The real value of a copying device is much lower than it's market price, the extra money you payed for your device goes to copy right and such organisations, like say cd-rw goes to research for new technology that could prevent copying games, music etc..., lasercopier, go to the organisation in charge of the rights of book writers etc...
Same goes for the mediums, the price for a CD-RW disc is much lower than it's market prize, so everytime you buy such CD's you countribute to the research...
