[camscameron]

hey there
i just want to clear this up once and for all. what is illegal about programs such as winmx.is it legal to download and illegal to upload or what.
many thanks

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[ronscores]

it's pretty confusing actually..
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[UndeadInsanity]

Illegal downloading is where the original authors (such as bands) don't recieve any money from you, and you have their merchandise.

P2P networks such as Napster aren't illegal as Napster pays the record companies, who pay the artists.

It's quite confusing really, byour best bet is to stick with well known P2P networks, that are known to be legal.

[Dark_Side]

Legal downloads are usually programs like Limewire which is a P2P network program. It shares user's files and therefore is not illegal.

[Rawe]

It depends on what you share.
It is illegal to download non-free programs with P2P programs. Sharing files is illegal if you share non-free programs.
If you share programs which are free to download legally, then it's not illegal.
Make sense?

[Dark_Side]

I have a different view about shareware programs. To me, it's like someone gives you a file to download, like a gift... but over the internet. Instead of giving you a new CD or DVD in gift wrapping, people actually give it to you online.

That's how I see P2P programs.

[Murray S.]

Legal downloads are usually programs like Limewire which is a P2P network program. It shares user's files and therefore is not illegal.

Sorry, but as long as the file you are downloading or uploading to share is still in copywrite, then it is illegal regardless of what P2P program you use.. As mentioned, there are some legal downloads available but you have to pay for them!!

BTW, do you have any idea what kind of crap Limewire puts on your system?? Good thing you joined GeeksU so you can learn how to clean it out daily!!

Murray

[Dark_Side]

The new versions of LimeWire has no bundled software of any kind. I've been using it for the past year now, and it has never given me any malware or bundled software. My computer is always free of things like that.

[Rawe]

Again, sharing non-free programs for free using P2P programs, is illegal.
Downloading non-free programs for free using P2P programs, is illegal.
As UndeadInsanity said; "Illegal downloading is where the original authors (such as bands) don't recieve any money from you, and you have their merchandise."
If you send someone a file (let's say example an zip file where's songs from an album)
it is illegal. Then the makers of that product does not get money for the merchandise, which they are entitled to, therefore it is illegal. And again, if you share file which would be free anyways, such as SpyBot or something, it would be legal.

[UndeadInsanity]

Limewire IS ILLEGAL

Please read this.

Limewire itself is not illegal, what you use it for may just be.

[Dark_Side]

If P2P programs was so illegal the government would have banned it long ago, which they have not.

[Rawe]

If you have that program itself, it's legal. If you use it to download non-free products, that action is illegal. The products themselves aren't a risk (unless they come bundled with malware) but the file-sharing is.

[UndeadInsanity]

Users must not install or use file-sharing or 'peer-to-peer' software for the illegal downloading of copyrighted material.

I found that on the university of Leicesters site.

The government hasn't banned p2p file-sharing because it's near enough impossible to stop.

It's like immediately stopping bombings in the UK, it just won't ever happen like that.

Think of the hundreds, if not thousands of p2p networks. Think of all of the countries they're located in. Even the UK government alone couldn't stop international p2p file-sharing.

The files you download are copyrighted by the bands/record companies. The songs are theres until you purchase the right to listen to them. Each song has to have the rights to listen to it paid for, that's why video piracy is illegal. If you download songs for free, then you aren't paying for thr right to listen to them, and thus, it's illegal.

Edited by UndeadInsanity, 17 July 2005 - 09:11 AM.

[Dark_Side]

I understand. Then people should not put illegal software on the programs should they?

[Rawe]

Then people should not put illegal software on the programs should they?

What do you mean by that?
People shouldn't share non-free files through P2P network.
People shouldn't download non-free files through P2P network. It's just that simple. If you do so, then it's illegal.