If it only was music, i could live with it. The problem is that it also offers software to download.

I personally only download music that isn't available in the music stores. But that is more my age problem and want to get back to the good old, don't worry, be happy times <img src=../images/dmxzone/forum/icon_smile_cool.gif border=0 align=middle>

mind you, nothing on earth would persuade me to *use* software cracked by who knows whom and possibly (probably?) stuffed with viruses ...

I have seen businesses hit hard because of trading. A close friend of mine closed his CD Store in Dec 2002 after 10 years in business because it was just too hard to compete with free.

But it should be known that CD wholesale prices have jumped up drastically in the last 1-2 years (~25%)which doesnt help the situation as well. Stores are forced to raise their pricing which of course leads to more cash strapped teenagers downloading.

I think the industry needs to re think their process.

While I can sympathize with the small business owner who just can't compete, I'm tired of having my wallet raped by the record industry. No way am I going to spend $20+ on a cd only to find that the single they released to the radio is the only song worth listening to.... again

i would like to see this "list of names"

i would also like to see how *exactly* they are going to pursue kazaa users - the only way to trace is to monitor ip addresses at the kazaa node, then you somehow have to work out from a pcket of data what that entire stream of data is, assuming you can do that then you have to trace the isp, then assuming that isp is up for letting you have their logs, (assuming of course you can get jurisdiction rights, a lawyer to sign the warrent etc) then assuming that the isp is in a country that wuill talk to you - then of course you then have to assume that the owner of said machine is going to quake in their boots and not get another isp

scare tactics

the industry buried its head in the sand 10 years ago and wouldnt address the problem - what do they expect now ?

i worked for 2 major labels in the 80's and 90's and am not in the least bit surprised that they are now getting all prissy

what the industry is now doing and recognising here in europe is that by allowing a certain amount of download you encourage people to go out and buy the album

you cant tell me that someone who wouldve bought their 1 cd a month is now not going to do that just cos they have kazaa - sure they'll get 10-20 albums a month but they wouldnt have bought them in the first place only now they are more likely to a) buy a hard copy if they really like it and b) tell others - not everyone in the world who likes music has a pc with fast connection and be arsed to download - anyone has though will - it doesnt follow that sales have slumped because of p2p

sales have been going down since the industry started which is why new formats are introduced - only problem now is that technology has caught up with the industries early greed

and we havent even started on movie and software sharing <img src=../images/dmxzone/forum/icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
While I can sympathize with the small business owner who just can't compete, I'm tired of having my wallet raped by the record industry. No way am I going to spend $20+ on a cd only to find that the single they released to the radio is the only song worth listening to.... again
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

If you don't want to pay $20.00 for a CD then don't. There are many places to get CD's at huge discounts.

The fact that something is overpriced doesn't make it OK to STEAL it. If that was the case I would be driving a Mercedes.

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
i would like to see this "list of names"

i would also like to see how *exactly* they are going to pursue kazaa users - the only way to trace is to monitor ip addresses at the kazaa node, then you somehow have to work out from a pcket of data what that entire stream of data is, assuming you can do that then you have to trace the isp, then assuming that isp is up for letting you have their logs, (assuming of course you can get jurisdiction rights, a lawyer to sign the warrent etc) then assuming that the isp is in a country that wuill talk to you - then of course you then have to assume that the owner of said machine is going to quake in their boots and not get another isp

scare tactics

the industry buried its head in the sand 10 years ago and wouldnt address the problem - what do they expect now ?

i worked for 2 major labels in the 80's and 90's and am not in the least bit surprised that they are now getting all prissy

what the industry is now doing and recognising here in europe is that by allowing a certain amount of download you encourage people to go out and buy the album

you cant tell me that someone who wouldve bought their 1 cd a month is now not going to do that just cos they have kazaa - sure they'll get 10-20 albums a month but they wouldnt have bought them in the first place only now they are more likely to a) buy a hard copy if they really like it and b) tell others - not everyone in the world who likes music has a pc with fast connection and be arsed to download - anyone has though will - it doesnt follow that sales have slumped because of p2p

sales have been going down since the industry started which is why new formats are introduced - only problem now is that technology has caught up with the industries early greed

and we havent even started on movie and software sharing <img src=../images/dmxzone/forum/icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

The simple fact is that it is STEALING to download copyrighted material from the internet. You are taking money out of someone elses pocket instead of your own.

It's convenient to think of the Record Companies as some corporate giant, but the reality is that it composed of everyday people working for a living and depending on the sales of the companies products to pay their rent, feed & cloth their children, etc.

