Just a thought that popped in my head.
The topic: "help with cloning nextel sim chips" was closed basically because it is illegal.  I have no problem with this but it seems hypocritical that we have numerous topics on ripping copyrighted CD's and DVD's. Usually we end up with people trying to justify their actions saying that the RIAA is a bunch of crooks, they overcharge,  etc..  Or we have people asking about various file sharing programs (Kazaa, Morephus, torrent, etc).  
Does it boil down to us as a society justifying the breaking of laws?  I have some MP3's I did not buy. They are songs that are out of print so I have justified the reason for me d/l'ing them.
I know people that I would call good and decent who would not steal something from a store or hurt a soul but give them a copy of a software program or music CD and they don't blink an eye.
Has the internet and the ability to obtain for free all types of copyrighted material changed us in our preception of right and wrong in regards to this?

Yes.


P.S.

IBTL

Quoted: I have no problem with this but it seems hypocritical that we have numerous topics on ripping copyrighted CD's and DVD's. Usually we end up with people trying to justify their actions saying that the RIAA is a bunch of crooks, they overcharge,  etc..  Or we have people asking about various file sharing programs (Kazaa, Morephus, torrent, etc).

I was thinking the same thing earlier this evening.  In fact I had an argument with a girl at work who was trying to justify that her "backup copies" of a Disney DVD (4 copies she distributed to her cousins for viewing when she is not present) was legitimate because she is "allowed to make backups" and "she still owns the original".  I told her that is why the USA is going to fall apart.  There is too much of this bullshit going on in the USA.

I think it's purely because there's a grey area and some ambiguity involved in the whole copyright thing, but not so in things like unregistered auto sears or the nextel thing - which are unambiguously illegal.

For example - it is useful for me to know how to rip CDs, because on 90% of the CDs I own, I only like one song, so I'd like to be able to rip all those songs (that I've paid for) onto my hard drive, and then rearrange a new CD with one the songs i like, and burn it so I can listen to it in my car.  Based on that, I might want to ask advice on how to rip and burn CDs - all perfecly legit.

- but I agree that there might be a little too much tolerance here with the "wink, wink" when it comes to copyright laws.

There is no legal reason to copy cell phone chips.  Their is the legal reason of having backup copies of your cd's and dvd's

Sgtar15

If it's too fast, too easy, and too painless, then people will break a law if they think that nobody is being victimized as a result of their actions.

I've downloaded some  MP3s myself.    They have been useful in helping me to decide whether to buy a given CD or not.    And if it was worth buying, I bought it.   If it wasn't,  I deleted the MP3.   Really.  Why keep what you don't like?     Even the ones that DID send me out in search of the CD were deleted, too, as the sound quality of MP3s is pretty poor at best and I'm an audiophile.  (I'm wearing 450 dollar headphones as I type this...and with such beasts,  the low audio quality of all but the very highest  quality MP3s is painfully evident.)

The sim card cloning issue boils down to theft of services.

If you have two phones active,   two people can derive the benefit of the phone's availability at the same time.   If only one is being paid for,   the other is stealing service.

THAT is not a victimless crime.



CJ

so if i go to the libray and put a dime in the copy machine and copy a page of the book that i don't own,
am i breaking the copyright laws?

Quoted: so if i go to the libray and put a dime in the copy machine and copy a page of the book that i don't own, am i breaking the copyright laws?

No, if you are photopying a portion of a book for your OWN use (and not distributing or selling multiple copies) then it is fine.  


However - if you photocopy more than a certain percentage of a book (usualyl around 30% IIRC) then technically you should pay a copyright fee.

Quoted: so if i go to the libray and put a dime in the copy machine and copy a page of the book that i don't own, am i breaking the copyright laws?

Have you been at a copy shop recently? Read the sticker placed on the copiers.

Quoted: Quoted: so if i go to the libray and put a dime in the copy machine and copy a page of the book that i don't own, am i breaking the copyright laws? No, if you are photopying a portion of a book for your OWN use (and not distributing or selling multiple copies) then it is fine.   However - if you photocopy more than a certain percentage of a book (usualyl around 30% IIRC) then technically you should pay a copyright fee.

By that logic, d/ling MP3s for personal use is 'OK'... But of course, the law says otherwise, for now...

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: so if i go to the libray and put a dime in the copy machine and copy a page of the book that i don't own, am i breaking the copyright laws? No, if you are photopying a portion of a book for your OWN use (and not distributing or selling multiple copies) then it is fine.   However - if you photocopy more than a certain percentage of a book (usualyl around 30% IIRC) then technically you should pay a copyright fee. By that logic, d/ling MP3s for personal use is 'OK'... But of course, the law says otherwise, for now...

Actually, by that logic, downloading a short SAMPLE of a song as an MP3 would be okay - which I believe it probably is.