Quote:
Originally Posted by stustaff
Most people will commit a minor crime if they think they will get away with it.
Speeding!
wrong? of course. does almost everyone do it? yes
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'Wrong' for this one depends on the particular speed limit involved. Some speed limits are set based on safety issues. These are generally worked out either by traffic engineers based on the particular road or by broad consensus (e.g. lower speed limits on residential streets). Others are purely political (remember the 55MPH limit?) and may well make no sense whatsoever in some places.
Was I 'wrong' to speed on a freeway in the middle of nowhere in Arizona (back in the 80s)? The next exit was 40 miles away, the next turn in the road was 20 miles away, and there was almost no traffic. The speed limit was 55, I was going about 85. The state trooper passed me like I was standing still, and gave me a cheery wave...
Quote:
Originally Posted by stustaff
Lending someone a tape/dvd or a tv program their friend missed!
Wrong?of course. does everyone do it? yes
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Not wrong according to US understanding of fair use. If I lend them the tape I made, and they give it back when they are done we're squarely in fair use territory. Questions arise when they copy it, but even there some scenarios are considered OK.
Quote:
Originally Posted by stustaff
making a mix CD form your favourite album tracks!
Wrong? of course. Does everyone do it? yes
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Once again, squarely in fair use territory, when the mix CD is for my own use and is made from albums I have purchased. 'Wrong' arises only when either the albums/tracks weren't legally purchased in the first place, or when I give (note: not loan!) the mix CD to someone else.
Quote:
Originally Posted by stustaff
Its all about drawing a line... problem is its a giant sized football pitch wide fuzzy grey line.
downloading an Ebook thats not available commercially if you owned the paperback?
downloading an Ebook that wasnt available commercially if you didnt own a 'hard' copy?
downloading an Ebook that is commercially available if you didnt own a 'hard' copy?
Ive done some of all the things listed above... Heres my Poll:-
Can anyone honestly say they have never done ANY of the things listed in this post?
Yes
or
No
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My personal line is at the point where commercial availability goes away. I buy content new when possible. I have no problem with format shifting for my own use. That seems both reasonable and morally OK to me, and it's probably even OK on the legal front as well (in the US, unless and until the mouse gets the laws changed). I'm willing to loan books/cds/bits to friends who can be trusted to return them (that means 'no fair keeping a copy'!).
When it comes to giving away a copy of something, well... I do make copies of albums for family members, but only of albums that are completely out of print (by which I mean 'not available new in any format'). I
want the artists and/or rights-holders to be compensated -- that's how I get more content that I want.
I also re-purchase content in alternate form rather than convert (when available). My time is worth more than the extra cost.
Your mileage may vary...
Xenophon