The Voice of Heard/Copyright: Why Is It So Grey?

When I see the word 'copyright' while I install a computer game or watch a movie, it usually goes like this: "This product is protected by copyright laws and may not be reproduced or resold in any way.  Any violators will face criminal penalties with either a fine or 5 years in prison."  This is an industrial regulation that serves to prevent product pirating, right?  But when it comes to just simply sharing any creative product free of charge, whether it be music, movies, and video games, the definition of 'copyright' gets really blurry.

I've been thinking about the issue recently.  As I was planning to write this blog, I just happen to come across a few interesting articles that discuss the flaws of copyright and the potential impact that it can have on creativity and cultural interaction.  Here are the links to the articles:

http://www.locusmag.com/Features/2008/11/cory-doctorow-why-i-copyfight.html

http://www.wccatv.com/node/13494

Suppose I just happen to view an uploaded movie on Youtube or AOL Video.  Who would be violating the copyright laws?  Me, the viewer, or whoever uploaded it in the first place?  Also, when I temporarilly download a comic book from a fan website and view it before I delete it from the temporary file folder, is it a violation of copyright law?  Finally, if a download a program that lets me install computer games that are more than 10 years old, such as Doom, Duke Nukem, or Dark Forces, for free, am I violating copyright law for downloading an DOS program, which is obsolete by today's standards?  I just wish this whole copyright thing makes more sense.  It should be understandable by basically not being so grey as it is right now.