Russell McMahon wrote:

>> www.allofmp3.com
 
> Of course it's not technically stolen because theft is not illegal in
> Russia, or at least theft of IP isn't

"Theft" is when it's illegal, I guess, so why call it "theft" if it's
legal? Would you call your use of some 30 year old patent "theft" just
because the Republic of Juruney passed a law that gives protection to all
patents registered worldwide, for the lifetime of the owner (a not
unreasonable point of view), whereas it is legal in your country to use it
because it has expired after 20 years? Probably not... 

Whether it's "stolen" or not is either a technical question (the legal
aspect) or a moral one (which is even more unclear, and definitely has more
than one side). But you have to decide which one you choose... :)


> Do note that while it's not illegal for them to provide you with the 
> MP3s, in most countries it's illegal to receive them from them. 

Where does illegality come from? How would this apply to a Russian resident
traveling to one such country with a bunch of CDs in the luggage (or files
on the laptop or in the MP3 player) that were legally bought in Russia?


> FWIW in my country it is illegal to copy for your own personal use music
> from a CD or tape that you *OWN* to any other media (including another
> CD / tape or an MP3 etc player). (It's most unlikely that you would be
> prosecuted for doing this). 

I have a deep distrust against laws that nobody wants to enforce. This
seems to me a clear indication that /something/ is wrong with this law.
They probably don't enforce it because they fear that if they did it, the
law would get looked at closely and eventually fall. (And I think that this
is morally wrong, even though technically legal.)

Gerhard

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