[Elfwreck]

Originally Posted by BoldlyDubious

Thank you for the interesting comment. I'm not an expert, but I think that media companies do not want to tolerate any practice involving illegally obtained content, even if it poses no threat to their intellectual property at the copyright level.

Oh, they don't, but they don't want it treated as the same type of legal violation as stealing a similar physical object; the penalties are too minor. They want to believe that downloading a file is $250,000 worth of damage to them, while stuffing a DVD under your shirt at Target and walking out with it deserves only a $200 penalty.

Mind you, my proposal is not intended as an operative one, but as a basis for debate.

It's based on too many unproven assumptions/implications to work as a debate topic. Too big a stretch. You'd have to provide a more detailed foundation for your claims in order for people to follow the logic and stick to the aspects of media copyright infringement you want to focus on.

I think that media companies should try to empower their customers, keeping them affectionate by providing high-quality content and service, instead of trying to use the law to club them into submission. I am happy to pay for quality content, and do so even when there's no obligation. My "try and -if you don't like it- exchange it" scheme is an example of the customer empowerment I am talking of.

Plenty of stores have try-and-exchange systems for physical objects, although often with a small penalty for the exchange so the store isn't losing overhead cost on every transaction. However, part of how that's affordable is that stores assume that most people won't exchange an item even if they're not entirely happy with it--in part, because of the hassle of exchanging: must return to store, stand in line, possibly fill out forms.

Removing the barriers to quick & easy exchanges would increase them, which isn't good for businesses, and there's always the chance of fraud: Users who buy a book or movie, watch or read it, and return it, claiming to have not liked it. The hassles of exchange of physical media keeps this practice at a minimum--also, there's no ability to *keep* the physical object.

With digital files, a person can keep the file at the same time they "return" it; with no ability to prevent massive returns under false pretenses, most digital business are unwilling to offer exchanges.