If someone owns something rare he can use it in a trade to get another rare thing. If he simply shares his rarity with everyone, he has no way of getting more stuff. Also, if they get a rare item it is often with a condition that they don't share it so, if they want to keep trading and sharing, they keep it for themselves. Of course this is a flawed system where everyone ends up with less than they could theoretically have.
We are lucky that there are so many community minded collectors around. I think most of them adhere to the honor-code I mention above but they also give each other permission to share, to improve. They most important of all are, I think, the people who take a recording and make it better. Because of their work, collectors get something back when an item is shared. They get a better version of the stuff they had and everyone wins.
My point is, say thank you when people share. Say thank you when people make a recording better. It encourages others to share more stuff.
Some people have gone to great time and expense to obtain certain things that have a rarity value. They have amassed collections over a number of years and built up friendships that have allowed them access to material based on trust. They shouldn't be expected nor inclined to do anything with those things that they don't want to do.
It should be enough just to know that there ARE rarities out there and that they ARE in safe hands.
Basically what oligneisti says. The reality is uglier with some people but I don't care about that anymore. And yes, if someone spends lots of money on a rare item containing an undocumented recording, why would they share it on the Internet when it can become a key to other valuable collectibles... You don't share a diamond after you buy it; you either use it to brag, to trade or you devote yourself to keep it safe and out of the way from other people - and it can also get lost in a number of ways.
Still, it's a slippery slope. Lots of things around that should have never seen the light of day without creator approval, but us fans love to listen to them anyway. It's a no-ethics zone but maybe we don't think it ever has to be.
Like @oligneisti said, we have to be thankful for what people contribute to this forum even if it's someone who shares a few things. Something is better than nothing. But the more they share, the more it encourages other fans to share their things. Have you seen the outcome since the release of the movie?
Yes trading is more fun, and I miss those days. Mind you, you have to be carful regarding trading partners as sometimes the show or tracks promised would not be what you'd finally get. I remember a Polish guy, went by name of Przemo or something, was constantly ripping people off. It didn't happen with me, but did to a friend. Luckily I had something he really wanted and I wouldn't give him anything until he played fair with others.
He appeared on many bad trader lists. Remember them?
dudeofqueen wrote:
Some people have gone to great time and expense to obtain certain things that have a rarity value. They have amassed collections over a number of years and built up friendships that have allowed them access to material based on trust. They shouldn't be expected nor inclined to do anything with those things that they don't want to do.
It should be enough just to know that there ARE rarities out there and that they ARE in safe hands.
I think that collectors are in no way obligated to share their treasures with us peasants and I'm very grateful for every time they still choose to do so, but why would I be comforted knowing that some gems will be in the collectors' cold hands once they're in their coffin? Do my ears produce a special kind of radiation that will affect the original recording if I listen to a copy?
If safety means tracks remain unheard forever, wouldn't NOT recording them be even safer? Come to think of it, the safest option would be to destroy them right now. That way no harm can ever come to them. If you're against sharing that's just fine, but this is strange reasoning indeed.