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Discussion on:
Study: MP3 generation still a bunch of pirates

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Depends on where you are
Freebird54 19th Jun 2008
The surcharges were indeed implemented to offset 'piracy losses', as there has never been any restriction on copies for your own use/backup. Depending on your country, there is NOTHING stating that copying is illegal.....

The REAL problem comes down to the record companies thinking that mp3's were somehow different from the cassette copy made for a friend - essentially just free advertising for their product... "But it's DIGITAL - it never deteriorates" - BAHH... the mp3 is allready degraded well below the level on the CD, and serves the 'advert' role very well. Most of the people that I know who download, will happily purchase CD's (IF available) of those artists whose work they like, and will listen to. Possession of a tune that is never selected after its initial acquisition isn't REALLY piracy is it? The loss of a sale that would never have happened anyway isn't REALLY piracy is it?

Unfortunately, they confused mp3's with ripped 'full fidelity', and them mistakenly turned it into a 'war' (with their OWN CUSTOMERS!!!!) - which war they can never win. Thus we have today's situation.

Of course, another MAJOR factor in the decline of sales is the decline of QUALITY PRODUCT. Perhaps if they found a bit if that, some help might be found for their declining profits. OF course, most quality performers can distribute their own CD's for themselves, without handing all the $$ to the record companies!

AS an example of that they are up against - I have been busily digitizing my own music collection.... while completely avoiding adding to it (legally or otherwise). Just not enough out there worth listening to - at least from the majors.
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