Downloading good or bad?
 

When I think about downloading anything I look at it differently. With freeware and such I dont think twice, unless it s avirus or something, but with media I just figure if IM NOT GOING TO BUY IT ANYWAY then whatever, I wont pass it on to others though. I'll download out of print stuff also but lately I havent downloaded all that much really.

i download everything to hear stuff, keep out of print or stuff that's not available on cd (like digital releases, vinyl, tapes, etc)

i hear stuff that's official, check it out, if i love it, i put it on my shopping list, sometimes i burn it to listen in the meantime

if i really love something, i try to make an effort to get the real deal, the package as it is, and if it's available on vinyl the better. i love the thrill of getting a brand new physical piece of music that i can't really change it

of course, i'm not judging, i download a shitload, just my point of view

Yeah. I've downloaded alot of cds but I try to buy them too. Just today I bought Cat Power-Moon Pix, Sufjan-Illinoise, ATDI-ROC and some other stuff just because I loved it so much. My ratio of real cds to burned ones is about 3:1.

I download albums and buy vinyl. So bands are only gonna make money off of me if they still sell vinyl.

I'm not a vinyl snob, I just prefer it, it is more convenient for me. Easier to organize, harder to lose, and leaving them on a dusty table is not going to kill them.

Ive lost so many cd cases ovr the past two years.

me too, i love vinyl even if most of the time i can't listen to it. i think of vinyl more like the art pieces, i love them

cds have their things too, but vinyl is vinyl

which last longer?
I know cds can last a century in some cases. (so ive read)

vinyl does have more wear and tear, and you can't expect a vinyl that's played constantly to last a lot. but the occasional spin is ok and given good storage and temperature they can last you decades...

...just look at how much vintage vinyl is still available; i've bought vinyl that's easily 20-25 years old and it's still playable. my mom has older stuff in mint conditions

I download a track off an album that looks good, but I don't know anything about the artist, etc. to see if I like it/to get into the artist more. I'll only download whole albums if there's no way I can buy it in person or if it's out of print, and I put it to my mp3 player if I bought the cd myself or for the same reasons above.

I download any freeware.

I have vinyl that's fifty years old and plus, and it's fine because we keep it in safe conditions.

Vinyl lasts longer if cared for properly.
Digital media supposedly has a shelf life of around 50 years before deterioration.
When they put music in a 1,000 year time capsule recently, they used a record made of nickel.
I regularly listen to LPs that are 50 years old at work, and the ones that are Mint sound incredible. The pressings were so good back then that even scratched LPs sound like barely anything is wrong.

CDRs break down very fast; I have had them develop errors in 1 or 2 years in some cases.

also, cd-rs last less than a normal silver cd

when did cds really take off? like mid-80s, how many cds do you see from then? like none

i have records that are 50 years old and play great, some minor scratchs (not cared for by previous owner...)

as far as downloading, i download mostly shit i havent heard and bootlegs of course. i dont really buy cds much cause i have no job and no money. BUT this week im going to be applying all over the place. then im thinking ill be buying tons of shit.

I download primarily to sample artists to see if I like them. I'm not too big on downloading entire albums, but out of print media is definately fine

I find the downloading without payment of commercially available product disrespectful in the extreme to the artists concerned. When I say this, I'm referring to those who download for free when they could go to a store and buy the product. It's a different story if something is downloaded, listened to once to see what it's like before buying, and then deleted.

I appreciate that the music distribution system means that there are parts of the world where getting stuff from a store is damn near impossible, and I'd never condemn someone in that situation for downloading, but that's my only my exception. The "I can't afford to buy CDs" argument cuts no ice with me - are you going to steal a car when you can't afford to buy one of them?

If a band makes something available for free download themselves, well obviously that's different.

Personally, I don't want to download because I want the whole package, e.g. artwork, liner notes, etc.

As for bootlegs, well I guess I'd rather they got downloaded for free rather than some drugs cartel get cash out of someone buying them.

Downloading is very convinient, because ever when i will buy a cd or so i first download it...

its a wonderful tool the internetweb thing

I usually download stuff i read about (here), and check it out. SY just have to be original.

I only download impossible-to-buy stuff, and the music that people make themselves. When I finally am able to do it, I want to upload a couple of old vinyl stuff that's really interesting.

Other than that, I'm happy to just listen to stuff whilst I'm online at band websites etc, which I find to be a great tool.

i like donwloading too, there aint nothing as bad a rushing out to buy a CD only to find its a pile of crap, if i downlaod something and like it enough to buy it i will, CD's can be expensive and you wanna thread the water first