Is It Unethical to Rip CD's?
 

I work in a library. I could check out CD's over and over and over. Or, I could buy them. Or I could rip them. Which is the best and/or right thing to do in your opinion??

Re: Is It Unethical to Rip CD's?
 

According to the copyright laws.

You can RIP CDs you have bought to play on your MP3 player so long as you don't give/sell them to anyone else.

I buy my songs online at iTunes.

I don't have an iPod but convert them to MP3s.

Like everyone else I do have Songs I obtained by 'other' means but they are few seeing the low audio quality and potential virus infestation have deterred me from that course of procuring them.

All media can be copied by the license holder for archive reasons only.

We used to record our vinyl to tape and place the records in storage till something happened to the tapes.

I have done duplication and document creation for about 12 years now and these questions come up all the time.

Re: Is It Unethical to Rip CD's?
 

In Canada, the Supreme Court ruled that "file sharing" is not "illegal" & the Federal Government to offer a balance to "possible" not "definite" but "possible" copyright infringement & any loss of income, instituted a .29 cent levy on every blank recording media.

That means that every blank, CD, DVD,& Cassete, has a levy that gets sent to a recording fund where artists who are registered there get the money.

It is just very similar to how Radio Stations operate.

Re: Is It Unethical to Rip CD's?
 

Rip CDs? Have you actually tried it? I did. They don't rip. They break. Now... a piece of paper... that will rip. CDs don't rip.

Re: Is It Unethical to Rip CD's?
 

I have friends who are professional singers/musicians, and it is a sore spot with me when folks want to borrow a CD or DVD to copy rather than purchase it themselves.

A man I work with a man boldly tells that he goes to the video store, rents the movie to record, takes it back, then prints a label...he has even given them to folks on the job.

My brother ordered season four of The Big Valley (60s tv program) on Ebay, only to find that it had been recorded from the Hallmark Channel...people are a trip!!

Your question/concern over what is ethical re this is a good one...wish everyone had the same thought.

Re: Is It Unethical to Rip CD's?
 

check them out and listen to them or buy your own then rip them

Re: Is It Unethical to Rip CD's?
 

Does not illegal apply to copy protected material? That would be odd to do that then mention copy protected material and a levy...seems a tacit admission by the Canadian court that they just legalized something immoral or unethical.

Re: Is It Unethical to Rip CD's?
 

It is illegal to do as you described.

Re: Is It Unethical to Rip CD's?
 

Well, we have Canadian Artists going to Court on behalf of Fans who have downloaded material "illegally" & are being sued by the Record Labels.
I believe it is an admission that there is no closing the Barn door after the cows have been let out so to speak.

Most Artists agree that not jumping on the internet bandwagon & offering individual songs for sale instead of giving a reason for Napster originally was missing the boat.

I hear even some Artists are giving thier records away for "free!"

Most Artists income today comes from touring.

As someone once said, "once it is on the internet, it is out there forever!"

Personally, I would like them to clamp down on Internet Porn & kiddie Porn myself.

Re: Is It Unethical to Rip CD's?
 

I must confess, I download cds all the time. There are several websites and blogs that have cds posted with links for their download. I do not however upload cds to be downloaded by other people. The government and business do go after these sites with lawsuits but there are too many of them. I think the government wants everyone to get connected to the internet and does not actively pursue copyright infringement.

Re: Is It Unethical to Rip CD's?
 

Sometimes I buy a CD and I don't like everything on it, so I might rip the best ones of off 2 or 3 different CD's and put them together on one CD. Years ago I would put the best songs off of records onto cassette tapes.

Re: Is It Unethical to Rip CD's?
 

I don't give a rip.

Re: Is It Unethical to Rip CD's?
 

I am sure I broke many copyright laws as an educator- so I am not a good one to comment. I will say I rip CD's and DVD's for archival purpose occasionally.

Re: Is It Unethical to Rip CD's?
 

If the purpose of your music recording is to minister to the needs of others, why wouldn't you want your music to be used in that fashion?

Some folks aren't able to buy a cd. Some cd's are out of print and can't be bought.

I don't feel guilty about ripping sermons from one cd to give to someone else.

Re: Is It Unethical to Rip CD's?
 

If you buy a CD or DVD, copy it and give it to a friend, you might as well stuck an extra one in your pocket at the store and stole it. You are a thief. You may not like what I have just said and even argue your point, but according to the laws in America, it is stealing. Bottom line.

