I dowload ALL my music from Kazaa, and until the labels bring down CD's to a respectable amount, i'll keep using it....
You're using the 'faceless corporation' excuse. It's OK because them there in the suits and the fancy office don't care about me so I'm gonna screw them. I doubt that you would stop stealing music even if the price for a was brought down to "a respectable amount"-- which you have yet to define. Besides which, "respectable" is subjective, is it not? Maybe it's not. Here's what "respectable" is: I want to sell something. I set a price. I sell lots of somethings at that price. I stay in business. Therefore, the price is good, and all is right with the world. Economics determine prices.
Theft doesn't bring down prices, theft destroys industries. Stealing is not the same as not-buying. Not-buying reduces prices because demand is low. Right now, the demand is high. So, prices are unlikely to drop.
It's not like they're charging $200 for a bottle of water after a hurricane. It's entertainment. You don't need every known recording of Weird Al's 'Eat It', including the first live performance on Doctor Demento. Sure, it'd be nice to have, but you're not going to die of dehydration by not having it.
This is about freedom of information and free speech not about piracy....
It's not about freedom if information or speech, it's about a commodity which costs money that you are stealing.
What speech is being penned-up because your cheapness makes you steal? What information is being kept from you behind the razor wire of copyright? None, actually.
The RIAA's tactics up til now have been disgraceful.....
You're going to go down THAT road? How is it not disgraceful that people have no respect for the law or for the property of others? If I remember correctly, people were stealing music off the Internet long before the RIAA (or even Metallica) got involved. The disgrace lies with the pirates.
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:Users, forgive me if I screwed up the quotes, 'tis my first attempt. :-) :
