Topic: File Sharing - Good or Bad?

[Gideon Brown]

I think this should be considered a debate...so...I'll put it in here...

I've been debating with myself whether or not file sharing is bad. There are so many different views on it. I rarely download anything online anymore, but when I do it's to see if I would buy a CD.
Now, considering I have Ares, Limewire, and Soulseek on my computer, a lot of people wouldn't agree with me. I've only downloaded three things through Limewire, and nothing with Soulseek yet, as I only loaded them to try and get some Rheostatics, which I've determined is impossible. I use Ares for most of my downloading, and I've found a lot of great bands by accident when downloading, such as Kevin Bloody Wilson, and the Dropkick Murphys. Since then I have bought one Dropkick Murphys CD but have no idea where to get Kev's stuff, as he's an Australian musician.
But as a general rule, I only download to test a band's music out. But as of today, I've come across a dilemma. I've recently become a fan of Kevin Bacon and Michael Bacon's band, and have been listening to their music online, at their website. But today, our modem is being funky, and I can't get to their site, so I've tried downloading some of their music. I've found TWO SONGS on three P2P programs. I have to wait two to three weeks for my CDs to come in, and during this time, I have to WAIT! I've listened to an interview with the brothers, and they have no problem with file sharing, because they'd like their music to be spread around, so people can hear them. I'm trying to determine if I should load my CDs onto my computer when I get them, and add them to my shared files, so others can download them.

But I also see the bad side, even though it was a filthy rich band who first complained about it (Metallica). Bands who are fairly well known, are not making as much money as they could because of file sharing. Why? Because no one is buying their CDs, because they have easy access to their songs via the internet. Mind you, I think Metallica has no right to complain, considering they're raking in the dough, anyways. But other bands are being affected by file sharing. It hurts their income.

So, I guess I'm asking...do you find it is good or evil? Is there a happy medium?

[Banana]

It's bad.  It's basically stealing.

-Banana

[weird_4]

^ I agree. I think that's a very bad thing. I'm sure you could probably get arrested for doing that.

[Roger]

I have no problem with it.  It's a good way to spread awareness of some artists.  If people would do the proper thing and download a few songs by the artist, then go buy the CD, it wouldn't be a huge problem.

But that will never happen, and P2P File Sharing programs will never disappear.  The copy protection on albums is being broken, as it will every time new technology comes out.

There's too much money in the "music industry" anyway.

[Starr2k3]

I believe it is really bad.. but I wont stop doing it.

[FrostyTheIcicle]

I know its bad but I still do it.
What I usally do is download a song by a band that I want to check out and if I like most of the songs off their album I will go and buy it.

But it is a good thing as well, You can listen to albums before you buy them so you don't waste your money if you don't like them. I know a couple of times in the past I bought a CD and I didn't like it so I wasted $30 (Australian Dollars) cause the stupid shop wouldn't do refunds.
So I guess they are good but bad at the same time.

[Rabble]

File sharing is not good or bad. It depends. Lets say you have a game. Its 40 bucks. Your friend wants to play the game. You let him borrow it. He gives the game back. Its all legal baby. Now lets do the same thing on the internet.
Its not all that bad.

So thats the good side.

The bad side:

Its alright to do a little of this but don't get carried away. If you try to steal  almost everything on the internet as you possibly can your doing a bad thing and you should stop doing it right now. Such as. Emulators and 900+ roms Thats like stealing 20X900= 18000 Dollars. Ouch. Thats like stealing from a bank.

[thedarkonexxx]

I believe it is really bad.. but I wont stop doing it.

[snapback]216540[/snapback]

[Isnt Anything]

Lets look at it this way, lets say you burn a cd you got off of limewire. The Bacon brothers may not care, but what about the engineer, the producer, the label...they need to eat too. So really, when you download an album/program it isnt just the band that gets robbed, its also the people behind it. I dont download anymore. I do have people burn me stuff, but other than that no downloading. What you can do is go on ITunes and buy a cd for 9 bucks and it goes stright on your computer. No waiting. If you want a song it's only a buck. Thats not a bad deal. Plus, with any P2P you run the risk of it giving you a virus that can fry your computer. To me, a few songs isnt worth 100+ dollars in repairs when you could've paid 14 or less (usually) for the cd. If money is an issue, try half.com. They usually have stuff REAL cheap. I paid .50 for a cd there once. I still think its important to BUY music. And you are. It's just that a lot of people have 17,000 songs on their computer and have one "the best of the '60" complation or something like that sitting in their cd player that is collecting dust. Most people cant tell me how many cds they have, just songs downloaded off of some P2P.

[IZ]

I use Limewire if I want maybe 1 or 2 songs by artist, but if I really like the band/album, I will go out and buy it.

[Elizabeth Rose]

It depends. If you download all your music with no intentions of ever paying for it, then there is a problem. If you download music to try it out, with intentions of buying the album if you like it, then file sharing is good. Lots of underground bands ultimately make more money because of Limewire and Soulseek. People see it, download it, like it, and buy it. File sharing is also useful for music that is no longer available on CD. If all you want is one or two songs, then I'd say that's alright too. If you download an album, with intentions of burning and/or never, ever paying for it, then you are stealing.

[spongemonkey13]

I find it good but that's just my opinion.

[ssj4gogita4]

Well, if certain P2P programs have been out this long, there is really nothing wrong with it. I've only heard of 2 people getting in trouble and paying money for what they did.

[Rocko]

I admit I use Limewire. It's good software, to get music and T.V. shows I've downloaded Rocko's Modern Life Episodes. The only way to get those is buy a 10 year old tape of Amazon, or pay $75 a month in cable to get Nicktoons TV. And I would never pay that much for cable.

[garyfan]

Ish bad. Support the artist people! The music industry is suffering so much!