There is probably no one here who is any more passionate about theater than I am and I can certainly say that if the technology had existed years ago and tapes were made of the old Broadway stars I would LOVE to have seen them.
However, the technology did not exist and hence we don't have film of the original plays of Shakespeare etc. Just because we have the technology doesn't mean that we should use it in ways that will violate the rights of others. We could say the same thing about cloning and stem cell research. We have to be careful not to justify the results by saying that we have the ability to do it so therefore it must be OK
I am ALL FOR professional archiving of shows and wish that they would make these available for purchase. I also wish that I could have more money to spend on things like vacation. But I don't go out and steal it just because I want it.
To ask if we would feel differently if the law were not in place is a bit naive. Just because there WAS no law to allow blacks to vote...didn't mean that I didn't BELIEVE they should be able to vote. Artists (who don't make much anyway -- at least most of us) lose money every day on scalping and bootlegging in every part of the entertainment industry.
You can SAY it isn't true but it doesn't make it any less true. As Ugarte said, if you WANT to sell and/or buy bootlegs, at least be honest enough to say that you just flat out don't care whether it's legal or not and whether it hurts anyone or not.
"Life is a lesson in humility"