Downloading or reproducing recorded music without paying is petty thievery. It's not a right you possess any more than going into a store and lifting something off the shelf. When one engages in that activity, many persons in the vertical market, are deprived of the profit they deserve for their effort in producing the recording. So, as you well know, the RIAA is not trying to prevent peopple from listening to music at home, just trying to prevent them from "stealing" it.
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is the trade group that represents the U.S. recording industry. Its mission is to foster a business and legal climate that supports and promotes members creative and financial vitality. Its members are the record companies that comprise the most vibrant national music industry in the world. RIAA members create, manufacture and/or distribute approximately 90% of all legitimate sound recordings produced and sold in the United States.
They are not 'thugs' as you describe them.
http://www.riaa.com/about/leadership/default.asp
They are "thugs" when they, without cause, without warrant or due process invade my home (scan my computer) to see if I have violated the law.
Ahwaa no one buying your banjo solo's. Eddie Peabody had a heck of a time too.
It is perfectly legal to record music from the radio, and you know it. It is even legal to give a copy to a friend, it is not legal to sell it.
The RIAA has manipulated our paid legislators into giving their copyrights a permanent life, contrary to the Constitutional Authors intentions.
If I want to edit the filth out of a movie, I am taken to court, but you know I can buy a book and mark out passages, or even tear out pages and no one gives a hoot, why is that? The same laws apply to books as movies or music.
Suppose the paint manufacturers decide to license their intellectual property in the shades of color they produce. If you paint a wall in a commercial building you have to pay the paint company a royalty for viewing their "color". The designer of a color works every bit as hard as a designer of a song.
Following your beloved RIAA logic we can soon expect royalty fees on paint and wall paper, much less license fees on the use of plumbing...
The RIAA are thugs. I don't download music either.
I am appalled at the stupidity of the RIAA. I could go on for a long time about how they creatd the problem and how they use thug means. I won't. I don't need to. Everyone, even you already knows all this.
BTW if you're having trouble selling songs, blame the RIAA. They're making it harder and harder for you.
Yes, they most certainly are. The extortion price of $3700 is no different than the mob. If Apple sells the songs for 99 cents, how can they extort more? Please music industry person, please explain to us simple folks.