All the music I've ever downloaded (and this is not a lie) has either been lost in reformats, disk crashes, etc. or purchased weeks asfter downloading the song. At my height of Kazaa use, I was also buying the most CD's I had ever purchased (some five a month). I, like a poster above, will only purchase something after using it, trying it on, having my neighbor tell me how good it is.
Besides, if it become too hard to download, I'll just burn discs. But if I do that, then I won't buy CD's anymore.
Personally, it makes me mad when people steal music with no intention on purchasing. Those of use who are semi-legit (I'm breaking the law, yes, but then almost making up for it
) use these tools as a service.
What do you think of this: An RIAA website with full length song samples, maybe one or two songs from a CD, with the option to buy after listening. Make the prices a bit lower, since you'll be buying direct from a music industry lobbiest group. I think that would help curb some of this problem.