It's unfortunate that people consider this a right or wrong issue--As if it were a question of ethics--but it's not, it's a legal matter.

For example, if I'm late for work and the speed limit is 55 mph and I drive 70 mph. (In my mind what I'm doing is not wrong because I am trying to make it to work on time.) However, I am violating a law by driving 15 miles over the posted speed limit.

Back to our discussion on the legal aspects of file sharing. If you think CDs cost to much and you can't take the idea of paying for a subscription service then you have already decided that for you, downloading content (that you know you could have paid for)-is the right choice for you.

But is it legal?

People we know this story:

You double park your car in a no stopping, no standing zone, Violators will be towed!

You think to yourself (I'll just be a minute.) 15 seconds after you walk away the tow truck is there hooking up your car, 10 seconds later you turn around in shock! You spend the next 10 minutes debating with the tow truck driver over how unfair or wrong it is for him to tow away your car--all the while you are completely ignoring the action that got you in this mess in the first place.


So again -- All the hype and crying from the Entertainment Industry wouldn't exist if people were not sharing content these companies have legal rights over.

All the hype and crying from users over the industries effort to curtail such activies wouldn't be an issue if People didn't share content that do not have the rights to share.

These two items are intimately related.

Now, there is a simple solution to the whole issue and guess who has the most power to influence change?

The users! Why? Because users/consumers have the things these industries want and need access to in order to survive your money!

I'll start a new thread to talk about how to effectively change the climate of the digital commons.





http://www.leeware.com

The person wasn't asking about ethics, they were just asking for a reference source. Some artists do not give their souls to the RIAA, and thus allow people to freely download music. But, in the wonderful glory that is large corporations, the RIAA just ignores that fact.

Here's a good place to begin your research (Especially as it relates to downloading music from the Internet.)

http://www.riaa.com/Copyright-What.cfm


Hope this helps.

Thank you for the reference site. to RIAA.

I agree right from wrong is not the same as is it legal.

I was hoping to use file sharing as a topic to reach/teach an 11 year child.

At this point allowing my child use of limewire. does not seem prudent, as there is not an easy method to determin what is legel to copy and distribute and what is not.

Mr. Leeware,

So with out all the legal jargon, tell me, am I going to be safe to download music and other software from the net or not? If not, I have heard that I can mask my IP address, I would be more then happy to do this as well. Have any ideas?

PA

Let me make it simple:

#1 Downloading software, movies and music from the net is not illegal!

#2 Downloading copyrighted software, movies and music is illegal.

So it depends on what you want to download.

#3 Any software program that claims to mask your IP address is bogus these programs only hide the IP information at the User Interface level which means that if anyone with the most basic understanding of networking could see what IP addresses you are using.

Consider for example the following facts.

In addition to LimeWire I use Kazaa, Kazaa doesn't show the IP address of the people transferring files to or from you. But there's this machine I have on my network that shows me a map
of the IP addresses talking to my machines. There's no way you can avoid this.


Think of it this way, It would be like trying to use a phone to call someone without having a phone number, no phone number, no service period.

Please spread the word.

__________________
Lee Evans, President
LeeWare Development
http://www.leeware.com

First of all... how are ya?... I've seen you on some other forum. Although we have different opinions on this subject, I do enjoy discussing it with you so far.

Going back to your post...

Let me put your explanation, in sort of similar way...

Now you've assigned to "x" a "manufacturer...
Now I think, it would me more acurate to say that
"x"= the "copyright law" that protects "manufactured product. The rest can stay the same...
But there is one more thing...

"a"=amount of individuals with opinion that is in favor of file sharing out of total population.
"b"= total population
"c"=percentage of "a" to "b".
Now believing the theory, that the law was created to help our society function corectly, and not that people exist to help for the law to function no matter what, here is my idea of what it all comes down to...
y=? (how many is sharing)
z=? (how many of those that get stuff)
b=? (everyone in US)
now a=y+z
c=a%*b (damn... was is it "*"to calculate percentage?... I gotta loose calculator... correct me if i f*** up )
And...
x=c

The higher value of "y" and "z", the more "x" will serve to improve our society.


