$2 million fine for downloading

[expat]

An American woman has been fined nearly $2 million dollars for illegally downloading MP3 music files. Jammie Thomas-Rasset downloaded 24 songs then put the tracks on the file-sharing website Kazaa.
Ouch!

What do I think, well, the fine is typically OTT but then it is the US legal system, however it is theft, virtual shop lifting in a sense. I cannot understand why the entertainment industry has let file sharing go on for so long. I suppose all the liberal free speech lawyers don't help

Matt

[Anxyous]

It's a little much for 24 songs, but illegal downloading really needs to stop... Artists will start disappearing, if there's no money to be found anywhere.

[Fozzer]

...the Ultimate Deterrent!... ...!

...it scared me off, a long time ago... ...!

I warn all my Friends about it, but they don't take any notice... ...!

Paul... 8-)...!

[expat]

.
I warn all my Friends about it, but they don't take any notice... ...!

Paul... 8-)...!

That's because people like that think it will only happen to other people. I wont lie, I did it, but when Napster was closed down I stopped. Apart from which it is a great way to get a virus, Trojan or any other of the milliard of hard drive invaders :-?

Matt

[Fozzer]

..Illegal Music Downloading is subject to the same Fines as Driving a Vee-Hickle without a Driving Licence and no Insurance, or watching TV without a TV Licence, depositing Litter, failing to keep a Dog under proper control....

....and Urinating in a Public place.... ...!

Paul....busting for a Pee!... ...!

.... ....!

Napster?...distant memories... ...!

[Sir_Crashalot]

It's a little much for 24 songs, but illegal downloading really needs to stop... Artists will start disappearing, if there's no money to be found anywhere.

Maybe they could start working for their money and perform at concerts instead of lip syncing for 30 minutes. Maybe this way only the great bands/singers will survive and the world will be saved from trash as Britney, Christina, Lady Gaga and all those so called DJ's who press two buttons on a laptop to make millions.

Carlo 8-)

[ozzy72]

I'm glad we've entered a period of recession, they seem to be the times when the commercial junk of music gets ditched and innovative new sounds appear.... of course based on the current market recording an elephant farting could be classed as music.... I'll just get on the phone to EMI

[Sir_Crashalot]

I'm glad we've entered a period of recession, they seem to be the times when the commercial junk of music gets ditched and innovative new sounds appear.... of course based on the current market recording an elephant farting could be classed as music.... I'll just get on the phone to EMI

My farts sound better than Bono and U2.... you think I can earn something with it?

Carlo 8-) (the pressure of performance...)

[DaveSims]

It's a little much for 24 songs, but illegal downloading really needs to stop... Artists will start disappearing, if there's no money to be found anywhere.

I highly doubt it.  These artists are making millions.  The music industry says CD sales are down because of illegal downloading, but if you look at when the sales went down, it was about the same time that new CDs became $20-$30 a piece.  I don't buy CDs period, I'm not wasting that much money on an album with maybe one or two good songs.

[ozzy72]

This is why things like iTunes is succeeding whilst the industry fails as you only download the songs you want, not the rest of the trash that seems to be used to fill an album.
I think the industry is scared as it doesn't "get" the potential and power of the new medium of digital distribution...

[SubZer0]

That's too much for just 24 songs. But it is illegal so...

Anyways, Pandora does the job for me.

[Travis]

The only reason to buy an album with anything over 10 songs would be if it were a concept album, in which every song is important to the overall theme of the record.

Look at some of the Beatles later stuff.  Yellow Submarine, for instance.  It's kinda impossible to take a couple of songs off the album, throw them into your iTunes folder and expect to get the message of the record.  The songs need to be together.  I can't recall any album from the past fifteen years that had that.  At least, any mainstream artists.

Good riddance to things like Britney Spears and Shaquira (or whatever)!  Maybe they will lose enough money to quit . . .

Then again . . .

"Why did I only make 10 million dollars last month instead of 15 million?!"

"Because some people downloaded your music illegally, Britney."

"We're gonna sue those F#@%ers!"

[DaveSims]

[quote]The only reason to buy an album with anything over 10 songs would be if it were a concept album, in which every song is important to the overall theme of the record.

Look at some of the Beatles later stuff.

[Hagar]

when I see one of these celebrities living in a dump and driving a 1990 Camry, then I'll be concerned.  But when I see them living in mansions that I couldn't afford to pay the electric bill for and driving $100,000 cars, its hard to be sympathetic.

That's an odd way of looking at it. The same excuse used by some toe-rag to justify breaking into your house or stealing your car.

There's a strange set of double-standards at work here. Members of this forum get very upset about software piracy & somebody stealing their work, even if it's freeware. Posting payware addons for download is treated as a heinous crime. Yet some of these very same people can see nothing wrong with stealing copyrighted material from a performing artist or record company, just because they happen to be successful.

[DaveSims]

[quote][quote]when I see one of these celebrities living in a dump and driving a 1990 Camry, then I'll be concerned.