Copyright Law, the interpretation of Options

[sadolakced acid]

Alright, let's keep this a debate, not just stating opinions. that's important.
don't just state your opinion, support it

alright. here's some background

Copyright law prohibits the copying of Digital audio for commercial use. Copying of audio for personal use is allowed, but only first generation copies may be made (copies of the original) second generation copies are illegal (copies of copies). however, computers allow this, and thus the RIAA has said that using your computer to copy digital audio, no matter first or second gen. copies, is illegal. this was ruled as incorrect and not what the law says by a court.

First off, the obvious, is whether or not ripping your CDs to MP3s is illegal

also, is downloading music from online illegal? (copyright law only mentions distributing, not taking)

and, do new CDs that prevent ripping to MP3s, and DRM (digital rights management) WMAs violate the user right to copy?

[azn_r4pf4n]

Hmmmm... this might be tough. Lemme think...

I can only answer some questions now, the others i need to think.

and, do new CDs that prevent ripping to MP3s, and DRM (digital rights management) WMAs violate the user right to copy?

Well, if you were the user, yes it most likely would, but the prevention of ripping music was made for a good reason; to make sure the artist/band makes the amount of money they should get from selling the CD's.

Japan (I have a few Japanese CD's), has many copy-protected CD's, and if you go to places like yesasia.com, when your buyin a CD there, they tell you beforehand that you can't rip CD's onto your computer.

also, is downloading music from online illegal? (copyright law only mentions distributing, not taking)

Wow, its actually interesting to try to make the law exact as it can. Remember when they first had Napster 1.0? The RIAA sued Napster (the distributers of the music) for distributing the music AND sued the people who downloaded the music from it.

I dont really have much of an opinion on it, other than I consider it illegal. The artists/bands who make the music wouldn't make the amount of money they deserve from the music they make.

First off, the obvious, is whether or not ripping your CDs to MP3s is illegal

Yes, the internet is full of MP3 files, but if you know about the legal distributers that sell MP3 files like RealRhapsody and Napster 2.0. Maybe the people who sell the MP3 files rip the CD's into MP3's. I can't really say an opinion on that. I'll go back to that one later.

I'll reply back later.