To Allow Copyright Infringement, or Not...

[El Dingo]

By that argument, your boss could decide to stop paying you for what you do and keep the money for themselves. What right would you have to complain? It's ok, by your logic, for an artist to remain unpaid for their work and effort. Why should any other job category be protected from the same fate?

I was 'commissioned' by my boss and there is a mutually agreed upon compensation for my work. Commissions, patrons and sponsors are all AOK in my book.

Hell - I commissioned work from KB!

Just because someone pursues an art interest as a career doesn't mean they're silly and shouldn't expect to be paid for their effort. Art is work. Stealing someone's art - even if the rights to collect the money for that art have been relegated to a corporation - is still stealing.

If the internet didn't exist and you wanted to steal with the same carefree sense that so many internet users do, you wouldn't really be surprised if you were arrested for stealing, would you? I mean, you'd be stealing, right? Go-to-store-want-cd-steal-cd. Get arrested. Not really surprising.

Stealing is awesome. People should really steal more. Material possessions are the bane of civilization.

Why does a computer interface make it ok to steal? Books, movies, music, images. They're all created by someone. What gives any of us the right to have it for nothing, other than the effort of a few mouse clicks?

Because it makes it easy to 'copy' without stealing. Much better to think your actions are not harming the 'owner' if the owner doesn't even know you're 'stealing' his stuff!

I still go to bookstores and buy books. If I COULD download all books for free, I probably still wouldn't because I like to read in bed. And laptops are uncomfortable to use in bed. And if you fall asleep, your laptop falls off your bed and you're buying a new laptop. But wait; I can steal art, music, movies and literature over the internet - why not a new laptop? Heck, I'll just go next door and take my neighbors' laptop. For me: New laptop! What else matters? Naw. I'll keep the books. They're tactile.

I buy books too, for the same reasons. Not necessarily because I want to put more money in the pocket of Stephen King or George R.R. Martin.

I wish they could go on tour like bands and sell their books from the back of a van. If I knew they were getting 100% of the money (minus printing cost) I would feel much better about shelling out the green.

If you Choose to put your art up on the internet for all and sundry; great. You Chose that. If you Choose that your art should remit you some cash money and be paid for by users? If: no one Chooses buys it, ok, no money. If: lots of people Choose to buy it, whee!

Once you put it out there you have relinquished control and given it to humanity. Throw all the tantrums you want, but there is this inconvenient truth called 'reality'.

If: everybody Chooses to steal it?

That's ok with everyone?

Can't agree.

Denying it to those that can't (or won't) pay for it is better?

I guess you and I have different opinions about quality-of-life.

If you were a farmer who had his harvest physically stolen on his way to market I would totally agree with you, but stealing 'intellectual property' is just so much whining to me. Get a real job if you can't handle people enjoying your pictures, words or music without paying a hefty fee.

And I don't buy the 'Art is Work' argument. Work is digging a ditch. Very few ditch-diggers enjoy their work and even fewer do it on weekends for fun. Yes art requires manual, mental and emotional labor but from what I hear it's a passionate endeavor that many do without being paid for it.

I call for a cultural revolution. Let every man, woman and child download copyrighted media to their heart's content! Share it with your friends, family and neighbors! Force artists to find new avenues of revenue!

Maybe when the various media industries are forced to go hungry they will rethink the way they have treated consumers over the years.

AVAST YE MPAA AND RIAA! PREPARE TO BE BOARDED! ARRRGGGHH!

I am now going to go play my radio real loud so that others can hear my ILLEGAL UNAUTHORIZED PERFORMANCE! See you in prison!