Shoplifting Vs. Downloading

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February 12th, 2005, 12:38 AM
Aden

Shoplifting Vs. Downloading

Now this got me thinking. Now i'm not a very big cough downloader cough cough. Sorry but ya you know when you just can't get a song out of your head. Anyways for anyone who might think otherwise. Take a look at this.

Quote:

Shoplifting is safer than downloading
Karl Wagenfuehr, who is not a lawyer, researched the penalties for shoplifting a DVD as compared to the penalties for downloading one. His conclusion:

Stealing:
Absolute Minimum $0 No Jail
Absolute Maximum $100,000 1 Year Jail

Example: Winona Ryder*:
$2,700 fine
$6,355 restitution
$1,000 court cost
3 years probation

Infringing:
Absolute Minimum $4,400
Absolute Maximum $3,400,000 1 year jail lawyer fees and costs

Example
An Average RIAA settlement**:
$14,875

Legal punishment is a kind of social policy. When our laws have terrible punishments for some action, we're saying, "This is very bad, and those who do it are just as bad." The worse the punishment, the worse the crime. The punishment should suit the crime -- if we instituted the death-penalty for public spitting, and didn't ratchet up murder to at least the same penalty, it would be as though we were saying, as a society, "Murder is trivial when compared to gobbing on the sidewalk." One has to wonder, then, what kind of crazy society we live in given the relative penalties for infringing a copyright using a computer as compared to stealing an object from a store? Why kind of fool lawmaker lets himself get talked into making this social policy? Link

Oh and just for my own sake I'm not telling anyone to go out and shoplift.
February 12th, 2005, 02:12 PM
Raion

I've never related Shoplifting and Downloading...interesting. But although downloading has harsher punishments, it's easier to catch a shoplifter then it is to catch the many different people who download illegal software/mp3's. At least stores have those "theft detectors" the internet doesn't.
February 15th, 2005, 10:12 AM
idimmu

the two are totally different

in order to shop life you need to go outside :(
February 15th, 2005, 03:05 PM
Kite

outside?! *hisses* never mention that horrible word again!
February 15th, 2005, 03:14 PM
©opy®ight

I've been outside *looks around*. It's quiet nice, you guys NEEED to go outside. NOW !

/me shakes head

Quote:

Stealing:
Absolute Minimum $0 No Jail

*MemorY goes to wallmart

look at all those shiny CD's.....:)
February 15th, 2005, 05:44 PM
whatthe

It would be hard for a million people go to WalMart make copies of songs.

The poor greeter at the front door would be exhausted. ;)
February 16th, 2005, 12:23 AM
Cybr1d

My GF bought Jessica Simson's CD and it was absolute crap. Out of 11 tracks in there, only 2 were good. Is that worth $14.99? **** no.

Linkin Park just released the mix they did with Jay Z....worth every penny. I have purchased all their albums including this one. All the songs in their CDs are good.

If artists want us to buy their CDs instead of downloading...they should not try to throw some stupid **** on their CDs and pass it as music. Instead they should work harder on making it worth buying. I am not going to pay $15 for 2 songs. RIAA can go suck a dick as far as i'm concerned. I work hard for my money, and any artist who doesn't work hard at what they do, aint getting it.
February 16th, 2005, 01:03 AM
Double//Cut

Quote:

If artists want us to buy their CDs instead of downloading...they should not try to throw some stupid **** on their CDs and pass it as music.

I disagree with you on that. They have a right to put whatever they want on their CD's, your not FORCED to buy them. Unless they didnt release it on single, in which case, i agree with you.

Quote:

I am not going to pay $15 for 2 songs. RIAA can go suck a dick as far as i'm concerned. I work hard for my money, and any artist who doesn't work hard at what they do, aint getting it.

That i agree with.... But Jessica Simpson ? Im shocked you found 2 good songs !
February 16th, 2005, 01:22 AM
Cybr1d

Quote:

I disagree with you on that. They have a right to put whatever they want on their CD's, your not FORCED to buy them. Unless they didnt release it on single, in which case, i agree with you.

So its either all or nothing? If I like one or two of their songs, I have to buy the whole CD and pay $15 for it. I have no problem with supporting artists who deserve it. I like what napster is doing...you can buy a song for $.99. I have an MP3 player in my car...personally I would much rather fill up a CD with 100-200 songs and leave it in there rather than have 30 CDs laying around with singles ;).
February 16th, 2005, 05:28 AM
mjk

Quote:

Originally posted here by ©opy®ight
I've been outside *looks around*. It's quiet nice, you guys NEEED to go outside. NOW !

/me shakes head

*MemorY goes to wallmart

look at all those shiny CD's.....:)

Seriously, who goes to Wal-Mart for CD's?

Loser.. ;)
February 16th, 2005, 07:06 AM
phatcat42141

Talking about the RIAA --- I wonder how many of the "BigWigs" in the RIAA People haters club owns a VCR? And of the ones that do own a VCR how many times did they pop a blank tape in there to catch the game so they could watch it later? How many books did they buy then read and turn around and let there friend borrow it to read? Sounds like the same "File Sharing" scheme that they find so much fun in suing people over.

Just my small thoughts.