Re: Is It Unethical to Rip CD's?
 

I agree.

If I want songs, I purchase them for under a dollar each online at amazon.com, christianbook.com or walmart.com and put them on a CD myself. With each song, comes the legal license to burn it to a CD for my personal use.

Re: Is It Unethical to Rip CD's?
 

There's this cool site called PirateBay that has them for free.... not sure how they do that.

Re: Is It Unethical to Rip CD's?
 

LOL!:christmoose

Re: Is It Unethical to Rip CD's?
 

So, is it ethical or not?? :ursofunny On the one hand, it seems unethical. On the other, I could just check them out of the library over and over and over and use non-profit money to make it happen.

Re: Is It Unethical to Rip CD's?
 

Buy the specific songs you like from Amazon.com after you have listened to the CD's from the library. Then burn them to a CD. The price of an entire CD is usually much cheaper on Amazon as well and downloads quickly.

Re: Is It Unethical to Rip CD's?
 

I have been buying a ton of MP3's from amazon.com lately! The average price for a whole album is 8.99 (with a lot cheaper and a few more expensive).

Re: Is It Unethical to Rip CD's?
 

Yes. That is the right thing to do. Go to iTunes, Rhapsody, Amazon, etc. Do the right thing and pay 79 cents or 99 cents for the song you want. That is the ethical choice.

Re: Is It Unethical to Rip CD's?
 

Good girl...:santathumb

What a lot of folks fail to realize is someone wrote the song...someone laid down the tracks...someone sang the songs...someone produced and distributed the project.

In other words, we are taking money out of their pockets...

As for ILG checking them out of the library, I don't see a problem with that. They have them there for that purpose...JMHO...

Re: Is It Unethical to Rip CD's?
 

A year or so ago, I felt the Lord leading me to write and record a meditation (soaking; good charismatic term) cd. As I progressed with this project, I let a few select people listen to rough mixes. Many said I should sell copies of the cd. I felt that God was leading me to give them away. I really felt that OWNING music was wrong (for me). It all belongs to God. I have given them away and man, thats so rewarding to be a part of peoples personal worship!

Re: Is It Unethical to Rip CD's?
 

That is admirable that you have done this, and I know you will continue to be blessed for your generosity.

However, though the song belongs to God, for many people their ministry is how they make a living...it is their job.

Re: Is It Unethical to Rip CD's?
 

That would make another good thread........job vs. ministry.........

Re: Is It Unethical to Rip CD's?
 

Rhapsody and Napster also have subscription services that allow you to listen to most of their library for a monthly fee. That's if you just want to listen on the computer, or if you have an approved "to-go" device (not an ipod). I agree though - Amazon is the best choice as they sell songs DRM-free.

Re: Is It Unethical to Rip CD's?
 

You have to be standing on it. And you have to hold your mouth just right.

If you can accomplish this, they rip quite butifully. Like grandpa's britches when he bends over to get the mail off the floor.

Re: Is It Unethical to Rip CD's?
 

Uh, from someone who has put out two albums in the last 9 years, I recommend you purchase them. It takes a boatload of money to put out an album...I spent $13,000 on the last one and I still have about 4 or 5 boxes to sell to even come close to breaking even. Just my humble opinion...

Re: Is It Unethical to Rip CD's?
 

My husband asked me what I want for Christmas. I could have asked him to rip CD's but after reading this thread, I asked him to buy me one. :)

I think it is best to buy them, but I won't condemn people who don't either.:santathumb Its kind of one of those gray areas. (Black to those who make them, white to those who rip them, gray to those who are in between.)

Re: Is It Unethical to Rip CD's?
 

[QUOTE=Barb;642142]

In other words, we are taking money out of their pockets...

/QUOTE]

If we would have purchased the CD if no other option was available, you are right. If we would not, then no, we are not taking anything out of anyone's pockets.

I listen to pandora quite a bit, and if I hear a song I like, I'll download it. I'm not going to go purchase a CD to get that song, so the artist isn't out anything. If I like enough of their music, I'll buy the CD, so in essence, by doing what I'm doing it's more likely I'll purchase a CD at some point.

Re: Is It Unethical to Rip CD's?
 

[QUOTE=Mike Williamson;643487]I was not referring to those sites which promote the free downloads. My point was aimed at those who want to borrow someone else's CD to copy so they can save a few bucks.

It's tacky, illegal, and I repeat, it's taking money out of the pockets of those who have invested much into the project.