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[arete]

Most musicians make very little as it is. Only big names get massive profits. Even people like Weird Al get a few cents per song. The music companies make all the money. Paul MacCartney can't play the Beatles songs he wrote because Sony owns the rights. Stealing other people's property is still stealing, whether it's their music, their books or their games. If you think about it, royalties are all that's keeping Poul Anderson's widow fed and housed. (His daughter is on my favourite listserv.) If all property is theft, and should be given away for free, what about your stuff? You should let anyone who comes along pick out what they like from your home and walk off with it. The one good thing about the Internet, though, is that there will eventually be no need for huge record companies. Or so I hope. So maybe artists will get that much more income from their own work. Speaking of work -- I haven't gotten any yet. Oh well.