about 70% of the cd's on my shelf are pirated. i only recently started buying original stuff when i started earning my own money. this is not to say, however, that i've stopped buying pirated.
i admit that a big factor is the price difference between pirated and original. (please check out related forum
http://talk.philmusic.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=1359&highlight=piracy.) another is the selection.
my self-imposed rules on buying or not buying pirated cd's are:
1. never buy pirated cd's of fellow pinoy artists*
2. buy pirated if you really can't find an original copy
3. buy originals if you really can't find a pirated copy
of course who wants to buy (virtually?) stolen goods, right? but i think unless they make original cd's more affordable, people will continue to patronize piracy.
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* this, sadly, i broke on a very few number of ocassions.