Author Topic: Music Downloads (Read 10724 times)

sluggo · « **on:** October 30, 2006, 06:16:09 AM »

Does anyone here belong to any of the legal download services that access a database and are not peer to peer?
I might be interested in joining one of the services with a flat, lifetime fee if I could find one that appears to have a large database where I could find most of the music that I would want to download.
I have found a couple of sites that review these services, but most of them are P2P and in their fine print they claim that downloaders don't usually get into trouble, only uploaders. I don't buy that. Besides, why take the chance on the RIAA knocking on your door?
Anyone have personal experience with this issue? I don't like the feel of the review sites. It almost seems that they are backed by the various services that are reviewed. Nowhere does it say that, but it's just a gut feeling.

Buck · « **Reply #1 on:** October 30, 2006, 08:16:19 AM »

QUOTE(sluggo @ Oct 30 2006, 08:16 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Does anyone here belong to any of the legal download services that access a database and are not peer to peer?
I might be interested in joining one of the services with a flat, lifetime fee if I could find one that appears to have a large database where I could find most of the music that I would want to download.
I have found a couple of sites that review these services, but most of them are P2P and in their fine print they claim that downloaders don't usually get into trouble, only uploaders. I don't buy that. Besides, why take the chance on the RIAA knocking on your door?
Anyone have personal experience with this issue? I don't like the feel of the review sites. It almost seems that they are backed by the various services that are reviewed. Nowhere does it say that, but it's just a gut feeling.

Take a look at www.Limewire.com and see if this may be what you're looking for.

Parker · « **Reply #2 on:** October 30, 2006, 10:51:59 AM »

limewire...
it is legal to download
however it is illegal to upload or share files

sluggo · « **Reply #3 on:** October 30, 2006, 11:14:42 AM »

QUOTE(Buck @ Oct 30 2006, 10:16 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Take a look at www.Limewire.com and see if this may be what you're looking for.

Has Limewire improved any? I used it for quite some time and then it began to not be so great. That and all the scare of illegal downloads just drove me away from online music altogether. iTunes is OK, but a buck per song is pretty steep compared to some other options out there.

sluggo · « **Reply #4 on:** October 30, 2006, 11:19:53 AM »

QUOTE(gailwin @ Oct 30 2006, 12:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

limewire...
it is legal to download
however it is illegal to upload or share files

You may download material that is protected by the copyright laws and find yourself mired in legal issues.

That quote is right off of one of Limewire's pages about the legality of it all.

D76 · « **Reply #5 on:** October 30, 2006, 11:38:51 AM »

I found this after a search for information on U.S. copyright law that is not awash in lawyerese and complicated argument, some of it spilling over into pdfs. It's from a Caltech site, and according to the page was provided by the Recording Industry Association of America (hardly a neutral entity).

QUOTE

If I just download sound recordings, it's not a violation.[/b]

FALSE. It's a violation if you upload or download full-length sound recordings without permission of the copyright owners. You should assume other people's works are copyrighted and can't be copied unless you know otherwise.
The "fair use" exemption protects me.

THAT DEPENDS. Some uses may be "fair," but uploading and downloading full-length recordings without permission almost certainly is not "fair use."

This is repeated, word for word, at this University of Florida site, so probably the RIAA spammed it everywhere there's a student dorm.

Just one more:

QUOTE

[7] You go to an MP3 website and download a song from your favorite artist. You don't own a CD of this artist, so this MP3 download is your only copy of that song.
- Sorry that's illegal, unless the website, or the artist says otherwise.

sokukodo · « **Reply #6 on:** October 30, 2006, 11:50:38 AM »

I used to use Limewire, but have been using the iTunes Music Store exclusively now. Basically, the reason is quality: with iTunes, I know the quality will be good ... with Limewire, you never know ... I've had good quality as well as pure crap.

QUOTE(sokukodo @ Oct 30 2006, 12:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I used to use Limewire, but have been using the iTunes Music Store exclusively now. Basically, the reason is quality: with iTunes, I know the quality will be good ... with Limewire, you never know ... I've had good quality as well as pure crap.

