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My thoughts on 'file sharing'

Note to mods-feel free to move to a more relevant forum if you see fit.


This took place a year ago, but I believe is still relevant today for a lot of people.

I often get a common question from people who wonder how I got to be so good working with computers-especially given that at the time I didnt own one. The reason I become so well educated with how computers connect to each other, how servers and internet TCP/IP connection work, and the precise nature of firewalls
and how they interact with P2P networks came about when I spent years using work-provided PC's to download entire copyrighted seasons of movies and TV shows using torrent engines.

At the time, I worked at a local retail elecrtonics chain that sold laptops , which were powered on for customer demos. To add, the next door cleaners had a wifi network that didnt have a password, so id often connect the computers to the network for demo purposes, once again.

Since I owned a 30GB ipod video , an 8GB PSP , but no computer of my own, I would download and run torrent software using the demo laptops while I worked.
Picture punching into work, starting a download, working an 8 hour shift, plugging in your iPod and transferring the entire 5 seasons of Star Trek Enterprise, then going home. And repeating more or less daily. Since the computers weren't owned by me, and the internet connection was paid for and registered by my hapless neighbors, if RIAA came knocking they couldn't trace one megabyte back to me.

As you can imagine, I had a healthy collection of music by now.As I listened to a sermon about sexual sin, the preacher cited scripture that makes it clear that one should not have one HINT of immorality.

While the subject wasnt what the preacher initially focused on, God wasnt joking when he said in His commandments that thou shalt not steal.Jesus certainly wouldnt be stealing his neighbors internet connection to enable the digital theft of copyrighted videos and audio works using computers that were not his while working, should Bethlehem have had WiFi 2000 odd years ago.

So I did the unthinkable-I threw out every CD of pirated music, and deleted every stolen video and audio file off my iPod and PSP. Believe me when I say that was a lot of work, but at the end of the day, I could know a relationship with Jesus without allowing my iPod or PSP to get in the way.

I have this to say to those who would justify theft because of greed/mismanagement on the part of the record labels-just because something is overpriced does not give anyone the right to steal it.

'Cause if God rewrote that clause into the Ten Commandments, let me know so I can visit a BMW dealer :lol
 
I agree for the most part. As far as sermons, not all are copyrighted. Why should they be copyrighted? If I had a video of a sermon that I knew would help someone, I wouldn't consider it stealing. Who would I be stealing from? What would be the difference of watching a sermon in Church or in video format? Even Bibles are copyrighted, not sure why.

As far as music is concerned, it is wrong to share files when the record company and artist can still make money off of it. If something is out of print and neither the record company or artist is any longer profitting from it, I see nothing wrong with sharing the music. But that is between the Christian and God to deal with.

Sometimes I will ask an artists permission to file share songs. Usually permission is granted.

Sometimes if I am interested in possibly purchasing an album, I will download some songs or file share with friends so I can listen before I decide to buy. If I don't want to buy the music, I will delete the files from my computer. If I like the music, I will buy it.
 
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