Well,

I actually lost a job in the music industry due to piracy...................and I mean PIRACY............as in the deliberate copying and resale of materials for commercial gain.

I guess that American laws are not sophisticated enough to make the distinction between the act of counterfeiting, and breach of contract?

It is a somewhat different story over here............so far that there has been very little interest in swapping music.............just in piracy.............and the Trading Standards Office, Police and Customs & Excise are very vigilant.

At the end of the day, someone who gets a song from a friend isn't going to buy the media anyway? so no sale has really been lost? If they buy a pirated/bootlegged CD, then the industry has lost out?

just my thoughts