Finally... posts from some people that do have something to say...

Chas, I only speak my mind when it is made up (mostly). Yes, you are right, I MIGHT be tempted to use a free, copied Chord Sequencer add-on to my G70. But ONLY because Roland no longer make one themselves, and don't offer the update themselves (and I would pay almost any money for that legal update!)... BUT... it would still be theft, and I wouldn't defend it, just hide my shame (and keep petitioning Roland to make a LEGAL update )

I also think you have got it VERY wrong if you think there will be a long line of developers clamoring to make multi-million dollar sample libraries for the future generation of open arrangers and keyboards, when anyone with a computer can go out and clone those sounds for free and post them on the internet for all. There hasn't been a copy protection scheme that can protect SOUNDS. You can protect the base ROM library from wholesale copying (although most copy protection schemes eventually fail), but as the instrument is designed to make a sound, what stops anyone from hooking up a recorder, instead of a PA to any keyboard?

The only thing that can be done is to embed a digital watermark, and this is only of any value if the device is sampled digitally (and doesn't prevent the theft, only makes it easier to prove in court that the sound IS from the disputed sound set).

The truth is, this technology, if unchecked, will spell the end of sound development as we know it. Who in their right mind will spend any money on an expensive sampling project, if he stands to have it pirated before he recoups his investment?

And to be perfectly honest, I don't see ANYTHING on this forum that anyone gives a sh*t about, except perhaps how THEIR arranger is better than all the others! Perhaps it would be better if we DID care...

And James, thank you for so succinctly and informatively explaining the legal definitions to those here who either didn't know them, or chose to ignore it...

But does anyone feel any differently about it now they KNOW...?

Sadly, probably few. Let us just pray no-one's car or house is broken into, and all their expensive keyboards and PA's get stolen. Hard to expect any sympathy, once you have condoned someone else going out and doing the same thing to Yamaha, or Korg, Or Roland, OR JAMES...