Do you still download MP3s? Or did the RIAA scare you off?

[The_Gopher]

when napster first came out, i only had a dial-up connection, so downloading hundreds (or even 10s) of files wasn't much of an option.

but now i've got a cable connection, and i'm thinking "boy, i sure would like to have the last pearl jam album on MP3."

so any of you still download, or are you afraid that you could get caught up in some legal problems?

and if you do download still, what's the most reliable program out there these days? (by reliable, i mean the one least likely to return 100s of britney spears files with every search)

[Occulus]

1. Join the boycott.

Downloading RIAA member music only strengthens their position. I haven't downloaded RIAA member music in months, long before they started their suits. I also haven't bought a CD in about ten years, and no, I'm not joking.

[Kamika]

2. im downloading tons

I hope they sue me and ill tell them to start making good music again

kazaa is the ultimate mp3 program imo. You can find very rare stuff.. but you must learn how to search.. if you search for something in "All" you might not get anything but then if you search in audio you might get some or vice versa..

Its not THAT user friendly .. like you cant search for pearl jam and get their whole album. What you do is to find a tracklist on the internet then search every song by itself. Whole process with your Cable shouldnt take more then maybe 10 mins

[The_Gopher]

6. what program do you use to listen? i hate real one player.

.

[leftofthedial]

3. downloading mp3s is great--but do it legally and ethically

Whether you like the RIAA or not, theft is theft.

Make sure you download in such a manner that artists and songwriters get paid.

Also, it makes no sense to "download thousands" and then turn around and accuse the labels of not producing good music. If it's no good, then why would you download it?

[Kamika]

4. because

You download stuff from the 80s and /or 70s when they actually did good music

[VermontDem2004]

5. Not really theft

I downloaded mp3's to hear the music and if I liked the music, trust me, I went out and bought a CD. I bought more CD's during the napster period 10x more then my entire life. Before Napster, I bought 2 CD's. During napster I bought about 20, since Napster, a big fat 0.

[otohara]

7. Downloaded Music From CD's Already Have

does that still count as stealing?

[ButterflyBlood]

8. still downloading

I don't listen to the garbage on RIAA labels, so they don't affect me.

[starroute]

9. Downloading is still safe -- uploading isn't

At this point, the RIAA is going after people who have a large number of files available for sharing on their hard drives. They're not going after anyone who's merely downloading -- and I'm not sure there's any legal basis on which they can.

However, by file-sharer ethics, taking without giving in return makes you a leech, and that's the great moral no-no, far worse than ripping off the music companies.

So if you want to be both as moral and as safe as possible, the best course is probably:

- Download with discretion. If you like an artist, consider buying their album, going to their concerts, or visiting their website to see how you can help them out.

- Offer for upload only a choice selection of your favorites. Think of yourself as promoting the artists you value, especially if they are obscure. Keep the total number of files modest so as not to attract undesirable attention.

- And put your DU-honed skills to work to overturn the DMCA and the insane, creativity-destroying tactics of cultural corporatism.

[Az]

10. Corporations have twisted intellectual property laws

They no longer serve the people. Originally the laws were in place to enable the inventer/author to derive some income from their effort. But it was only meant to be for a short time. Corporations have so overpowered the state with their greed that nothing ever comes out for the public good (as was intended) any longer. They are holding our ideas and art hostage and colluding to drive the prices higher. Add to this the fact that they have brought to a standstill any serious exploration of the artistic medium. In their endevor to find the lowest common denominator they have driven art into the gutters. And then they wonder why no one buys their drivel. Gruel is gruel and it is all they will serve. The people tire of their thinnly disguised slop and seek new music for themself. Unguided by their market driven research the people seek what they can where they can. Their demand unheeded because it is too costly to control willfull individuals and will always be easier to control those that are willing to give up their freedoms. </rant off>

[catmandu57]

11. What are they going to do? Shave my head and send me to Iraq?

No, I'm not afraid of them. Get rid of real player it's evil steals ram downloads everything to your drive whether you want it or not, Quintessential player is good for audio, there are many video players available. Go to http://www.download.com and you'll find any media player you need.

[bbernardini]

12. The RIAA can bite my shiny metal ass.

I've purchased MORE CDs because I could download mp3s, not less. Greedy little weasels.

[Leftist78]

14. here here

they're fighting a losing battle on this one. They need to get behind the cheap easy to use alternatives like Apple's iTunes Music Store. If they want to make money they've got to offer an alternative means of downloading music. You can't turn back the clock now. The genie's already out of the bottle

[anti_shrub]

13. Screw RIAA

Anytime they start crap about suing people I want to do my impression of Jay's version of "Fuck Tha Police" as seen in "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back".

Spare me any legal and ethical stories, I'd buy more CDs if they produced CDs worth buying and not the one-song-and-17-fillers CDs so popular now.