So, I posted a score in lossless in its own thread about 2 months ago. Today I see that someone else started a new thread posting the same item, but in Mp3. It uses my custom cover so it would seem someone just downloaded my flac version, converted it to Mp3, and posted that version as their own offering. Since my links are still valid, and since most people can convert flac to Mp3, it seems like an unnecessary duplication. I try to post unusual (rarer) stuff and go to some length to offer it in the best way possible (i.e. double-checking the format, noting audio quality, sprucing up covers...) and it's a little too easy for someone to just come along and "borrow" all that effort. I suppose it'll happen on other sites I may never see, but I'm a little offended it happened here. Should I be?

You shouldn't be, happens all the time here. I've gotten used to it happening, but i haven't seen many people reuploading my stuff lately. Kinda wish they would now though, save me some time :P

Ask yourself a few questions:

- Am I the actual proprietary of the music I'm sharing? (The most likely answer is "No")
- Do I have any right to share it, in the first place? (In your particular case it would be 50% between yes and no, but I believe the rights' holders would tell you to stop sharing such stuff, should they discover what you're doing).

So, in the end, feeling offended because someone borrowed from you something which wasn't yours to begin with? That's wrong. View it this way: they're offering a service to those who can't afford to download a bigger file just to convert it, or again, a different mirror/link.

I'll never understand how people can actually get annoyed/pissed over something like this... Sure, you spent time ripping, uploading, perhaps scanning the whole "package", but still... You don't own a thing. It's not like you can come up and say: "Hey, man/lady! I'm the only one allowed to upload/offer this & that!"... I can easily imagine the actual copyright(s) holders show up: "Care to say that again, huh, guy?".
Oh, the times where people shared just for the sake of sharing and not to boost some damn web-ego/get useless credit.... Luckily this "race" hasn't disappeared, yet.

EDIT:
Don't get what I wrote the wrong way, please. I sincerely believe it's awesome that there are people like you which share some of the rarest stuff, but I also appreciate those who go and convert/mirror it... without your - unneeded - authorization, folks. These guys are offering a nice service to the whole community, too. They deserve a bit of gratitude.

some ppeople do appreciate having a different format available (or the shorter download of mp3). i prefer to see multiple links for the same thing anyways, because it increases redundancy and helps ensure that as many people get the chance as possible to get the music. i know that i've missed a couple of your uploads for a week or so until someone comments or thanks you in the thread for it, and that is with me checking all new posts every day or so.

I'm not sure my original question deserves LSK's caffeinated reply, but I do think he raises some good points. The gist of it seems to be that since I don't own the music I share, why should I care that I can't control what happens to it.

This has been my position: ffshrine has always seemed like a special, though very big, club to me. I add extra info to my posts because I think people here genuinely care about movies and movie music. I go into technicalities about a recording because so many ffshriners asked about it when I didn't. I now only share here, upload to 1 service, and use a password----not because I think I own the music, but out of respect for it, as it does bother me that something I share so earnestly can be re-distributed so indiscriminately. Transcoded, edited, muddled, perhaps mangled in the process---I saw it as a threat to integrity. So that's why I cared.

But upon reflection this position now seems a little high-minded, and certainly too personal! So in the end I have to say "thanks" to LSK for giving me a needed slap in the face by wisely reminding me that the world of file-sharing goes way beyond ffshrine and is basically a free-for-all. I will remember that and will try to not be bothered by it.

I offer my apologies if I sounded too harsh in my previous message, but I can't help it when this particular aspect gets "approached/touched":

It may have been "your" share, originally, but the work/music still belongs to someone else. Learn to live with the fact that there are those who will reupload what you shared, perhaps even going as far as claiming "their share"... it gets slightly better for you, because... you know... regardless of what you may think, you are in no position to do shit about it. I mean, remind me what you just did? Here, I'll tell you: you took other guys' work and offered it, without the smallest "authorization" to do it, in 95% of cases... You don't seem that different from the folks which annoy you, to me. In case you failed to realize it, I'll try another way: you both did the same, fucking, thing. Not very mature to get mad at them because they do to you what you do to others.
Just for the sake of honesty, that's what I usually answer to this type of thread... It looks like I still have a lot of work to do on the "sugar" part.

I'm not sure my original question deserves LSK's caffeinated reply, but I do think he raises some good points. The gist of it seems to be that since I don't own the music I share, why should I care that I can't control what happens to it.

This has been my position: ffshrine has always seemed like a special, though very big, club to me. I add extra info to my posts because I think people here genuinely care about movies and movie music. I go into technicalities about a recording because so many ffshriners asked about it when I didn't. I now only share here, upload to 1 service, and use a password----not because I think I own the music, but out of respect for it, as it does bother me that something I share so earnestly can be re-distributed so indiscriminately. Transcoded, edited, muddled, perhaps mangled in the process---I saw it as a threat to integrity. So that's why I cared.

But upon reflection this position now seems a little high-minded, and certainly too personal! So in the end I have to say "thanks" to LSK for giving me a needed slap in the face by wisely reminding me that the world of file-sharing goes way beyond ffshrine and is basically a free-for-all. I will remember that and will try to not be bothered by it.

that was a most excellent response, imho.

as a sidenote, i definitely appreciate the care that goes into making your releases :D

LSK wrote (italics)....
Learn to live with the fact that there are those who will re-upload what you shared.
OK, but I think I ended my reply by already saying I would.
You both did the same, fucking, thing.
In terms of us both sharing music we don’t own, yes. But otherwise, no. I try to share something original, not piggyback on others who do.
You are in no position to do shit about it.
Well, I could choose not to share at all.
Just for the sake of honesty, that's what I usually answer to this type of thread... It looks like I still have a lot of work to do on the "sugar" part.
My original message ended as a question. You answered it and gave me some things to think about. Mission accomplished, no sugar necessary.

So, I posted a score in lossless in its own thread about 2 months ago. Today I see that someone else started a new thread posting the same item, but in Mp3. It uses my custom cover so it would seem someone just downloaded my flac version, converted it to Mp3, and posted that version as their own offering. Since my links are still valid, and since most people can convert flac to Mp3, it seems like an unnecessary duplication. I try to post unusual (rarer) stuff and go to some length to offer it in the best way possible (i.e. double-checking the format, noting audio quality, sprucing up covers...) and it's a little too easy for someone to just come along and "borrow" all that effort. I suppose it'll happen on other sites I may never see, but I'm a little offended it happened here. Should I be?

Rare stuff should be re-uploaded as much as possible. Gets it out there and if you ever loose it there's a chance someone will have it on hand and be able to get it back to you.

I like it when people upload Mp3 because it saves me a slow ass download for something I'm going to convert anyways.

in contrast with the above i do greatly appreciate flac/lossless. multiple mirrors would be ideal, but i would personally leave it up to others to upload mp3. especially with something as rare as what yyou post.

If it bothers you that much, just convert your own FLAC version after all the tagging and share both.

Recurring phenomenon... :(

Recurring phenomenon... :(

Indeed.