[visualops]

Don't refer to copyright infringement as theft, it isn't.
The material isn't being "stolen", it's being copied without recompense.

[longtermmemmory]

what about the fact that once a person is paid the ORIGINAL copyright fee, after that copyright law stops. Therein lies fair use. This is not about swapping this is about eliminating fair use.

Those that have ripped their cd's are not violating the law. Those that have shared their rips with their neighbors are not violating the law.

[aruanan]

Don't refer to copyright infringement as theft, it isn't. The material isn't being "stolen", it's being copied without recompense.

And rape in prison isn't rape; it's just being rectally-challenged. Stop with the Clinton word games already.

[strela]

Don't refer to copyright infringement as theft, it isn't.

By infringing somebody's copyright, you are depriving them of monies that you would have spent to acquire their product, and you are facilitating that same theft on the part of others. If that isn't stealing, then the word has no definition.

[BOBWADE]

I was under the inpression that it is legal to tape music off the radio. How is this any different. All of the songs these guys are swapping are played all the time on the radio. I hear everyone fussing from both sides of this issue but were is the line at? Analog tapes are okay but digital copies are not? If someone knows, please explain the difference for me.

[Sloth]

Don't refer to copyright infringement as theft, it isn't. The material isn't being "stolen", it's being copied without recompense.

You are exactly 100% correct. Trying to create some mythical "intellectual property" cheapens TRUE property rights (and, IMHO, copyrights as well).