is it legal to download music if...

[Teny]

you own the original CD's but cant find it, but you know its somewhere, and its faster to just download it than to find it and rip it or if you have way too many cds and it takes weeks to rip it onto your CD?
and what about the other like programs, games, etc?
if they filed a lawsuit, whats there to do?
i didnt get anything charged, but just wondering.

 

[Rubber314Chicken]

I don't think so on the music, but for the games, it might be possible, as long as you use YOUR key that you got with the CD.

 

[MikeReiner]

Technically it's illegal, period.

Your just a speck amongst millions, so don't let that parasite RIAA bug you.

 

[Atomic Rooster]

if they filed a lawsuit, whats there to do?

Find yourself a very good lawyer.

 

[Rubber314Chicken]

remember that the RIAA wins a very low percentage. the thing to remember is that they are trying to prove an IP address is a person. that isn't true. you could have someone leeching off you, and they are stealing the music, not you, but you get the blame.

The RIAA likes to pull out of the lawsuit if they are about to loose to keep the percentage up.

 

[StratosP]

Bah! Just download it who care's if it's illegal!

 

[Teny]

so you could say you left your wireless unsecured, and some guy down the street connected to your internet and downloaded the songs?

 

[Paradox1]

I leave my wireless insecure so for all i know, some guy down the street IS leeching myinternet and downloading songs.

But depeding on where you live, if you buy a cd, you can download and burn as many personal copies as you want. I'm basing this off of american laws though.

Besides, the only legal way they an bust you for downloading a song is if they either a: uploaded it to you, or b: packet sniffed you to see what you were downloading, or c: got into your hard drive. all 3 of those are illegal for them to do, that's why its sohard for them to win a case without those 3 key points of evidence. (Thank you bill clinton for passing all those bills)

The one way they CAN get you..is if they come into your house with a warrant an take your computer. The offside to this, is how would they get a warrant without the first 3 bits of evidence?

anyway, so if you live where i do, i know its legal to download copies of things. but if you live somewhere else, who knows

 

[J03]

I've heard that it's the UPLOADING that they dont like. That doesnt mean that the download is legal.

 

[Paradox1]

Well the thing is, they can catch the uploaders, and chances are if you download you upload. So that's what they look for. You put it out for upload, anyonce can see it - including the fed- but they cant tell what youre downloading unless theyre using illegal methods to do so aswell