Excuse me....but bob hoover posted a little ditty on the type2 list 
regarding people giving advise and not being "expert" enough to give the 
advise, and thereby causing problems to those who follow the advise...well 
this "advise" from all of the so-called "copyright experts" is bound to get 
some of you in trouble PERIOD.

I have to laugh at the non-lawyer observation that the United States
Supreme Court in the Sony-betamax made it ok for people to make copies of 
copyrighted material. Sorry for my french here but that is pure BULLSHIT!

What the US Supreme Court said was that Sony could not be held liable for 
whatever use the purchasers of Sony VCR equipment put their machines 
to....and that "time-shifting" of programs by VCR users was ok, so long as 
the recorders of those "time-shifted" programs did not sell or profit from 
the materials.

As far as the libraries being free from copyright laws....MORE BULLSHIT!!! 
Libraries are not responsible for enforcing copyright laws, PERIOD. Yes you 
may copy certain small sections of a copyrighted item under a limited use 
doctrine...ie: for classroom purposes, research, etc.

Bottom line folks...if there is a valid copyright to an item, and you make 
an unauthorized copy, you are violating the owner's copyright plain and 
simple. It doesn't matter whether or not you sell the item for a profit...or 
you just copy it for your own purpose.

It sort of makes me chuckle when I read about someone's bad luck when their 
van is broken into and some "SOB" steals a stereo, smashes a window, steals 
tools, etc....and how the bastard should be punished....but then someone 
posts some rubbish on how copying copyrighted material is ok,...you 
know...VW doesn't need the money, etc... 

So what's the difference between the SOB that breaks into your van and 
steals your stuff and the copyright violater? NOTHING, pure and simple.

Sorry for the rant, but if you do not have the expertise, please do not give 
advise.

Ric