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Although I belive reducing the price of CD's would help. I also belive that it would never eliminate illegal copying.
In answering last week's question
In the long run, lowering new CD prices will make little, if any, difference in the piracy business. Why? Now, it is easier than ever to make high-quality audio recordings in both the analog and digital domains. We have CD-R components and unauthorized MP3 websites. There is no way in the world that lowering the prices of new CDs by even $5 will make those technologies disappear. People who are inclined to make CD-R copies for their pals will do it whether the CDs cost $17 or $12. You can't turn back the hands of technology. Instead of wasting precious resources in dreaming up "copy-proof" schemes that are doomed to failure, the record companies should wise up and embrace the new technologies to benefit themselves and the recording artists.
Well, when cigarette taxes got lower recently here in Sweden, in an attempt to reduce smuggling and illegal trade, it wasn't a big success. It may be a sad fact that, once accustomed to obtain goods in a way outside of normal(legal) ways, folks tend to go on getting the things they desire that way, even if the legal businesses lower their prices, provided the illegal trade isn't too close in price or gets difficult to get hold of. Unfortunately, my gut feeling tells me those music fans who already are "stealing" music by copying or downloading it will continue to do so. The point is: If "right or wrong" already isn't an issue for some people, it will not be one as long as some cents, dollars, or Swedish crowns can be saved. On the other hand, I nevertheless think that some of those copyists and the like are also often more interested in music in general, and also buy a noteworthy percentage of their music, too. No simple issue, this one, or is it?
It wouldn't take away the incentive for the people who might make copies just because they want to do something they shouldn't. Also, it wouldn't take away the incentive to make compilation discs. But at the same time, at some point a lower price would mean that it just wouldn't be worth the trouble for people to make copies. However the price might need quite a drop before that happens ($17 CD, $1 CD-R copy).
It won't make any difference to me because the business direction of the whole music industry is ethically wrong. Why should music listeners have to buy thousands of CDs (which are becoming obsolete) to listen to music? Music CDs should be rented in the video rental outlet! Piracy? The music industry has already included that loss in the CD price.
OH COURSE AS WE BUILT THE FUTURE WE GOTTA KNOW THAT THE FUTURE IS ON CD'S AND CR-R'S AND CD-ROMS OR DVD'S WE GOTTA UNDERSTAND ONE THING THAT PEOPLE HAS TO UPGRADE TO CDS AND MORE PEOPLE HAS TO BE ACCESIBLE TO THEM I DON'T BUY MUSIC CD'S ANYMORE PROBABLY I'M GETTING OLDER CAUSE I DON'T LIKE NEW MUSIC ANYMORE JUST A LITTLE AND IF THE CDS BECOME CHEAPER I'LL BUY THE NEW ONES JUST TO HEAR WHAT'S NEW!I'M STILL LIVING BETWEEN 75 TO 93 AFTER DON'T KNOW ABOUT MUSIC AND NOW THA I SUPPORT A FAMILY IS HARD FOR ME TO BUY THEM IMAGINE TO PAY PHONE SERVICE INTERNET COMPUTER PROGRAMS SPECIAL SERVICES GAS ELECTRICITY CAR INSURANCE RENT UNION FEES WIFE SUPPORT GASOLINE HOMELESS "THAT WILL WORK FOR FOOD"CLOSE TO THENEW MILLENIUM SURE CHEAP CDS WILL BE THE ANSWER ALSO BRING BACK THE MINI CDS I OWN SEVERAL OF THOSE AND SUDDENLY THEY DISSAPEAR THAT'S GONNA BE ANOTHER ANSWER THAT THE RECORD INDUSTRY REALLY WANT CUSTOMERS CAUSE MINICDS ARE CHEAPER THAN NORMAL SIZE CDS!
Of course, lowering CD prices will reduce illegal copying. However, it generally does not pay to reduce illegal copying to zerothat would require selling CDs at the same price as illegal copies! Record companies can make larger profits by keeping prices "high" and getting the governmentthe taxpayerto finance the cost of enforcing their property rights. Sort of like a magazine.
IF CD'S ONLY COST 6-7 OR EVEN 8$ THEY WOULD SELL SO FAST THE STORES COULD NOT KEEP UP WITH THE DEMAND. SAME WITH DVD. PROFITS WOULD SOAR . FOR EVRY NONE CD SOLD NOW YOU WOULD SELL 5 TO 10. PEOPLE WOULD REBUY EVRYTHING THEY ONW ON LP NOT JUST THERE FAVORITES.
I do not know if any statistics are kept on this topic that are accurate. But lets face it, if you have the means to own a hi-end rig you should have no reason to make and/or distribute an illegal copy of anything. However many people don't have the resourses to own a true hi-end system and are for whatever the reason have to settle for less. This does not mean that they are any more likely to engage in piracy than any one else but they may be more likely to purchase a pirated copy than others. So whom is commiting the real crime? Is it the producer of these copies or is it the purchaser.