can argue many points such as those at the AA are greedy fucks and should not own rights for such ernormous periods of time, or that they are price fixing and not producing dollar for value. Though they won't be around that much longer I suspect. Not to mention they have bought most of the ridiculous laws that exsist to protect their pockets a little more.

Even the colledge kids did not take a plea of guilt, they settled for couple of cents per file shared or offered for upload, which was cheaper than litigating, besides some of them got enough contributions to pay their entire settlement. I think its pretty clear this is not a crime, it would be brought in front of a civil court. Well then, since stealing is generally a crime, and this not being such, I guess its not stealing after all. I feel better now.

[Starchild]

Perhaps, some definitions might help.
Cut and pasted from Merriam Webster Online, m-w.com

-------Start------

Main Entry: theft
Pronunciation: 'theft
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English thiefthe, from Old English thIefth; akin to Old English thEof thief
Date: before 12th century
1 a : the act of stealing; specifically : the felonious taking and removing of personal property with intent to deprive the rightful owner of it b : an unlawful taking (as by embezzlement or burglary) of property
2 obsolete : something stolen
3 : a stolen base in baseball


Main Entry: 1take (Very large amount of alternative meanings, ~28, 1 included)
Pronunciation: 'tAk
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): took /'tuk/; tak·en /'tA-k&n/; tak·ing
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English tacan, from Old Norse taka; akin to Middle Dutch taken to take
Date: before 12th century
transitive senses

16 a : REMOVE <take eggs from a nest> b (1) : to put an end to (life) (2) : to remove by death <was taken in his prime> c : SUBTRACT <take two from four> d : EXACT <the weather took its toll>


Main Entry: 1copy
Pronunciation: &#39;kä-pE
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural cop·ies
Etymology: Middle English copie, from Middle French, from Medieval Latin copia, from Latin, abundance -- more at COPIOUS
Date: 14th century
1 : an imitation, transcript, or reproduction of an original work (as a letter, a painting, a table, or a dress)
2 : one of a series of especially mechanical reproductions of an original impression; also : an individual example of such a reproduction
3 archaic : something to be imitated : MODEL
4 a : matter to be set especially for printing b : something considered printable or newsworthy -- used without an article <remarks that make good copy -- Norman Cousins> c : text especially of an advertisement
synonym see REPRODUCTION


Main Entry: 1steal (again many definitions, some irrelevant ones ommited)
Pronunciation: &#39;stE(&)l
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): stole /&#39;stOl/; sto·len /&#39;stO-l&n/; steal·ing
Etymology: Middle English stelen, from Old English stelan; akin to Old High German stelan to steal
Date: before 12th century
intransitive senses
1 : to take the property of another wrongfully and especially as an habitual or regular practice
1 a : to take or appropriate without right or leave and with intent to keep or make use of wrongfully <stole a car> b : to take away by force or unjust means <they&#39;ve stolen our liberty> c : to take surreptitiously or without permission <steal a kiss> d : to appropriate to oneself or beyond one&#39;s proper share : make oneself the focus of <steal the show>

-----------End-----------

On a side note, I don&#39;t think downloading copyrighted works that hasn&#39;t been authorised for that type of distribution as "theft", as you don&#39;t remove anything.
You make a copy. You don&#39;t take anything, you make a copy (regardless of what definition of take you use, no one includes "copy" or the making of a copy)

It may be illegal, and I don&#39;t dispute the part about copyright infringement.
However, if you buy that which you think is worth the money, and are able to buy from an autherised distributor, no one loses.

My 0.02 SEK

[EDIT -Spelling]

[BlizZ]

Man, I never knew this topic I started would become so popular.

[akcom]

It is utterly rediculous to believe for even a second that downloading music is not stealing, get over it, you&#39;re doing something illegal, stop being a moral relativist.

[Hyde]

if they are so worried that you are going to steal it by putting it on your own cd with a burner..... then why don&#39;t they make cd burners and mp3 players illegal instead, then there really wouldn&#39;t be that big of a problem, all you would be doing is sitting on your computer listening to the music, it&#39;s not like it would be going anywhere

[Stillsharin]

I THINK THE WORD STEALING HAS BEEN HAS BEEN CONFUSED HERE. IF YOU ACTUALLY THINK ABOUT IT ALOT OF WHAT"S BEING D-Loaded, HAS BEEN PURCHASED AT SOME POINT OR ANOTHER BY SOMEOME WHO HAS DECIDED TO SHARE IT WITH WHOM EVER.CAN IT BE PROVEN THAT THIS PERSON SHARING BOUGHT THE CD...NO.. BUT DO I or ANY 1 ELSE 4 THAT MATTER CARE? (I"LL let whoever answer that 1) LOOK, THIS WHOLE DEAL IS NOTHING NEW. 4 THOSE US WHO CAN REMEMBER, WHEN CASSETTS WERE POPULAR, FRIENDS WHO WANTED CERTAIN ARTISTS WOULD ASK EACH OTHER TO LET THEM BORROW IT SO THEY COULD DUB... BACK THEN WE DIDN"T D-load WE JUST USED OUR STEREOS :-) &#33; SO WHERE"S THE THIEF HERE???
ANYWAY I THINK THOSE WHO D-LOAD FILES SHOULD NOT BE REGUARDED AS SUCH&#33; AND SHOULD BE ABLE TO SHARE FILES (purchased ..or obtained through some 1 sharing theirs)

[ISthisLEGAL.com]

Originally posted by akcom@12 July 2003 - 20:37
It is utterly rediculous to believe for even a second that downloading music is not stealing, get over it, you&#39;re doing something illegal, stop being a moral relativist.

O.k, .........But on planet earth its not stealing&#33; read back through the posts and you will find out why&#33;

[ka_ploink]

Originally posted by ISthisLEGAL.com+13 July 2003 - 11:54--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (ISthisLEGAL.com @ 13 July 2003 - 11:54)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-akcom@12 July 2003 - 20:37
It is utterly rediculous to believe for even a second that downloading music is not stealing, get over it, you&#39;re doing something illegal, stop being a moral relativist.

O.k, .........But on planet earth its not stealing&#33; read back through the posts and you will find out why&#33; [/b][/quote]
That&#39;s the problem... this post isn&#39;t getting anywhere because everyone is replying to Blizz&#39;s opening, rather than reading what other people have said and replying to it..... no discussion happening, no progress... I think now&#39;s a good time to give up.