This concerns both the is and should, so I decided to stick it here in GB instead of GQ.
My comments come partly as a response to the $2000 settlement the RIAA made with the 12 year old girl in NY. Check out /. for more info on that. What I wonder though is what am I allowed to do with music I legally obtain? What should I be allowed to do with it? This is under the stipulation that I only have 1 legal copy of a particular piece of music.
I know that I shouldn’t be allowed to use it to make a personal profit without some sort of extra license (aka… reselling). But certianly I should be able to give it to someone else (losing my rights to have it in the process). Should I be able to make a backup copy of it incase the original breaks? I do have the right to play it, so should it matter from which medium it is played? [As a side note to this, anyone with a GameCube, check out the back of any game manual… it says that copies are not allowed].
Also, if I have a piece of music, and I’m not allowed to give it to anyone else (if I keep the original myself), am I allowed to play this music in the company of others/spouse/friends/dog/cat? Where is the line and where do you think it should be?