Just a question about LimeWire

TGM

"I could write a song in my head that no one will ever hear and it still has copyright."

Now that made me laugh

carolinosourus

ad44downey wrote: »

I've been downloading songs for years from Limewire without any problem.

You may not have had a problem but that doesn't mean it's legal!

westferret

Bascially think of it like a knife. A knife has a legal use for cuting veg and other things and that's what it's designed for like limewire for file sharing documents and things you've created. A knife also has an illegal use when you stab someone like limewire when you download a song which you don't have the copyright for.

why is it any more illeagal than, say copying an LP to a tape,(or CD Burning) or recording a TV prog to Video tape (or DVD) and watching it more than once? - This is because you have the copyright as you have brought the programme though the Lp or in the form of a tv licence. Think about it when you download the song off limewire do you pay anything - No so the artist who created the song gets nothing either so you're basicially stealing from them.

n3phi1im

Most of this thread is misleading and frankly B$!. The only correct information is this given by ThriftyManc (and is deserving of thanks)...

thriftymanc wrote: »

Effectively everything has copyright. I could write a song in my head that no one will ever hear and it still has copyright. It's automatic, you don't have to register or anything (although if you do it makes your life easier trying to protect your work). It's more a question of whether the copyright holder gives permission for their work to be freely distributed or whether they want you to pay for it. In the case of Limewire it's highly likely that most of the stuff available will be illegal.

Also

roddydogs wrote: »

why is it any more illeagal than, say copying an LP to a tape,(or CD Burning) or recording a TV prog to Video tape (or DVD) and watching it more than once?

westferret wrote: »

why is it any more illeagal than, say copying an LP to a tape,(or CD Burning) or recording a TV prog to Video tape (or DVD) and watching it more than once? - This is because you have the copyright as you have brought the programme though the Lp or in the form of a tv licence.

WRONG. Just because you have bought the physical product does not mean you now own the copyright. Generally, copies for personal use will be allowed so long as you own an original copy however, it is still technically copyright infringment to make copies in this manner (also note that it is actually illegal to circumvent any copy protection - like on most DVD's and computer games). Like ThiftyManc says, it all depends on wether the copyright holder is bothered. As a ridiculous example of copyright infringement let me ask you this question. Have you ever forwarded an email without the explicit permission of the originator? Or quoted someone elses forum post without the explicit permission of the originator? Well technically that makes you (and me) a criminal.

The rule of thumb is simple, ask youself this question:
Have I explicitly been given the right to make a copy of this material?
if the answer is No then it is probably illegal to download it.
For more info see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyleft

Interestingly, even free stuff (like most 'freeware' and RadioHeads recent 'free' LP) is still copyrighted and it is illegal to download it from unauthorised sources.

One final note. I am not trying to scare anyone here Although downloading is generally illegal, the anti-piracy organisations are generally more concerned with the people who rip and upload the material in the first place.

98sidney

I wouldnt bothere with Lime Wire. Go on you tube and down load the you tube downloader. or if you have vista down load video piggy. You can get any songs that way and you can listen to the song first before you download it so you know its the right one.

Butlers1982

erm....LimeWire is free.

Erm this forum is for "links to freebies", there wasnt a link to a freebie here.
Its a question & discussion

Stephb1986_2

ive had limewire for years robbie williams uses it too. ive never had a problem

Stephb xx

mookie

If you download music from Limewire it only downloads into the Limewire library, this is classed as music sharing, you cannot burn a disc within this programme this cannot be classed as illegal if you havent copied anything.

If you transfer the files and burn them using another programme then you are breaking copyright which would be illegal.

Basically Limewire is legal but how you use it could make it illegal.

Stubert

Copying a CD at home is illegal also even if you own it! Under the 2000 Digital Rights Act.

n3phi1im

mookie wrote: »

If you download music from Limewire it only downloads into the Limewire library, this is classed as music sharing, you cannot burn a disc within this programme this cannot be classed as illegal if you havent copied anything.

Sorry Mookie but you are wrong. When you download a song, YOU are making a COPY. Unless you have permission from the copyright owner this IS illegal. Not only that, but the nature of the Limewire software means that the files that you have downloaded are now available to other limewire users to download them from you. ie. you are also now an UPLOADER.

I am not trying to tell you that you shouldn't do it, but I just want you to be aware of the potential risk. The risk is minimal - you are more likely to get nabbed for not having a TV license, but the risk is there all the same.