Downloading

[Captain Jean-Luc Picard 1]

Dunno if this goes here or the Holodeck, so I posted here.

 

Anyways, obviously, the music industry has made it clear that they are against downloading as it's "stealing" music. Personally, I agree. I say buy the music CD's, and in time, I believe the music industry will allow both music CD's and "pay downloads", and in time, upgrade to Music DVD's with loads of music! :)

 

As for movies, I'm dead against downloading a movie. It doesn't cost much to go to the theater, rent, or buy a movie. With this said, why download a movie when you can catch it on cable or buy the DVD?

 

Now, here's the questionable part of downloading - TV episodes. I just spoke to my local UPN/the WB station about the weekend re-runs of my 3 favorite shows. Anywho, I asked her about the downloading of TV episodes if it were considerred a big bad thing like downloading music since you can record TV episodes with the VCR. I told her I was looking for the "legal" answer to this as I've had no luck in other places. Get this! She said that "technically", it's illegal to record TV episodes and movies with a VCR. Well, I asked what the point of having a VCR is, she laughed and said that it's become so common that the entertainment industry just doesn't care, as long as it's for personal use only. She continued to explain that the same would probably apply to TV episodes, that the industry doesn't care if you download a TV episode after it airs, but as long as it's for personal use, despite it being "technically illegal" like recording with a VCR. So, as far as I know, all those ENT downloaders can relax, but if there's season sets out, don't download!

 

Anywho, what are your thoughts on this?

Edited September 11, 2003 by Captain Jean-Luc Picard

[A l t e r E g o 9]

I dont need to relax, I'm already calm. I never use my recordings for anything other than personal use anyway. If I were downloading anything the same would appy.

[Captain Holland 0]

I think people should be allowed to download anything they want off the internet as long as it isn't sold. I mean, I'm not going to download say a TNG episode and then sell it to someone, I'm just going to watch it. The people on the internet could make it so you could watch it maybe 1 or 2 times before it self deletes and not be able to save it.

[Captain Jean-Luc Picard 1]

Nice idea, Captain Holland! There's a DVD company that's making self destructable DVD's for Disney, so when you rent them, they die after 2-3 days instead of taking them back.

[A l t e r E g o 9]

Thats terrible, why does everything have to become disposable.

[Captain Jean-Luc Picard 1]

Thats terrible, why does everything have to become disposable.

That's true too, I never buy disposable products. Didn't think of it from that angle. Yeah, even through they'd be cheap to make, it'd be a waist of resources and would add to the waist problem.

[Goose 0]

Stardate:213696.9

 

 

 

Well let me start my saying F*** THE RIAA AND THEIR MONEY GRUBBING DUMB MOTHER***** BEEB BEEBING SON OF A BEEB GO TO HELL YOU STUPID BEEBERS YOU SUE ME AND I WILL COME DOWN THERE AND BEEB YOU UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(if we had censors that is what it would sound like)

 

Damn i really get pissed off when this subject comes up cause i think the whole thing with the RIAA sueing people for downloading music is a bunch of stupid bullsh!t!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

The RIAA are picking on the little people is all it is.They have enough BEEBING money and they are sueing us???Is that stupid or what!!!!!!!!!!!!I have a crap load of music and if the RIAA is gonna sue my poor A$$ then they can have the 5 dollars in my pocket and the 30 dollars my mom just might have.Then afterwards they can kiss my BEEB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I better stop before i get myself in more trouble than i already have!!!!!!!

[Captain Jean-Luc Picard 1]

Stardate:213696.9

 

 

 

Well let me start my saying F*** THE RIAA AND THEIR MONEY GRUBBING DUMB MOTHER*****  BEEB BEEBING SON OF A BEEB GO TO HELL YOU STUPID BEEBERS YOU SUE ME AND I WILL COME DOWN THERE AND BEEB YOU UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(if we had censors that is what it would sound like)

 

Damn i really get pissed off when this subject comes up cause i think the whole thing with the RIAA sueing people for downloading music is a bunch of stupid bullsh!t!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

The RIAA are picking on the little people is all it is.They have enough BEEBING money and they are sueing us???Is that stupid or what!!!!!!!!!!!!I have a crap load of music and if the RIAA is gonna sue my poor A$$ then they can have the 5 dollars in my pocket and the 30 dollars my mom just might have.Then afterwards they can kiss my BEEB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I better stop before i get myself in more trouble than i already have!!!!!!!

Well, did you ever think of this:

Obtaining a copy-righted product without paying = theft. That is what downloading music is - theft.

 

They aren't sueing becuase they want money, they're sueing becuase you're doing something very illegal, breaking copy right laws. Now, if you download a song or two, they don't really care, who would? They're just going after the mass downloaders.

