Its murky water, for sure!
As I've said before, on here, I think 'legitimate' vinyl (or legal format) is a much better approach... for two main reasons.
1) because we should never condone the promotion of illegitimate bootlegs
2) because the oVo approach, where, (to use Mark's earlier example) the owner of a Rouser copy of Frank Beverley would get prior 'play' over someone with only a humble Fairmount copy, is really all about oneupmanship and nothing to do with Music, legitimacy or legality.
If I want to play my UK Capitol Alexander Patton, do I first need to check to see if anyone else wants to play their US copy (assuming they've got a 'proper' US copy ) because my copy is not the US 'original'?.
I would say, of course not - its nonsense.
After all, the scene was built on UK issues of US recordings.
Jock makes a better point regarding 'fresh sounds'.
We should all leave our Alexander Patton's and Frank Beverley's at home!
Sean