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[Cirex]

I'm sorry, forums are a bit slow for me and I can't answer to everybody. By when I have published one reply, I got 3 more to write...

Originally Posted by pogminky

What would happen if the powers that be decided that scanning, copying and distributing stuff entirely for free was just fine and legal?

Like in most European countries? It's going fine. Some companies are in denial and refuse to change their habits. Their loss. It's a lost battle.
Some others are taking alternative methods and they are going fine. Little music bands or independant cinema are enjoying their new life. Everything is ok at this side of the Ocean.

Originally Posted by Rykion

The first part comes from my response to Novem5er who said that all knowledge should be free.

Where is your proof for less than 5%? A Harvard study on something that would be impossible to get exacts on isn't really proof of anything. How do you know that CD sales in Spain wouldn't have increased by 10% last year without internet pirates?

Well, maybe he was inspired by the "Knowledge, like air, shouldn't be denied to anyone" line, but that's just an exception. As for myself, if I got to buy a book, I buy it, no problem. I got 4e preordered, I buy RA Salvatore books and books about economy, accounting, etc.
I downloaded the pdf of a book called "Copy this book", which uses Creative Common license, and you know what? I'm going to buy it soon! I want to carry it and mark some important lines on it.

The Harvard study is the first of many, as they even say. No other group of people dared to try it.

I like to put small bands as example. I listen to Melodic Death Metal, and in all seriousness, I wouldn't know who Insomnium, Before the Dawn or Dark Tranquility are if it wasn't for free downloads (and the wikipedia). Now I got t-shirts of all of them and I be damned that I was too slow to buy the Wacken festival tickets.

That money, from merchandising and tickets, go straight to their funds, while if they sell CDs, they only receive 3-10% of the money from each CD. I really don't know who is the thief here...