http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jammie_Thomas

Go ahead. Copy. Share. I just hope you have $1.92M to pay for it.

Seriously people. By copying software, music, speech and whatever, you are stealing someones work, and inhibiting their ability to make a living. It's akin to a FSBO hacking into the MLS and listing their home.

Copyright infringement is a serious issue and can cost you big bucks. Unless you have specific permission to copy and redistribute the items, it is illegal to do so.

Someone makes a living off of this stuff. I have things that were given to me free too - but the "payment" I had to render was to be on the "givers" website, to possibly click on ads, leave information for them to contact me, put me on a mailing list, etc...or I had to purchase something else in order to get the free item.

How would ya'all feel if a buyer found out that your listing was about to expire and so he conspired with the seller to wait until it expires and buy the home FSBO to cut you out of your commission. You may never know that they effectively stole thousands of dollars from you, benefiting from your hard work marketing the property.

Simple ethics.

so none of you have ever made a mixed cd or tape? I have a hard time believing that.

The media makes money by showcasing the negative. Sometimes I can't even watch it from day to day.

To my knowledge, you can mix your own compilation for your own personal use or for back up purposes.

Distributing it is another thing entirely.

Even lawyers are unsure of its legality:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/28/AR2007122800693.html

However, if you read the quote there:



Have I made copies of CDs and given them to people ? No, I have not. Have I received copies from people? Yes, I did - my high school crush made me a few tapes of CD's he had. And because I liked the recordings, I purchased my own copies of the ones I liked and threw all of the tapes out.

Being married to a musician gives me a whole other P.O.V. on copied music. He's not a recording artist, by any means, but he has made recordings of his music (songs he wrote himself) and no, we wouldn't take too kindly to people illegally distributing his music, especially if we were trying to earn a living on the sales of his music.

My former boss sued a book publisher for illegally using a yearbook photo in a publication without his permission. I really would not appreciate someone taking my pictures and using them without permission (though most of my pictures on Flickr have Creative Commons licensing applied, allowing others to use them as long as they give me credit.)

Maybe if some of you actually created something for your business, you'd feel differently about others "copying it" and taking away your livelihood, bit by bit.

"How would ya'all feel if a buyer found out that your listing was about to expire and so he conspired with the seller to wait until it expires and buy the home FSBO to cut you out of your commission."

The seller would still owe a commission at least in my state because of the protection period clause we have in our contracts. We put whatever time we want in there but usually 3 to 6 months. If it get's relisted that is waived. Generally the seller knows they are obligated to pay the commission and the broker can come after them for money due so they are less apt to try it.

As far as the record industry that has drastically changed the last few years. The people that I know all say Album,CD sales etc. are all way down and showing no signs of recovery. Cd prices have fallen sharply in most recent years.

Instead of buying whole cd's these days people choose to download and mix songs from Itunes,Limewire etc. of their favorites.

I remember back in the day when you bought a TAPE or CD and prayed that the rest of the album was good and did not suck. Sometimes you won and sometimes you lost. Some artists cared and others made one good track and put crap on the rest of the album.

Today most of an artists money is made with touring (concerts),appearances,merchandising,etc. Album sales is not where the bread and butter is at anymore.

Not trying to sound negative but it looks like your plan is failing. At least here.

How did everyone on this thread go from thinking positive to piracy? I asked someone for some audio tracks and everyone gets all crazy about it. I admit, I am guilty of using Limewire to download music onto CDs for my own personal use. Is this stealing? Ask Limewire why they are still around.

I was thinking the same thing reading through the posts. While I agree in theory, it's kind of sad that RAH's original post trying to focus on the up side of life turned into a debate.

Back on topic; my son has a closing coming up and I was telling him "don't count your chickens" (spend your money) "before their hatched " (deal might fall through).

I realized I wasn't teaching him the power of positive thinking and so said...." you know what, that deal IS going to close - it's your job to MAKE it close....don't spend the money yet but, in August, you WILL be getting a check because you made it happen"

We've had no sun here for the whole month of June and I was complaining the other night ...my husband, said, yeah, it sucks but we're alive. He was kidding, sort of, but made me stop and think.

Oh Len, will ya never learn? You really should remove your signature line when you post sometimes....

Not to be negative tho LOL