[Gotabite 0]

In my opinion if "the industry" didn't want anything copied then they never should have started selling any kind of recorders....including cassettes, VCR's etc. I mean let's face it, one of the main functions of VCR's and tape players is recording........now you can add a CD read/write to your computer.....what do you think you're going to do with it?.......It's another kind of recorder..................The music industry has been complaining about people recording music ever since recorders became popular, starting with the 8 track recorder........and personally I'm getting tired of hearing it. I don't see downloading music any different than making a cassette tape of songs you hear off the radio. I've done it for years. And personally it saves me a lot of money. I also have a collection of VCR tapes of movies and of course Star Trek episodes. I've also recorded numerous documentaries off the TV, and don't plan to stop now. Perhaps if going to the movies wasn't so expensive, if buying a DVD, or prerecorded CD wasn't so BLASTED expensive there might not be so much "Bootleggin'."......or people recording from their homes......yet and still if it's available to record, it should be my right to record it.......and personally I'm going to do so regardless!!!! I don't sell tapes, Videos, or CD's.....It's all for my own personal enjoyment. The entertainment industry needs GET A LIFE!!!!.......They are still making a lot of money regardless of people downloading.......They sure make more money than I do!!!!

[Captain Jean-Luc Picard 1]

That doesn't change the fact that it's illegal AKA breaking the law.

 

Doesn't matter if it's expensive, it's their property. If you want a copy, you either pay them or wait till you can afford it. That's why they have this thing called "copy right laws".

 

Now, as far as recorders go, at this point, they don't care about recording with a VCR, or downloading something you "could" have recorded with your VCR.

 

It's when you download a movie you can go to the theater or rent/own on DVD, or a CD you can buy. As for DVD and CD burners? They're for backing up your CD's, making mixes, burning home DVD videos, and so forth. They weren't intended for stealing music and movies.

[Gotabite 0]

That doesn't change the fact that it's illegal AKA breaking the law.

I don't understand how using your VCR to record something off the TV is any different than downloading music off the internet.......it doesn't make any sense....it's the same principal.

Edited September 12, 2003 by Gotabite

[Captain Jean-Luc Picard 1]

It's the same princible, but entirely different in terms of legal issues.

 

When a TV show airs, you don't have to pay for it. It's free. So, recording it with your VCR makes no difference. However, music CD's are not free. They are usually $15 or so a piece, thus downloading music would be stealing, since you're not paying for it.

[Goose 0]

In my opinion if "the industry" didn't want anything copied then they never should have started selling any kind of recorders....including cassettes, VCR's etc.  I mean let's face it, one of the main functions of VCR's and tape players is recording........now you can add a CD read/write to your computer.....what do you think you're going to do with it?.......It's another kind of recorder..................The music industry has been complaining about people recording music ever since recorders became popular, starting with the 8 track recorder........and personally I'm getting tired of hearing it.  I don't see downloading music any different than making a cassette tape of songs you hear off the radio.  I've done it for years.  And personally it saves me a lot of money.  I also have a collection of VCR tapes of movies and of course Star Trek episodes.  I've also recorded numerous documentaries off the TV, and don't plan to stop now.  Perhaps if going to the movies wasn't so expensive, if buying a DVD, or prerecorded CD wasn't so BLASTED expensive there might not be so much "Bootleggin'."......or people recording from their homes......yet and still if it's available to record, it should be my right to record it.......and personally I'm going to do so regardless!!!!  I don't sell tapes, Videos, or CD's.....It's all for my own personal enjoyment.  The entertainment industry needs GET A LIFE!!!!.......They are still making a lot of money regardless of people downloading.......They sure make more money than I do!!!!

Stardate:213699.9

 

 

 

 

Bravo!!!Well said!!!My thoughts exactly!

 

 

When a TV show airs, you don't have to pay for it. It's free. So, recording it with your VCR makes no difference. However, music CD's are not free. They are usually $15 or so a piece, thus downloading music would be stealing, since you're not paying for it.

 

TV shows arent free you pay for the cable/sattiliete/ect.You pay for the cd's you burn with,you pay for the burner,and you pay for then internet that u download off of.So it isnt free

[Captain Jean-Luc Picard 1]

Stardate:213699.9

When a TV show airs, you don't have to pay for it. It's free. So, recording it with your VCR makes no difference. However, music CD's are not free. They are usually $15 or so a piece, thus downloading music would be stealing, since you're not paying for it.

 

TV shows arent free you pay for the cable/sattiliete/ect.You pay for the cd's you burn with,you pay for the burner,and you pay for then internet that u download off of.So it isnt free

Well, if you have an antenna, TV is free.

Edited September 13, 2003 by Captain Jean-Luc Picard

[Xeroc 0]

IMO, Downloading free music and movies is stealing. TV episodes are a bit of a gray area, but already TV is so close to free, it isn't a big problem.

