Re: [libreplanet-discuss] buying CDs VS Digital Downloads

[Tobias Platen]

On 02/19/2016 05:27 PM, Fabio Pesari wrote:
> On 02/19/2016 04:11 PM, Cardoza, Michael wrote:
> > So I know I am probably beating a dead horse at this point. What are
> > peoples opinions on this age old topic?
>
> For now CDs are tolerable, even though we should try to support libre
> music. What happens when the last working physical copy of a rare album
> stops working?
>
> In Italy there is a law that allows making _personal_ copies of media:
> that's why external drives cost more here, as we actually have to pay a
> "potential pirate" tax, which is just ridiculous. I don't know if this
> law applies to digital media, as they are seen as rented rather than
> bought, or if it allows breaking DRM, but in any case this law was
> written in 1941 by the Mussolini government.
>
> As much as I'd like to listen to Iron Maiden, Megadeth and Black Sabbath
> all the time, I realized that I don't want to be subject to whatever DRM
> scheme they come up with 50 years from now and I don't want to engage in
> unauthorized copying either, so I accepted that the best thing I can do
> right now is enjoy whatever music I come across legally and for the
> rest, listen to things that are free as in freedom.
>
> Liking anything culturally nonfree this days is a recipe for becoming
> proprietary software users in the future, and I would honestly rather
> listen to some New Age crap made in LMMS than have to depend on DRM to
> be able to listen to "real" music for the rest of my life.

I still buy CDs, because you can pay them anonymously using cash in an 
ethical way (no DRM or EULA). I also buy music from artists who burn 
their own CDs.

In most cases these artists are Vocaloid Producers, so they are giving 
up their freedom. Many of them promote their music on SoundCloud, which 
I avoid because of non-free javascript. Instead I use GNU MediaGoblin 
for publishing my works. If I have a CD, I will create copies in the Ogg 
Vorbis format. I also support free software replacements for Vocaloid, 
and publish my own music in unencumbered formats.

I avoid making unauthorized copies of software and music, instead I 
often download public domain music in computer readable sourcecode form.
These are often MIDI files that one can edit using free software. I also 
listen a lot to DRM free artists that permit sharing such as Jonathan 
Coulton and Cécile Corbel whose songs are often remixed by less known 
artists inside the anime scene.

When artists use free software for making music, some of them release 
raw multitrack recordings under free licences, making remixes more easy.
But I do not insist on free non-functional works such as soundfonts for 
making music. However when I publish my own soundfonts I never use a 
non-free license.


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