Yes, there are people making obscene amounts of money in the business, but that doesn't give anyone the right to STEAL from them. If you don't like the prices then don't listen to the music.

I would love to eat at 5 star restaurants every day, but I can't afford it. So I choose to not eat at those restaurants. I don't go and eat and skip out on the check.

People who steal copyrighted materials are self-centered with a hugh sense of undeserved entitlement.

Grow up.

The problem here is that the RIAA doesn't want to own up to the real problem; The knowledgible A&R folks are all gone. Lame corporate produced music is all that's left (try a Hip Hop cover version of "How much is that doggie in the window you muthu" by the duet of Celine Dion and Metallica) and sales are down 7%. Just like the movies whose receipts are down 6%.

Corporate pukes don't want to take responsibility for being inept so they look for scapegoats. Plus, If artists actually got paid, I'd feel a lot more sympathetic about the "theft" argument.

I know personally too many classic artists from bands like "Foghat" and the "Platters" who are teaching and touring fifth rate venues to pay the bills becasue they never saw the royalty payments on their work. The sharks (lawyers and corp. pukes) will tell you its the overhead. Problem is; they are the overhead. Institutionalized theft is fine. So lets spend time & money chasing dwon a new class of victim.

BTW, I don't download music. MP3s sound like geese farts on a muggy day and I'd rather know I AM suporting performers I like. I'd rather buy the CDs directly from them. RIAA are you listening?

Daniel Lesser, VP
Resolve Video, INc.
30 Ashby St., Ste 105
Warrenton, VA 20186
540-347-9181

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
The problem here is that the RIAA doesn't want to own up to the real problem; The knowledgible A&R folks are all gone. Lame corporate produced music is all that's left (try a Hip Hop cover version of "How much is that doggie in the window you muthu" by the duet of Celine Dion and Metallica) and sales are down 7%. Just like the movies whose receipts are down 6%.

Corporate pukes don't want to take responsibility for being inept so they look for scapegoats. Plus, If artists actually got paid, I'd feel a lot more sympathetic about the "theft" argument.

I know personally too many classic artists from bands like "Foghat" and the "Platters" who are teaching and touring fifth rate venues to pay the bills becasue they never saw the royalty payments on their work. The sharks (lawyers and corp. pukes) will tell you its the overhead. Problem is; they are the overhead. Institutionalized theft is fine. So lets spend time & money chasing dwon a new class of victim.

BTW, I don't download music. MP3s sound like geese farts on a muggy day and I'd rather know I AM suporting performers I like. I'd rather buy the CDs directly from them. RIAA are you listening?

Daniel Lesser, VP
Resolve Video, INc.
30 Ashby St., Ste 105
Warrenton, VA 20186
540-347-9181
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

I agree with you that there are many problems for the recording industry other than the stealing of their copyrighted materials.

And it is sad that many of the artists have not shared in the riches. This ultimately goes to the poor representation that up & coming artists have more than anything. If people really want to help the up & coming artists then become managers, lawyers and help these people get fair contracts.

However, two wrongs do not make a right. Just because artists are not being treated fairly doesn't mean people should steal their music and even take more money out of their pockets.

I hear time and time again about the poor artists and the record companies ripping them off as a rationalization of stealing their CD's. If you want to help the poor artists then buy their CD's. Put money in their pockets so they can then hire lawyers to get better contracts in the future.

Also I hear about these $20.00 CD's. Where are these? I never pay over $13.99 for a CD (except double CD's). CD's can be had all over the place for $11.99- $13.99.

you are completely and utterly missing the point when the only argument you come up with is either a) "its stealing" and b) i dont want to pay xyz dollars for a cd

its NOT about STEALING and its NOT about over priced cd's

as an aside - why does no one complain that their pair of levi's 501's cost 50 quid yet it only cost 50 pence to make?

technology has got to the stage where the people who GENUINELY like music actually er want to hear it - like i said before someone who can afford to buy 1 cd a month still does just that - the fact that they download 10 albums is completely irrelevant - who bought the album that enabled them to download it ?

