In the 90’s it was all about sharing music. Internet surfers could download one another’s music files and acquire huge collection of music for little if any money. Usually, at the time, the only cost to the downloader was the blank CD’s on which he or she would burn the tunes. Now, though, it has gotten much bigger (and a bit more legal in most cases).

There are many websites going now that allow you to download full DVD quality movies and television programs. You can burn these onto CD’s or DVD’s and watch them at home when you like. If you don’t have the means to burn them, you can simply store them on disk and watch them on your laptop or PC at your convenience. An increasing number of cinema fans are taking advantage of such services.

When the music downloading and sharing of the 90’s and early in the 00’s was popular, the music industry fought back via lawsuits. The Recording Industry Associate of America began filing lawsuits against those who shared a large quantity of files. Similarly, users of these movie sharing websites should be aware of copyright infringement. On most of the websites, the users are encouraged to use the file sharing or file downloading services carefully to avoid prosecution. Curiously, most of them do not discourage copyright infringement. Instead, they generally have detailed instructions and tips for use so that users can avoid being caught or avoid prosecution from those holding the copyrights. The sites talk about keeping “incriminating” files out of share folders, disabling share features on your computer most of the time, and even being careful not to name files with names that will give them away as infringing downloads. You have to give credit to the sites, though. Keeping users out of jail and court is really good for business.