Format-shifting set to be legalised in UK

[dave2010]

So does all this mean I can happily replicate my vinyl collection with downloads (however dubious the source) and be totally legal? Hope so!

Not going to argue about what legality means in this post! As I understand it, if you subscribe to Apple's cloud services, and if you transfer your own LPs to iTunes, then, if Apple recognises the equivalent CD, you will be able to stream it anywhere to a compatible device which you own. The download stream will be at most 256 kbps aac. I'm not sure if they plan to allow you to download as well as stream. If downloads are on offer this could be good for anyone who wants copies for their portable devices.

Apple's service is planned to be different from some of the others, which appear to offer similar facilities. Some of the others may actually upload your files, and store them, which would mean thousands of copies of the same music stored on servers.

Apple's proposed system relies on it making a match between your music and the music store in its database/storage system.

As mentioned, they will take money off you for doing this. Also, by ripping to clouds, it does make the commercial operations legal in some sense.

[sburrell]

Dave:

The law does not always concern itself with intent. However in murder cases a distinction is made between deliberately setting out to kill and accidental killing, in which case a lesser charge of manslaughter can be brought. The fact that you didn't intend to do something does not necessarily absolve you from legal penalties.

I'd rather break the law for the right reasons, than follow the law for the wrong ones.

[dave2010]

Dave:

I'd rather break the law for the right reasons, than follow the law for the wrong ones.

Maybe - but who decides?

In an emergency I might drive my car well over the speed limit, but many people do so when there is no reason for them to do so.

Many people still use hand held mobile phones when driving - I've seen people overtake me at over 70 mph doing this, and of course many people (often women I'm afraid) who when driving out of the supermarket car park, then pick up their mobile and start having a chat.

So called civil disobedience can be a way of promoting change, and sometimes it may be helpful. Often it's just violence, needless, and disruptive.

We've seen quite a bit of needless vandalism here in the last few days, without any apparent reason other than a wish to create disorder.

In this country, thankfully, there are usually legal ways of expressing opinions, and influencing change. This is not the case in some other countries however.

Legal ways of behaving are usually, but not always, preferable to others. As I said - who decides?

[Reid Malenfant]

We've seen quite a bit of needless vandalism here in the last few days, without any apparent reason other than a wish to create disorder.

It's already kicked off again late this afternoon in a few districts of London

[sburrell]

Dave:

Legal ways of behaving are usually, but not always, preferable to others. As I said - who decides?

How did my well-meaning reporting of an imminent change in format-shifting laws turn so deep?
In answer to your rhetorical question: no-one makes a decision for anyone else, it just sometimes seems that way.

[sburrell]

So does all this mean I can happily replicate my vinyl collection with downloads (however dubious the source) and be totally legal? Hope so!

That's an interesting question - it also raises the question: can I buy a VHS of a move for 50p then download a DVD-quality rip onto my computer? Can I buy a 20p cassette of an album then download a lossless rip onto my computer?

I'm not going to assume that the answer is, "yes." I'll wait till it's decided in court.

[Beechwoods]

I very much doubt that you'll see that scenario play out like that

[Reid Malenfant]

You'll need to be in possession of the original DVD if you want to copy it Obviously a copy of a DVD can't be taken from a video as the quality will be totally different, in which case it'll be illegal