20 years ago it was home taping is killing music - 20 years later technology is doing it - dont blame the fact that you are teaching your kids technology and how to use it to spread information

and another that really pisses me off is how this whole kazaa/p2p thing is centered completely around the u.s. as though the rest of the world doesnt exist - mind you having said that, fine, if the u.s. wants to go gung ho over it all and ignore the rest of the world then i'm sure the rest of the world is not going to mind at all - it may have escaped the u's's attention but the u.s. is no longer the centre of the music universe...

inbetween my post earlier and no i watched the film gone in 60 seconds on my pc after turning on winmx - i downloaded around 60 songs - this afternoon i downloaded 1 or 2 songs from a bunch of bands i didnt know, thought i might like and hadnt heard songs on the radio from

there was no way i was going to go out and try and find and fund those 15 albums in our local record shop - out of those 15 albums or so theres about 4 or 5 i really like and when i can afford it i will go out and buy them because i like to have the hard copy

if i hadnt had p2p i would've had to rely on commercial radio to let me know what to buy

i am not alone - p2p is helping lesser bands break outside of their own country - evanescence is now huge in europe precisely because of that fact as are others

the above does not apply to movies and software and i wont pretend to justify that - it would help once in awhile though if people stood back and looked at the whole picture before rushing to judgement - however i doubt that happens anymore

No, you miss the point. Just because technology makes something easy, it doesn't make it legal or moral.

Stealing is stealing regardless of the technology involved.

It all comes down to basic property rights. I own something and I sell it to the world on my terms. The world decides whether it wishes to pay my price or do without my property.

Property rights are the very cornerstone of democracy and capitalism. Without the ability to protect ones property, the property becomes worthless.

Technology can make a lot of illegal and immoral behaviour easier, but it's still illegal.

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
you are completely and utterly missing the point when the only argument you come up with is either a) "its stealing" and b) i dont want to pay xyz dollars for a cd

its NOT about STEALING and its NOT about over priced cd's

as an aside - why does no one complain that their pair of levi's 501's cost 50 quid yet it only cost 50 pence to make?

technology has got to the stage where the people who GENUINELY like music actually er want to hear it - like i said before someone who can afford to buy 1 cd a month still does just that - the fact that they download 10 albums is completely irrelevant - who bought the album that enabled them to download it ?

20 years ago it was home taping is killing music - 20 years later technology is doing it - dont blame the fact that you are teaching your kids technology and how to use it to spread information

and another that really pisses me off is how this whole kazaa/p2p thing is centered completely around the u.s. as though the rest of the world doesnt exist - mind you having said that, fine, if the u.s. wants to go gung ho over it all and ignore the rest of the world then i'm sure the rest of the world is not going to mind at all - it may have escaped the u's's attention but the u.s. is no longer the centre of the music universe...

inbetween my post earlier and no i watched the film gone in 60 seconds on my pc after turning on winmx - i downloaded around 60 songs - this afternoon i downloaded 1 or 2 songs from a bunch of bands i didnt know, thought i might like and hadnt heard songs on the radio from

there was no way i was going to go out and try and find and fund those 15 albums in our local record shop - out of those 15 albums or so theres about 4 or 5 i really like and when i can afford it i will go out and buy them because i like to have the hard copy

if i hadnt had p2p i would've had to rely on commercial radio to let me know what to buy

i am not alone - p2p is helping lesser bands break outside of their own country - evanescence is now huge in europe precisely because of that fact as are others

the above does not apply to movies and software and i wont pretend to justify that - it would help once in awhile though if people stood back and looked at the whole picture before rushing to judgement - however i doubt that happens anymore


<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

can you quote me where i've said it should or shouldnt be legal ?

this is the problem - instead of addressing the why's - people just do the usual "oh you cant do that its wrong"

this applies across all walks and facets of life

what is your suggestion about "combating" this piracy then? - another prohibition, another war on drugs type thing?

the point you are all failing to address is that the people who are downloading MUSIC is because they oddly enough want to hear it - and dont spout that same tired line about "its still stealing" - it is stealing but if thats all your argument is then everyone is wasting their breath here

and the person who said they dont like mp3's because the quality is bad should not be commenting on this subject if thats what he thinks..

in the uk this week the music industry is planning to change the charts to include legally downloaded music, numerous bands now in the uk actively encourage THEIR fan base to download selected tracks in advance of an album on the basis that'll probably go out and buy it - strange that concept isnt it ?

its all too easy to go the route of "Stealing is stealing regardless of the technology involved." of course but whats YOUR ANSWER THEN ?

you cant univent p2p and its not going to go away - the u.s. failed with alcohol, it failed with substances that it decided should be illegal and its failing with p2p sharing of music, software and movies

q. how is the riaa going to police outside of the u.s btw ? - just out of interest...

oh and when technology gets to the point where jo blow in a bedroom in idaho can manufacture his own clothes and burn a copy of his mates car and house - then you should start worrying... <img src=../images/dmxzone/forum/icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

lol, as per usual everyone is up in arms over downloading music. after recent conversations with my isp I found out that they are not allowed to give out information on isp addys owing to the 1984 data protection act, so what they are doing they are sending letters to the people that are downloading or sharing to cation them against it, this is the extent of the law in the uk for the minute however it may change in the future how can american dickheads dictate what goes on in another country. I will continue to download music for my own use at home and screw the riaa<b></b><font face='Comic Sans MS'></font id='Comic Sans MS'><font size=4></font id=size4>

Having worked for Virgin Records in London in the early 90's I am fully aware of the extent to which the music buying public has been screwed ... untill now.

