Is Shareware Illegal

[swat150]

Im still not clear on the fact if shareware is illegal. Knowing that no one has brought morpheus or kazza to court I would think its still legal to download music. But im not shure.

[spazzed]

Shareware is perfectly legal up to the point that the producer requires you to register..ie, the end of the trial period.

Music is *not* shareware. It's copyrighted material.

[gibby]

It's not illegal to download and use shareware programs. However, downloading music without buying them through the use of shareware programs are.

[swat150]

Ok so is it like, Morpheus will make you pay after a 5 year trial kind of thing. Then they dont have to worry about a lawsuit?

[swat150]

Okay i get it. Now also I have heard that they (being some law agency) might be starting a thing were they can check your computer for any illegal downloaded music. Has this happend yet?

[gibby]

No...you can pay and support the shareware developers. However, if you started to use that shareware program to download copyrighted media such as music, movies, other computer applications without paying for them...then that's illegal. The developer of the shareware application and the user can still face a lawsuit...look at that one 12 or 13 year old girl that got taken to court for like $12M...she thought she wasn't doing anything wrong cause she paid for the shareware program to download music.

If you use your shareware program to download other shareware or freeware programs...then you're safe. Music, movies, software that are obtained that generate revenue for the artists, actors, and other software developers without paying for it is a big NO NO! In other words...piracy.

[spazzed]

Originally posted by gibby
No...you can pay and support the shareware developers. However, if you started to use that shareware program to download copyrighted media such as music, movies, other computer applications without paying for them...then that's illegal. The developer of the shareware application and the user can still face a lawsuit...look at that one 12 or 13 year old girl that got taken to court for like $12M...she thought she wasn't doing anything wrong cause she paid for the shareware program to download music.

If you use your shareware program to download other shareware or freeware programs...then you're safe. Music, movies, software that are obtained that generate revenue for the artists, actors, and other software developers without paying for it is a big NO NO! In other words...piracy.

Precisely. (Took the words outta my mouth you bastard!! )

[gibby]

Originally posted by swat150
Okay i get it. Now also I have heard that they (being some law agency) might be starting a thing were they can check your computer for any illegal downloaded music. Has this happend yet?

Last I heard...yes it's begun. They haven't gone after the users that just download yet though, just the users that allow others to gain access to their hard drive and download the various media.

[swat150]

Well, for now on I will not download any music, movies, games. Thanks for the headsup. That lawsuite thing about the 13 year old girl kinda scared me.

[gibby]

Originally posted by spazzed


Precisely. (Took the words outta my mouth you bastard!! )

Hehe!!

[spazzed]

Ahh..reminds me..I heard yesterday (not from the news) that the courts had decided that the RIAA could not force the ISP's into releasing the names of those who are downloading pirated material anymore...anyone else heard anything about this?

[dyst0pia]

Yeah, I think I did.

[gibby]

Nope...I haven't been keeping up on it. However, it'd be great to find out more. You're a bum anyway spazzed so find out. As for me, I need to stop goofing off and get my butt to work...it's been fun!

[spazzed]

hahaha, cram it up your cornhole Gman! Wait..that's TDS's job, sorry!

I'm at work anyways, so

Ask & Ye shall recieve:

http://www.wired.com/news/digiwood/0,1412,61714,00.html

[gibby]

Originally posted by spazzed
hahaha, cram it up your cornhole Gman! Wait..that's TDS's job, sorry!

I'm at work anyways, so

Ask & Ye shall recieve:
http://www.wired.com/news/digiwood/0,1412,61714,00.html

HAHA! So I guess this ends this thread.