It’s another installation of AltFridayFive!
1. Have you ever, theoretically speaking, contemplated downloading copyrighted material (songs, tv shows, movies, etc.) from someone that did not have the rights to distribute it? Why or why not?
Yeah, but I didn’t do it because I don’t like the idea of having filesharing software on my system. The thing is, I’m picky, music-wise, and frequently only like a couple songs on any given CD (notable exceptions: The Brown Album by Primus and just about any CD by Red Elvises).
1. Have you ever, theoretically speaking, contemplated uploading or distributing copyrighted material (songs, tv shows, movies, etc.) that you did not have the rights to distribute? Why or why not?
No. I don’t really have a good way to do it.
2. Have you ever, theoretically speaking, contemplated buying a hard-copy of bootlegged material? Why or why not?
Nope, it’s never really come up.
4. What do you think about the issue of copyright? Is it obsolete? Who does it benefit?
Copyright is important – it makes sure that artists get their due for what they create. But it’s becoming ludicrous! Copyright now lasts at least 10 years longer than Mickey Mouse has been around, and that is NOT how it’s supposed to work. Let the Mouse go, Disney! LET HIM FREE!
5. How do you feel artists would best be financially supported or rewarded for their work? (e.g. through the government, through sales of the work, through merchandise sales, through concerts or exhibitions, through royalties, etc.)
I’m in favor of sales of the work, of merchandise, and of concert/exhibition things. Royalties are groovie too. Government support gets you into very dicy situations, though. I mean, I don’t think I’d want MY tax dollars supporting Eminem. Struggling artists, maybe. I know that many bands in Sweden live on government subsidies and apparently that’s how the Hives got started, but … yeah. That’s tricky.
