my thoughts -
i have, in the past, downloaded mp3s. Mainly i was looking for fiddle tunes, old jazz etc. THhey are all sitting on the harddrive of my old computer. THere are a few that I liked and bought the cd, or just looked up the music and learned the fiddle tunes.
Even though I have a burner I couldnt be bothered to burn the mp3s to cd as it took too much time.

recently in an article on cd piracy - one scientist said that an easy way to reduce the problem without implementing copy protection would be to make the cd's cheaper say 5$ a piece. Then people wouldnt bother. (lets not forget that the music industry reaped a windfall in the 80s and 90s when people replaced lp recordings they already had with cds)

as far as burning copies of cds, I dont have a problem with artists who are dead, since theyre not getting the money.

On the other hand Im in the printing business and consequently use a lot cds to backup large graphic files, and pay something like 20Cents of the cost or each cd as surcharge to counter music piracy - and the money goes to Ascap or Socan or whatever, even though Im not using it to copy music (so I feel like Im being ripped off too)

the problem with the digital millennium copyright act,
is the hypocrisy of corporations like Disney wanting to extend the copyright on mickey mouse - when ironically they made fortunes using public domain works - such as Snowhite and the Seven Dwards and Treasure Island (which is fine) but Had The Brothers Grim and Robert Louis Stevenson extended the copyright - we wouldnt have those movies.
so the average Joe sees the copyright act as just a grab for more power and money by the rich and powerful, and consequently feels no guilt committing piracy.