"WTF? As you know, the RIAA is still running around suing average Joe’s
and Jane’s for copyright violations. Most people just pay the fine and move on.
But a few are challenging it. In one of these lawsuits, the RIAA is trying a new
argument: that it’s illegal to transfer music that you’ve legally purchased on
CD to your own computer. Yup. I really hope the record industry collapses under
the weight of its own lawyers."
Let me set this up for a moment, I copied all my music to my computer from CD's. I did this so that I could listen to it on my computer, and to transfer it to my Zune. Now if I wanted I could sell the original CD's, and I would still have the songs on my computer. I could go and buy new music, copy the CD and then sell it right away to a used retailer. So I understand the risk that is there is just putting music on a computer, and showing that it was ever paid for. I paid for every CD I have, but if I don't have them - how would anyone know that the music on my computer came from CD and not from file sharing.
I think this is a bad move though. People move music around in their lives, from cell phones to MP3 players, to mix CD's. Attempting to stop people from copying music that they have purchased onto their computers would mean the death of CD's. I don't buy music online because I like a form of music that I can take with me, listen to in a CD player where ever I might be. I also want music that I can put on my computer, and listen to there - and transfer to my Zune. If I couldn't do that, I would stop buying CD's all together and only buy music online.
The last point is if this is a leak of profit to the companies at all, it is a very small leak. The damage that this would do to the companies in terms of public opinion will harm them much deeper.
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