more copyright nonsense

The Digitial Millenium Copyright Act was one of the worst laws ever passed in our country. This is more of the same. Congress has lost sight of the true purposes of copyright laws (encouraging innovation by granting creators exclusive rights for a LIMTED TIME.) FYI Slikrik3000, it is unclear what effect the DMCA had on the Sony betamax ruling which effectively legitimized copying for personal use. Disney effectively bought an extension of their copyrights with the Sonny Bono copyright extension act (which extended copyright for an additional 20 years). The problem is that music companies have no clue how to make huge amounts of money in the digital age -it is very possible that business model just is no longer valid. People are not buying CD's much anymore (mostly just old audiophiles.) The porno DVD industry is in the same sinking boat. The practical issue for most may be the attempts to criminalize putting music you have paid for on a digitial server. Do you think the record companies wants everyone to pay again, like people were suckered into replacing LP's with CD's? Who do you think pays more to buy lobyists, congressmen and president(s)? Record Companies and Walt Disney, or music consumers?

suppose i buy a cd and after listening to it for a month bring it to a friend's house. after hearing the cd my friend says: "i think i will buy this cd". i suggest he doesn't have to buy the disk because i will come over to his house and let him listen to it once /week. is this stealing ?

or suppose i lend it to him ? is that stealing ?

suppose 4 people create a library and each one borrows a cd ? has stealing occurred ?

it seems to me as long as no money is changing hands there is no stealing. what is the difference between giving my friend a free copy and lending him the disk or bringing it to him, if the result is that he doesn't buy the cd ?

mr tennis, you have been 'granted' the right to do that..of course.....as far as declining sales of the compact disc, even if the sales are declining, its still a huge, huge industry. for any oldie but goodie who can remember, the music business was much smaller in the sixties than today. the delivery media is just a consumer choice...finding and developing the great artists of today and tomorrow is the challenge.

I humbly suggest the music industry is not looking for great artist. They are looking to sell us the same music over and over in different formats.
The untold story is the number of great artists whose contracts were not renewed.
Did you know that Joni Mtichell went nine years without a contract and had to produce her own latest album?
Does not sound like they are looking for talent.