The Greens are obviously full of crap on their follow-on reasoning and 'solutions', but they have a valid point that the RIAA/MPAA/etc. mantra that copying is the same as stealing physical property is overly simplistic and ignorant.

I think I was ten when I first heard a 'copying is stealing' analogy - a magazine editorial saying that copying a (Commodore 64 or Apple II ) diskette was the same as stealing an apple. The flaw to the analogy stood out immediately to my mind even then - unlike physical theft, copying doesn't take away or destroy the original. Many years later I understand further refinement concerning whether property is exclusive or nonexclusive, 'zero sum' transactions, etc. but the fundamental problem with simple stealing analogies should be evident even to a child, and just attempting to hand-wave away the differences doesn't serve defenders of IP.

This is not to say that there isn't validity to the idea of copyright, the notion that patterns of letters, colors, waveforms, or bits could themselves be property despite being intangible and nonexclusive. I've been through various views on this and now sympathize with the goal of copyrights and think a solid justification of them likely possible, despite not yet seeing a definitive, fully satisfactory systematic argument for them. But in any case a sincere effort to build and justify copyrights must recognize and address the fundamental differences versus physical property. So likewise, honest efforts to educate people that copying is wrong should begin with 'so copying a movie isn't just like shoplifting a DVD ... but here's why it's *still* an issue of property and *still* wrong' rather than just glossing it over.

Remember Suma, the downloading theives "need" the illegal downloads.

"Socialism may be dead, but its corpse is still rotting up the place." -Ayn Rand

In the new system artists get paid on a need basis.

But having said that, digital media does not behave like other goods that are traded on the basis of scarcity. The media industry must somehow adapt and accept that digital media can be copied without loss of quality.

I too reject the ongoing barrage of DRM, locked DVD controls until the piracy notice and adverts have been displayed. But my response won't be stealing. Instead I stop buying from regular outlets. I have not purchased new music for ages and own at most 4 DVDs. I only hire DVDs on rare occasions and maybe visit a cinema twice a year.

I start to frown upon those artists that still wish to signup to arcane contracts with media publishers. A bit dumb as they basically beg to be exploited and at the same time strengthen the media. Similar to how Dagny continued to run her rail-road despite the fact that it kept keeping the bad guys in their seats.

I like the AMI Street concept were music is free initially and the amounts of downloads and purchases causes it's price to go up. Free of DRM of course. There is some awesome music on there.

Global warming is a hoax carbonhoax.org.nz and spread the word.

Note how they're now extending the concept of pollution to include advertising as 'mental pollution.' I wonder how long it will be before the Green parties give up the pretense of environmentalism altogether and start waving the hammer & sickle ...

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