Something like that... I might make a mistake somewhere, it's just I got too used to computers doing all calculations for me, and I really forgot...but you get the point right?

Take care...

I am well, and I too enjoy these conversations. The thing critical fact that is overlooked in your calculation or model of

things (don't worry I didn't check it for technical accuracy) is this.

#1 - There is a whole generation of people that exist now in the Internet age. Consider for example the fact the I have

been involved with technology for about 17 years. A lot has changed in that time.

#2 - The most fundamental change is the commercialization of the Internet (The idea that business can profit from the

Internet) This started around the mid-to-early-90s. At the same time access requirements for consumers were lowering because

more consumers = more business opportunities. Those involved in the community between 1988 - 1991 were concern what this

would do to the Internet community. (I was one of them) Anyway,

#2a big business brought increased attention from cyber-thieves
#2b More consumers brought more Interest in companies wishing to sell services (spam)
#2c Other industries have entered the business as access providers so that they could create a portal type Internet where

they control not only your access but the content you see. A perfect example of this is cable providers.
Their hoping to achieve the success of services like AOL who's still around and the Compuserv's of yesteryear.


#3 - Most of the general population (consumers) started to use or get involved with the Internet around 1997 - present but

mainly during the dot-com hype. This whole concept of P2P is only a few years old. The popularity of Mp3 is only about 4

years old. This technology was developed in 1987 and received a patent in 1996.

#4 - Fast foward to the last 4 years and companies were using mp3 technology as a way to lure consumers in mass to services

which they had planned to charge for at some future point. Unfortunately, they forgot to ask the creators of the content for

the legal rights to do this. Internet Piracy has alway been a problem the DMCA was drafted to address many of these concern.

Mind you this was all years before the whole P2P revolution.

#5 - The p2p revolution did two fundamental things 1) it allow people to share without a central authority (this is good)
2) It allows people to sharewhat ever they want (This is good if you are a responsible user i.e. aware of laws and the

implications of doing this. It is not good if you think that because you purchased a cd/movie/sofware you own the rights to

do whatever you want with it including sharing it on the Internet see #4) Companies are smart enough to avoid these legal

hassels consumers now bear the burden of legal problems thanks to p2p and an uninformed userbase. (people ignorant of the

laws.)

#6 - The passion for free content comes primarily from two camps 1) (see #2)
and 2) If you got involved with the Internet in the last 3 - 6 years you probably don't know any other type of Internet

experience. You like a lot of people primarily got involved or got Interested in it when sites like Napster came along and

Scour and when MP3.com was new and the idea of free content was rampant. In other words you don't know the Internet in any

other way. So, this hostile legal climate seems unfair and for this I divert your attention back to points #3 - #5

I hate to be the bearer of bad news.

__________________
Lee Evans, President
LeeWare Development
http://www.leeware.com

...yes... and also there is whole bunch of those, that still has problems operating video player...

What I'm trying to say is, I didn't overlook those factors. I'm well aware of them, but because I connot determine the actual figures to represent any of those groups ...old,young, uploaders,downloaders, I have assigned them all to the variables "y" and "z". Everything else depends on the actual values for "y" and "z"

ad.2. I don't know when but you're propably right about the birth of "internet commercialism".

The thing is, that so much time time has past, and internet is still not something that you can strictly define as something for business, or some window to see other cultures and not some kind of means for the thievery to go on.
Internet... well it's just everything...

"#2a big business brought increased attention from cyber-thieves
"
You say cyb.thieves, I say people with need to discover and check out something new (yes the desire to get something for free is a big factor too).
You call it stealing, I call it taking back what's ours and was just taken away from us...

And if any artist will say... "You don't wanna pay, I won't sing"
I would say ..."finally"
Because the true artist will sing no matter what, and those are the ones we like to listen to and enjoy watching.
And I'm positive,that if someone is good, public will just not let him die....


<got tired for now>

Please be advised we have published the useful segments of this debate online in video format. Search term CBT - or Legal Aspects

__________________
Lee Evans, President
LeeWare Development
http://www.leeware.com