I use downloading as a tool to decide whether or not I am willing to invest my money in a cd or not. In my youth, I spent all my money on music. Now, I own a home and have children, and whatnot, so it isn't always feasible for me to spent a lot of money on music. Priorities, you know.
If I hear a few songs I enjoy by a certain artist, I will download some of their stuff. Listen for a while, see if it whets my musical palate. If so, I will sink some money into a cd. I, too, use Amazon to buy cds.
They say it's stealing, and I suppose, technically, it is. Charging 18 bucks for a cd with maybe 3-4 good cuts (if that), in my opinion, is theft. I'm paying 100% of my money for the cd, I should get 100% effort from the artist in return.
I'm not so sure it's a legality issue with music lovers. It's more a form of protest. We're sick of price gouging, and we're doing what we have to to get our music. It's not the artist's fault. It's the music industry. However, I haven't heard of any musicians losing their homes and whatnot because of the money they lose from internet downloading.
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Be strong then, and enter into your own body;
there you have a solid place for your feet. ~ Kabir
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