When we had no choice - the major labels where creaming it. They were laughing. Now that we have the upper hand I have no sympathy what so ever. Perhaps if the product was realistically priced the punters would return to the record stores. But prices remain high and the user has an alternative.

As some have mentioned above it's stealing - I don't think there is any other legal angle to it. However, this just isn't going to be won in court. Times have changed.

The answer ? Reduce the price. Charge what the product is worth, the music industry can still make stacks of cash and we'll all be happy.

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>

People who steal copyrighted materials are self-centered with a hugh sense of undeserved entitlement.

Grow up.
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

KEEP ON SPENDING YO PAY CHECK ON THOSE CD's BUDDY. You may be be able to single handedly support the record labels. ^_^

Hey..I'm a musician and have been playing and recording for quite a few years. My heart does not go out to the labels. My heart goes out to the artists. The artists (except for the Metallica's, Snoop Doggs..etc who can negotiate because of their sales history) make next to nothing after the record company has recouped everything that it can think of or stipulate as "part of your contract". Plus you have the producers and engineers hands in your pocket because more often than not they are getting points too. Now..all these people will get paid before the artist see's a penny. Their needs to be more sites where the consumer can preview and purchase the album or a song as well as download the art work at a reasonable price. CD's cost next to nothing to manufacture so the inflated pricing needs to come to an end.

Your friend's store closed because of golopolistic tactics of giant retailers, not because of trading, dude. Small stores are getting crushed by the big guys who are in colusion with RIAA in gouging consumers. They make enough money and quite unfairly so. Artists make their money through performance and not CD sales. They get pennies on the dollar which is spent in turn paying back the record company for the front money.

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
While I can sympathize with the small business owner who just can't compete, I'm tired of having my wallet raped by the record industry. No way am I going to spend $20+ on a cd only to find that the single they released to the radio is the only song worth listening to.... again
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

If you don't want to pay $20.00 for a CD then don't. There are many places to get CD's at huge discounts.

The fact that something is overpriced doesn't make it OK to STEAL it. If that was the case I would be driving a Mercedes.


<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
i would like to see this "list of names"

i would also like to see how *exactly* they are going to pursue kazaa users - the only way to trace is to monitor ip addresses at the kazaa node, then you somehow have to work out from a pcket of data what that entire stream of data is, assuming you can do that then you have to trace the isp, then assuming that isp is up for letting you have their logs, (assuming of course you can get jurisdiction rights, a lawyer to sign the warrent etc) then assuming that the isp is in a country that wuill talk to you - then of course you then have to assume that the owner of said machine is going to quake in their boots and not get another isp

scare tactics

the industry buried its head in the sand 10 years ago and wouldnt address the problem - what do they expect now ?

i worked for 2 major labels in the 80's and 90's and am not in the least bit surprised that they are now getting all prissy

what the industry is now doing and recognising here in europe is that by allowing a certain amount of download you encourage people to go out and buy the album

you cant tell me that someone who wouldve bought their 1 cd a month is now not going to do that just cos they have kazaa - sure they'll get 10-20 albums a month but they wouldnt have bought them in the first place only now they are more likely to a) buy a hard copy if they really like it and b) tell others - not everyone in the world who likes music has a pc with fast connection and be arsed to download - anyone has though will - it doesnt follow that sales have slumped because of p2p

sales have been going down since the industry started which is why new formats are introduced - only problem now is that technology has caught up with the industries early greed

and we havent even started on movie and software sharing <img src=../images/dmxzone/forum/icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

The simple fact is that it is STEALING to download copyrighted material from the internet. You are taking money out of someone elses pocket instead of your own.

It's convenient to think of the Record Companies as some corporate giant, but the reality is that it composed of everyday people working for a living and depending on the sales of the companies products to pay their rent, feed & cloth their children, etc.

Yes, there are people making obscene amounts of money in the business, but that doesn't give anyone the right to STEAL from them. If you don't like the prices then don't listen to the music.

I would love to eat at 5 star restaurants every day, but I can't afford it. So I choose to not eat at those restaurants. I don't go and eat and skip out on the check.

