Re: speaking as a "freetard" (spit)...
Indeed. I am more than happy to pay for music. I consider stealing a copy to be wrong. However I used to buy a CD from a store for £11.99. Now to get the same music in a digital format I have to pay £11.99. The record doesn't have to pay for production (the CD, not audio), warehousing, distribution, store space, all the staff. And they prevent me from fromat shifting and selling on an unwanted copy. That, Mr Orlowski, doesn't make me a freetard, but does explain why a lot of people resent (absolutely fucking hate) the record companies. And why some of them take the matter into their own hands. If the companies could drag their failing business model out of the fucking middle ages and their heads out of their arses, and charge a fair price for music then a lot more people would be willing to pay. A lot of money used to go to the people between the artist and the listener, because those people added value as described above. Now the companies just want all that money and do fuck all with it apart from stick it up their nose.
Or perhaps I'm completely wrong. In which case could you do an article educating me please on what value the companies add?