Well, pipsqueek, you should note that I didn't call anyone a thief, but what I did do is define what stealing is to me. After all, this place is about expressing ones opinion as much as anything else.

Once again, certain among you seek to obfuscate the issue. You try to make analogies that are completely off base. I agree that it would suit my own Robin Hood sensibilities to take from GM to give to others, Habitat would be great. But you know damn full well we weren't speaking about that. We are speaking about intellectual property. We are speaking about the right of the artist to have their music distributed according to THEIR OWN wishes. All these platitudes about the old days certainly make me wish I lived then, but we don't. We live in the age of computers, and by the use of the PC, someone has found a way to take that which I work hard on, and invest my time and MONEY in, and give it away. This is a direct subversion of my wishes and costs me money. Ultimately, for the small independent artist, this could lead to the inability to create new music. And I repeat my basic contention, that none of you will admit to. Despite all your attempts to justify it through smoke and mirrors, this all really boils down to one thing. You have found a way to have something for nothing and you are using every obfuscatory argument that you can to avoid admitting that simple premise.

Websters 7th New Collegiate Dictionary lists this as one of the definitions of the word "steal". "To take from another without right or without detection". That is not my definition, but theirs. But what I would say is, if the shoe fits, put it on.

Mick