 

Did you know that there are already legal websites that allow you to download music dirt cheap? No one uses them because free is as cheap as it gets.

[VaBeachGuy 12]

They're just going after the mass downloaders.

No, they aren't going after the downloaders at all. They are going after the "uploaders". In other words, they are going after the people that have large quantities of songs available for download by others.

 

They have no way of knowing who the downloaders are.

 

I have been online in one form or another for 20 years now and trust me, they will NEVER EVER EVER stop this kind of activity. Never! All they are doing is trying to scare people with the law suits. If they really want to combat this activity then they will HAVE to "jump on the bandwagon".

 

Lets say for a moment that they kill KaZaa, what that will do is clone 10 more services. Services that are in countries that they can't sue and countries they can't pressure into giving the records. Plane and simple, theft or not downloading is here to stay.

 

I have a question, if I log onto a radio station online and listen to music my computer is downloading those songs. Is that also illegal? It's downloading songs and I can set my computer to record the signal also. The way I look at is, if I download a song, lets say Johnny Cash. I use it to reflect on the man and his music as a way to mourn his passing. I keep the song on my computer for a couple of days then delete it. Is that stealing? How does it harm the music industry? I wouldn't go buy a Johnny Cash CD just to hear a song one or two times so they lose nothing.

 

Same with any other music I might be inclined to download, I wouldn't buy it anyway and I wouldn't intend on keeping anything I downloaded. It's like listening to the radio, it's on you listen to it then it's gone.

 

Want to stop downloading? Come up with a system that is better, don't try to kill advancement in technology and society just to line your own pockets.

[Captain Jean-Luc Picard 1]

Here's the simple version.

 

Entertainment Industry makes things to entertain us.

We buy these things to entertain outselves.

Entertainment Industry uses that money to crank out more entertaining thinks.

 

Entertainment Industry makes things to entertain us.

We download these entertaining things, despite legallities.

Entertainment Industry doesn't make money, so the stuff we enjoy dissapears one by one, leaving us with stuff like reallity TV.

 

By downloading, you're slowly killing the entertainment industry. If everyone downloaded a new movie that came out, and it doesn't make money, then they won't make the sequal that everyone wants to see. See what consequences your actions can have?

 

If the government says it's illegal, then don't do it. Just becuase you can get away with it scot free, doesn't make it right, nor legal.

[VaBeachGuy 12]

I say again, if they want to stop downloading they will have to come up with a better system.

 

Otherwise it will continue and grow. Period.

 

Telling everyone that downloading is "naughty" won't change anything, law suits won't change anything. Downloading will continue. Either in newsgroups or some other peer to peer method.

 

Plus where is the line drawn? You tape shows off the TV, that's illegal. The TV industry may look the other way but it doesn't change the legality of it. You download TV episodes, the TV lady may have told you that they "probably won't care" doesn't change the legality of it.

 

Saying that downloading a Movie or a Song is bad while you download TV shows is just hypocritical.

[Captain Jean-Luc Picard 1]

Well, then how come there are pay-download services out there, yet people still use programs like Kazaa? Simple, free is cheaper than very-cheap.

[ddillard 2]

I difinitely have to agree with VBG on this one. There is no way that they will ever be able to stop this practice, not in our modern society. And also if you are against downloading you should be against all downloading, VCR recording, recording from the radio, etc not just choosing one law that you want to select to follow. And I am sorry but there are many laws in this country that do not make sense. For example in OH it is illegal to buy Corn Flakes on Sunday, but everyone does it anyway. I view the downloading issue that same way, I can understand the industry being upset if people are making money from the content, but not when being used for personal use. When most of the media is available to record by VCR (TV shows, and movies) or by tape recorder (music from the radio.)

[VaBeachGuy 12]

Well, then how come there are pay-download services out there, yet people still use programs like Kazaa?  Simple, free is cheaper than very-cheap.

I say again, if they want to stop downloading they will have to come up with a better system.

 

Otherwise it will continue and grow. Period.

 

I believe what was meant here was "Come up with a better system" and what that means is "Come up with a better system".

 

You didn't answer my question though:

 

Plus where is the line drawn? You tape shows off the TV, that's illegal. The TV industry may look the other way but it doesn't change the legality of it. You download TV episodes, the TV lady may have told you that they "probably won't care" doesn't change the legality of it.

 

Saying that downloading a Movie or a Song is bad while you download TV shows is just hypocritical.

 

You can't have it both ways. You are either against downloading or you are for it.

[ddillard 2]

And if we want to get technical on Copyright laws, anyone using a picture from a television show or of an actor or actress, or of a ship in their signature or avatar are "technically" breaking the law, unless they have written permission from the industry. This would apply to anyone that has ever used one of these pics as a desktop theme, or used an animated gif of one of the ships. And it goes on. So this is why I do not agree with the laws.

Edited September 14, 2003 by ddillard