Copying is not stealing, mmmkay?

[rodneyorpheus]

I just left this on my friend Richard's blog when he discussed the "copying CDs is stealing" issue. I've been struggling with this for many years (one reason why I haven't made a CD in a while, I'm morally unsure of what it means anymore), but I'm slowly getting to a place where I think I am starting to understand this fully...

"Illegal downloading

Comments

[venome_relc]

More than that, If you buy DVD and invite me and another 50 of your friends to watch it with you - you are technically committing a crime :) Curiouser and curiouser.
Oh, and there are players that don't play DVD directly but in fact rip it and serve the media from its own memory - is it illegal too and should all those players be put in a pit and beaten with stones?

But going back to the CDs. When I buy a CD, I don't sign any license, therefore I'm not bound with any responsibilities. Therefore, I buy only the CD, the media on it, the case and the booklet. tis' all. media is the key word, if I have right to rip it and to use it - it means that I have full right to have the digital copy of particular songs. Therefore, obliging me to buy a new CD when the old one has a scratch - is selling me the thing I have already paid for (needless to say, I don't need another piece of plastic and shiny-glossy paper in my house).

Another point is iTunes. I can be proud saying that Apple hasn't seen any of my money. But do you know that some DJ software automatically imports tracks from iTunes? Not that it is pushing somebody to commiting evil crimes or something...