People who steal copyrighted materials are self-centered with a hugh sense of undeserved entitlement.

Grow up.
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

For people who say that if you can't afford something, then don't don't use it. Well, if everything is as easily to steal as music, I am certain everyone would be stealing food, clothes, etc. Get with times, buddy! RIAA has to find new ways to combat file sharing instead of suing everyone. As to your suggestion that working people's lives depend on the music sales; well, I am certain that the decendents of cotton growers found new ways to make a living in today's society. You are living in the new millenium. It's survival of the fittest!

as an aside - the uk music industry posted album sales up 3% last year - doh!

you know who makes the most noise about music downloading ?

the very artists who it doesnt matter to

jason pierce from spiritualized put it great this week when he said
----
"its kinda like the internet thing where theyre going "my records on the internet!" like theyre ticking off every download as ten bucks lost. its like "how much do you think youre worth? two million? three million?, five?. The idea of people complaoning about their records on the internet so people who can hear their music is fucking weird. "what, so they can HEAR my music?" what game is that? THATS WHAT YOU DO. being annoyed that people can hear it before they go into a store and buy it - what kind of game are you playing here"?
----
i really dont think people understand what this whole thing is about - its got to the stage where p2p is becoming self policing with software being developed that stops people just downloading and not sharing

i've heard more bands ive liked in the last 2 months than i EVER would have in the past 5 years and ive spent 15 years working for 2 of the biggest labels in the world

i'm going to see 2 bands this week i never would have because i managed to find more than 1 track on the radio

if this conversation was about software i could understand but the people who complain about music file sharing quite frankly dont get it and therefore have no right to comment

how many artists do you see now saying "its great i'm on the net - it means people CARE and LIKE what i'm doing"

which is the whole fuckin point

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
If it only was music, i could live with it. The problem is that it also offers software to download.

I personally only download music that isn't available in the music stores. But that is more my age problem and want to get back to the good old, don't worry, be happy times <img src=../images/dmxzone/forum/icon_smile_cool.gif border=0 align=middle>
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

The RIAA discussion contains a moot point and that is, that an ISP can run it's servers without documenting who is using them.

In the old days when they charged you by the packet for an ISP subscription it was necessary to log traffic.

All the ISP has to do today is charge a monthly fee and grant access by DHCP, the rest of the system runs itself. THere is no technical or legal requirement that any given ISP must log who is accessing what on any given day. To do so would be like the phone company logging/recording all of my local phone call information.

Let RIAA subpoena ISPs all they want, but there would be no meaningful information to respond with, and rightly so!!

If ISPs continue to expose their customers unnecessarily to litigation, they in turn will expose themselves to litigation from customers whose private use of the isp connection has been documented for no cause.

i'd love to agree with you on that but i fear its not quite as simple as that

the "state" has been trying to put the onus on isp's for their clients use/abuse of the net for years - so far it hasnt got anywhere - however when you have a country (uk) that is now putting babys & U16 dna on a national database (to protect the kids of course.... - like the records are going to get trashed when you turn 16... as if), a national photographic id card - vis driving licence, a gps tracker in all cars for "traffic purposes" - get the fuck out of the uk <img src=../images/dmxzone/forum/icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

this is all fodder for a daily mail centre spread "the internet is corrupting our children"

i really do wonder now whether p2p has increased minor artists to break through whereas before it was either major label promotion or die....

if so - wheres the argument ?

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
The simple fact is that it is STEALING to download copyrighted material from the internet. You are taking money out of someone elses pocket instead of your own.
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

While I'm not condoning music piracy, it is NOT stealing. It is copyright infringement and there IS a difference. Copying a piece of music is NOT the same as stealing a car; it would be more akin to copying the plans for the car and then making your own.

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>It's convenient to think of the Record Companies as some corporate giant, but the reality is that it composed of everyday people working for a living and depending on the sales of the companies products to pay their rent, feed & cloth their children, etc.
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

Very true. But those very same people have been convicted numerous times of price fixing, gouging, etc. etc.

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>Yes, there are people making obscene amounts of money in the business, but that doesn't give anyone the right to STEAL from them. If you don't like the prices then don't listen to the music.
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

That's what people are doing. And hence the reason the music business is going OUT of business.

Maybe you all didn't realize this but americans pay the most for media like software and music. Go to any other country, and you'll pay pennies on the dollar for any windows, macromedia, corel, etc.....

I think it's funny how other countries are viewed as backwards and technologically behind the US, and americans (especially those in middle and low classes) have less access to today's technology and media than people of other countries.....