Chances are that any videotape of a recent sitcom is bootleg.  As I understand
the status of this murky portion of law, it is o.k. to copy for personal use,
e.g., time shift.  It is not o.k. to take that copy into your classroom,
though as a practical matter who's going to know?
 
But trading tapes over a public network ? ? ? ?
 
The film/tv industry has a bureau of ex-FBI-CIA types chasing down this kind of
bootlegging.  In fact, a faculty member whose name many of you know was
arrested for somesuch trading of bootleg film tapes.  This was a while back;
I don't know how it turned out.  But it was a difficult period for all.
 
Cal Pryluck                               <PRYLUCK@TEMPLEVM>
Dept of Radio-Television-Film             <[log in to unmask]>
Temple University
Philadelphia, PA 19122