What to do with 1,200 CDs I don't need

Herman, the law is sometimes bizarre and yes, you can have it both ways. In some instances how you get there is legally more important than the result. An example, if I reverse engineer a computer chip's functionality, it's legal. If I copy the actual circuitry of a chip, it's illegal. It's the same result either way, but one is legal and the other is not. Another example, I run an agency where I send out women to engage in sexual activity with men. In all states where prostitution is illegal this agency is prohibited, unless of course the agency is a booking service for adult film actresses, in which case it's a legal activity. Again, same result, women paid to have sex, one legal and the other not legal. This purchase/copy/sell original issue could be another example of this peculiar legal phenomena.

My apologies for accusing you of trolling.

Yes, I agree, at some point the insanity of the legal system makes it impossible to pre-determine what the courts will decide. However, I would equate the buy/rip/sell as being the equivalent of the illegal copying of the circuitry rather than reverse engineering. I suppose it could go the other way.

I simply can't believe your prostitution analogy. If that was true every escort service and prostitute in the country would declare themselves as providing adult film services and effectively legalize prostitution nationwide.

I'm still confident that you would lose a case involving buy/rip/sell but realize until that case is tried in the courts our discussion is probably just a waste of bandwidth.

I was in a similar boat as you a couple years back. I had a couple hundred CD’s I accumulated over the years. Some were bought out of fad, some because I had to have the whole set, and others were bought for 1 or 2 popular songs I heard on the radio. I cut my collection down to about ¼ of what it was and purchased new and superior recordings that better suit my personality and newfound pickiness. There are a lot of bad artists out there and I am much more choosy in who I support. I will not buy a CD if it only has 2 or 3 good songs.

I take this minimalist approach a step farther with my purchases. The ONLY CD’s I buy are Classical or are albums by my favorite artists, which usually result’s in their full studio recordings. I believe an individuals music collection is a ‘strong’ reflection of themselves – why gunk it up? Sell what you don’t listen to…if there is a song or two on a particular album that you haven’t picked up in 5 years but could ‘possibly’ see yourself listening to in the future…put it on a Hard Drive, back it up, and enjoy.

Ck out Jaybo's 4-21 comment, "What you collect is who you are".
Man talk about the best one liner in music. Revelation for sure. I'm in the process of trying to get exactly this point , over to understanding among my gramophone friends in classical music. I've said exactly this in so many ways, many topics. I get some welcome responses, but then others are either confused as to my limitations, or I draw a few disgruntlements. No sinde remarks , these guys are real gentlemem as to accept varying points of view. But over at Good Music Guide, these guys will have no such thing as "what you collect defines who you are". they'll thorw all insults, vexation, and snide remarks. Which is why I was recently banned from the site for such views.
I just made a comment over at gramophone today on my topic, "which 2 composers you hope never to hear another note from ever again in your life?"...A new thought occured today and I posted, "not only did I find it necessary to dump more than 50% of my classical cds, due to poor performances, but lately I've looked over my collection to see which composers need to go"
Though its only a few, still some had to go.
Our music should reflect who we are.
Mine does, and i feel good about my collection.
I have like 25 composers represented. Some guys are saying they have like 300+ and looking to add more. We are all different.

Paul
Baton Rouge

As I go through ripping my collection I realize the last 2 posts are correct. I can't recall the last time I listened to many CDs, if ever, so I skipped over them. This is especially true with some box sets.

Q. How many times can you sit down and listen to the 20 CD set Miles Davis "Live at Montreux?"

A. zero

Some will have to go.