just wonderin' what obners do. which best describes you?

("without payment" ~= "ill eagle e")

used to do it, dont anymore.

Yes, whole albums only buying when i definitely like 'em

There's no appropriate option. I can't say never. I'll ocassionally download something via ysi but half the time they sit on my computer unlistened to.

If I want something I usually will just buy it. And if I don't want it enough to buy it, I usually am not that curious to even listen to it.

option 4

option 4, but i'll admit that financial pressures, a lack of convenient & good used record stores, and a lack of time have been pushing me toward option 3.

Sheesh, good thing I am in the majority on this, although the closest decent record store to me is in...maybe Mexico City? The financial pressure goes like this:

Wife: You want to place another amazon order?
Me: Yeah, you want me to throw in anything for you, if I go over $300 it's all the same...
Wife: No way, man, put down the card and step away from the computer.
Me: aren't you sleepy? Maybe a nap?

I never download for a variety of reasons.

a) Only having dial up at home it's not really practical
b) It takes all the fun and excitement out of being a music fan, I rather like going into the city and touring the record stores and I also like to listen to bought albums 'fresh' without having heard them before.
c) MP3's sound like shit and so do my PC speakers.
d) I actually respect copyright and think it is wrong for people to download albums, keep them and not pay for them.

I don't really download much these days unless I get it YSI or through 3hive, fluxblog, Pitchfork, etc.
When I moved in with my girlfriend I opened and itunes account, but after one mix cd, I stopped purchasing downloads.

I don't really think I'm doing anything as illegal as when I had Kazaa and Winmx. YSI is no worse than having a friend burn you a copy most of the time, and most people never get busted for burning a disc they bought or were given.

i download tons of shit, i buy tons of shit.

you should get good stuff instead of shit

a bit of option 3 and 4. i'll buy albums if i really like them but i download A LOT more than i buy.

I download dozens of songs a day. Generally, I download three tracks off an album. Usually taking any of the ones that AllMusic gives a checkmark next to in their review.

Based on three random tracks, I should be able to tell whether I'd like the album or not. If I like all 3, I add it to my shopping list. If I don't like any of them, I delete them. If I like 1 or 2, I download some more to see.

I very rarely download whole albums and I never download albums before the release date.

you downloading scum! WHAT ABOUT THE ARTISTS!???

Download a ton. Also subscribe to emusic, which I love. Sorry to say, I'm easily sliding into the digital file realm and I only rarely visit my beloved record store. I have so many goddamn CD's that it is plain silly. MP3's still irk me a bit, but for convenience sake, I can deal. I am pleased with my hookup to the home stereo and I rarely touch CD's anymore.

also...when i go to shows - and i like a band that is playing, 9 times out of ten i will buy the cd and a tshirt. i dont usually buy cds from stores anymore due to the fact that all the good ones are gone now. best buy is pretty much the only place to get music at a decent price

Single tracks, mostly because I listen to stuff at work and home and like the variety.

Also full albums make me paranoid. Like they's nano-bots in the big files gonna come out the computer and take my sandwich or something.

i've never downloaded a song illegally.

i rarely download and buy depending on whether i want it or not. If its crap i usually delete it. And i only ever download from YSI links from Obner anyway.

i've also noticed that if i go into newbury comics, i'll usually only buy albums that are on sale. the regular prices of albums there are around $15 and i figure i can find a better deal on amazon.

I've really throttled back. In college I barely bought anything because of free promos and the burgeoning college network and napster/etc at the time. However, now that I'm in the real world and have a job, etc I try to buy as much as possible. Most of my friends as me to rip or copy shit for them, and it annoys the hell out of me. Needless to say, I'll dl now only if it is a)live and unreleased b)rarities/bsides which I won't import c)only sampling a song or two to see a bands sound.