General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Everyone who listens to music needs to READ THIS! [View all]Ron Obvious
(6,261 posts)I was referring to the terminology, not the ethics.
If I steal a CD from your record shop, I have deprived you of possession of it -- a criminal offence.
If I copy your CD, I have not deprived you of possession of it. I've merely possibly lost you a potential sale. I have infringed your copyright, a breach of contract and a civil offence.
If I bake my own bread, I have deprived the supermarket of a potential sale of a loaf of bread. Fortunately, recipes cannot be copyrighted so I'm in the clear. But why can sheet music be copyrighted and recipes cannot? It's all far too vague for a clear sense of ethics if you ask me. Why should hard working chefs not be allowed to profit by copyrighting their recipes? Can you imagine someone being prosecuted or fined for illegally following a recipe? The distinction is purely artificial.
The rest of my post was referring to the record companies claims of lost profits.