I'm speaking of the quality of the file. Who or what one downloads is another story.
Richard

beacher · « **Reply #7 on:** October 30, 2006, 12:55:23 PM »

Hey Sluggo, there is a Russian site that charges about 30¢/song, that's been around for about 3-4 yrs. The only thing that has stopped me from going that route is the organized crime that is rife in their country, that, according to a business friend, is almost unavoidable in doing business with them. So, being pretty protective about my credit card #, I decided that the risk of providing it to them outweighed any potential savings. Supposedly they do pay royalties, but the RIAA says that it's not enough, and has been trying, unsuccessfully so far, to close them down.

kimmer · « **Reply #8 on:** October 30, 2006, 01:37:02 PM »

^Russian site ... I have a friend who goes there. She's upset because Visa will no longer allow her to charge there. They say the site is both illegal and too big of a risk security wise and won't cover her expenses. She cut up her credit card. I think she'd be wiser to pay attention.

Buck · « **Reply #9 on:** November 05, 2006, 12:09:29 AM »

QUOTE(sluggo @ Oct 30 2006, 08:16 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Does anyone here belong to any of the legal download services that access a database and are not peer to peer?
I might be interested in joining one of the services with a flat, lifetime fee if I could find one that appears to have a large database where I could find most of the music that I would want to download.
I have found a couple of sites that review these services, but most of them are P2P and in their fine print they claim that downloaders don't usually get into trouble, only uploaders. I don't buy that. Besides, why take the chance on the RIAA knocking on your door?
Anyone have personal experience with this issue? I don't like the feel of the review sites. It almost seems that they are backed by the various services that are reviewed. Nowhere does it say that, but it's just a gut feeling.

Give http://www.drumbeat.info/download.shtml a look see.

mastercheif · « **Reply #10 on:** November 05, 2006, 01:46:16 AM »

I beleive the russian site you are talking about is Allofmp3

http://www.allofmp3.com

I have used the site before, and I will continue too. It is not illegal to download songs from their because they are protected by the copyright laws in Russia. They are a exelent service. They charge istead of by the song, but by the MB.

D76 · « **Reply #11 on:** November 05, 2006, 05:47:02 AM »

Visa and MasterCard probably pulled out of the Russian site through pressure from the RIAA and the governments of those countries where downloading is illegal.

gunug · « **Reply #12 on:** November 05, 2006, 06:09:37 AM »

I think my goal is converting all of my vinyl using a USB turntable (well it's on my Christmas list anyway). Yes there is newer music I like and there is a lot of free and legal music that you can download (all permissions granted by the musicians involved). I especially like the Internet Archive's Live music section ( http://www.archive.org/details/etree ). I also buy CD's from small labels that have music that I appreciate. I know this all makes me sound like Fred Flintstone but this is me!

Frances144 · « **Reply #13 on:** November 05, 2006, 10:35:59 AM »

Well I use Limewire and agree with the comments (it can be very "curate's egg", ie good in parts).

But now I subsribe to Emusic and it is about £9.00 per month with 40 downloads. I think it is cheaper in the US. Anyway, they seem genuine, have nice classical music and are very helpful.

A tip, though, do not try and download lots and lots of things at the same time, as it tends to get confused).

Good luck
Frances

PS For definition of "curate's egg" see

http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/5/messages/299.html

mastercheif · « **Reply #14 on:** November 05, 2006, 11:32:21 AM »

"Visa and MasterCard probably pulled out of the Russian site through pressure from the RIAA and the governments of those countries where downloading is illegal."

Just because the RIAA want's to tell you it's illegal, doesn't mean it is. Yes, Mastercard and Visa pulled out, but thats because the RIAA was threatining a Legal suite that the RIAA would have lost. But legal costs are so high up these days that they money the companies make off of Allofmp3 would not have coverd the legal costs they would go trough to fight it.

And remeber, lets say you bought a CD of Pink Floyd 5 years ago and you lost it. It is your legal right to download it again because when you buy the CD, you are actulaly buying a Liscence to Play the product, the CD is a added in bonus.

News:

Author Topic: Music Downloads (Read 10724 times)