Dowloading Legal or not?

[nihil]

The Specialist,

The internet is a medium not a planet

I think that you mean a "medium, not a society"?

The internet is actually very like a planet, in that it is an ENVIRONMENT. Now, an environment has no ethics or morals, which is what I think you are saying?............it is merely a place to exist.

It is societies that have morals ethics and laws. The only laws you will find in an environment are physics and perhaps, survival of the fittest?

The internet is multinational, which means multisocietal.............which in turn means different laws. Ethics and morality are really nothing to do with the internet as such, they are to do with individuals' personal feelings.

I agree that the internet seems to get the blame for a lot of things ............I would take the view that automobiles do not kill people...............bad drivers do.

Just my £0.02

[Egaladeist]

Hi nihil,

But in terms of the question...downloading other people's stuff...I would think that you would agree that ethics does play a role...for instance, as an artist myself, I would find it unethical to download other people's artwork and resell it on my website...or copy the tutorials in this forum and publish a book...without the consent of the artist/authors...in terms of the question, I think ethics plays a significant role.


Eg

[nihil]

Hi EG~

as an artist myself, I would find it unethical to download other people's artwork and resell it on my website...

I agree, insofar as I do not believe in stealing other peoples' intellectual property. However what you are mentioning would also be a criminal offence over here in the UK (not just a civil breach of copyright offence).

My point was that I don't blame "the internet" as such. Copying videos, CDs, DVDs and tapes is just as wrong. I look on the internet as just another medium, as it is for other crimes such as fraud.

Basically I am a little wary of "knee jerk" politicians responding to powerful commercial lobbies........let's ban/restrict the internet.............tax this that and the other....................I think you know the sort of scenario I am afraid of, and why I play down "the internet" bit

[Egaladeist]

Definitely !!

[TheSpecialist]

as an artist myself, I would find it unethical to download other people's artwork and resell it on my website

Keep in mind that this would be something almost rather fruad related, sure. However, all the other stuff happening now days... do I give a crap? No! Also... JupM owns what you post here, every joke and every famous line. Didn't you know? I could be character development for a villian in a book. Boohoo... you think I feel cheated? Nope.

In many situations, I think humans should accept that they have no truely original thoughts but with acceptions of random patterns of chemical imbalances & previous experience... each mixed together to form ideas.

[Egaladeist]

Hi The Specialist,

You know...for the most part I agree with what you just said...errrr...did I just say that?...nah...I must be having a nightmare !

Peace

Eg

[Black Cluster]

I do believe that ethics should be involved in every aspect of our life especially the Interenet. Otherwise, what will be the difference between a human being and an Animal. We will be more likely to be living in a jungle.

TheSpecialist, I think that you have said that it is Crap to talk about this, so why do u reply and waste your valuable time in replying to crap?.. Just Windering.
I don't think that you would love to see you copyrighted book or whatever be published and to see people take unwarranted advantage of your book, would you? I bet you will be happier if you saw more ethical people buynig your prodcut legally.

Egaladeist

as an artist myself, I would find it unethical to download other people's artwork and resell it on my website

You are absolutely right!

in reality, beyond the text and images, one computer is signaling another. Nothing more. You can't tell me that data should be treated as phisical objects and online there is ethics and morality. Thats all bullcrap.

I think you will be extremely happy to work for charity in the Internet world, won't you?
Yes, there is a lot of things that prevent you from acting illegally on the Internet, or Do you use your skills to make sabotage and vandalize the internet? I bet you don't, what holds you back?

Cheers

[Kite]

I have found that when downloading anything off the Internet, using your best judgement is usually the best thing to do. If it seems like you are about to do something Illegal, you probably are. And before you download, find the website that acually owns the file and see what their policy is. Basically, what everyone else said above.
As to the ebook issue, as far as I know if you have already bought the book in paper format it is alright to download the ebook. Its just the same as ROMs.