Tyler sums it up.
He feels because he does not have the money, he should be entitled to learn everything he wants, and then decide if it was worth it to him. Now, this may be fine when it comes to buying TV's, but magic is different.
When you have invested nothing in learning magic, you have no reason to respect or protect it. After all, if you got it for free - why should you care if someone else does as well.
One of the first things we can start doing is standing up when people choose to steal products by downloading them illegally. I know this is a hot topic, but let's face it - if you put something on a peer to peer, and someone gets it for free, can you really be surprised when they choose not to respect it in any form?
Please, please, please, actually read my initial post. First, I DO NOT DOWNLOAD DVDS ILLEGALLY. I DO NOT CONDONE THE ILLEGAL DOWNLOAD OF DVDS OR SONGS OR ANYTHING OF ANY SORT. I find out the method of a trick, and if it isn't a rip off, and if it's practical, and if it's something I'll use, because I respect the artist, I WILL BUY IT. There are many reasons for doing this. Because I respect the artist, and also because I want the teaching. I want to hear what they have to say about performance and the subtitles they teach about whatever trick it is they're teaching. And if you're saying I don't respect the art form, then retract that statement immediately. Not only do I respect the art form, but am pretty well respected in the art form. I'm friends with magicians such as Justin Miller. (view my website) So, please take that statement back ASAP, cause it's far from the truth.
Second, we can't hide behind the "well, it's not illegal" excuse. Lot's of things are not illegal, but that doesn't mean that are not wrong. We, as a community, should not support companies and "creators" when they release products that are ethically suspect.
Once again, please read my initial post. I AGREED WITH YOU. It is wrong and it is unethical. But there isn't anything, as far as the law goes, that we can do about it. All we can do is stop buying from these companies that copy other companies or artists effects. I was just merely saying that you can't copyright an idea, so what they are doing isn't against the law, so we can't take them down that way.
Now, most people won't do this because 1) we have this mentality that if the person is a "nice guy" they can get away with anything and 2) people are greedy - they want to cool trick and they don't care who got screwed as long as they get it
If you are referencing me, then I'm referencing paragraph one.
Third, we need to hold other people's creations and work in higher regard. That includes being careful of what we share on the internet. I know we all have an interest in magic, but we need to be sure that the people who are asking are serious and ready for that information. I'm not suggesting we cut off all information, but I think we can choose to be respectful of other's work when we decide to talk about it. And these "online communities" Tyler likes to call his exposure sites don't care who comes to learn - it can be a serious magician, or someone from your high school who just wants to try and figure out your tricks. They don't care. If you support them, you're saying YOU don't care.
Let me start off by saying that I DO NOT condone wide open online magic communities that do not put magicians through a screening process. PUBLIC EXPOSURE FORUMS ARE WRONG! The forum I am a part of only consists of 40 members, highly skilled members. In order to join you must first pass a test before you can even register. It's a 10 question test with questions such as "What is an Erdnase Shift?", and so forth. After this, if people have passed, they must post an introduction telling all the members why they love magic, how they got started out in magic, what kind of magic they like, and what their favorite effect is. I can also vouch for 90% of the forum when I say that they do the same thing I do. If a trick is a rip-off, then no one buys it or uses it. Why would you use something crappy? But, if a trick is good, practical, and something that will be used, it is then bought. Even though I do not condone forums that are open to the public or easily accessible, I think online magician communities are acceptable. I don't throw the baby out with the bath water.
If you've created something and want to share it - that's fine. But when you start telling other people's secrets - then you have done them a great disservice and I cannot hold any respect for that behavior.
Finally, what can we do? Well, it's happening. There are some great tricks that are being sold person to person - never advertised - and for very high prices. That way the creator knows who got them, and knows that they have invested enough to protect what they bought.
The down side, for many, means that a lot of people - people like Tyler, will never know these amazing pieces of magic exist, let alone be able to perform them. It's what creators have to do now that they know the community will not stand up for them, that they rationalize getting their information for free rather than paying the person who may have spent years of their life creating something beautiful.
LOL Like me? Like I said before, I'm well respected in the magic community. I knew about "Holy Grail" from Jordan before you or anyone else (except for a few people), knew it was even going to be released. He actually sent me the test videos of the trick so I could give him my opinion. He knows I'm part of the online magic community, yet he knows how I work and had no problem telling me how the trick was accomplished so I could tell him whether it was practical or not. I actually know about a trick right now that you and most of you don't even know about. So, I find that paragraph extremely humorous! 
Like I said, when that happens, lots of people lose out.
Seems your losing out more than me. Shame, eh?
