I’m currently downloading the first Violent Femmes record off Bittorrent. I’m downloading it (or at least, mentioning that I’m downloading it) because I’ve bought it at least once on cassette and twice on CD and it keeps disappearing. The same is true of The Cure’s Disintegration, which I’ve actually bought at least four times and downloaded at least twice.
Personally and professionally? I don’t feel even guilty about this. I’ve bought these albums — but over the years, my copies have vanished and been replaced and vanished again and I just want a copy for my iPod.
What’s your position on this? Is this even technically a violation of copyright?
What RIAA will ask is where is copy of the media in your inventory? Dont have it? You are SOL.
But that is the RIAA. YMMV. IANAL. 😉
Current case law suggests that this is, in fact, a copyright violation.
A strict Constitutional analysis would likely conclude that it is not, but the Supremes have so far instead come down on the side of the status quo, whenever given the opportunity.