RIAA Going For Individuals

This doesn't make any sense: why would you go after this kid? Shouldn't you sue the people who wrote his operating system and FTP server? *cough* *cough*

*ganked from /.

I love Ars Technica:

To paraphrase Pastor Niemöller:

First they came for the music, book, and image "pirates", and I did not speak out because I did not share copyrighted music, books, or images. Then they came for the licensing agreement violaters, and I did not speak out because I did not hack or reverse engineer. Then they came for the patent infringers, and I did not speak out because I did not independently research or develop pharmaceuticals, software, or hardware. Then they came for me and there was no-one left to speak out for me.

Seizing that kid's computer was expensive. When all is said and done, law enforcement and prosecution costs could easily top six figures. Is that how you want your taxes spent?

Copyright enforcement is set to become a huge, wasteful drain on our limited law enforcement resources. It's essentially millionaires siphoning off an inordinate share of resources that would be better spent protecting the rest of us, who, being the majority, pay far more in taxes.

As Nader says, "Turn on to politics, before it turns on you."

Billy Corgan OWNS the RIAA

http://www.machina2.cjb.net

The problem really is that America lacks the necessary laws to prevent artists getting fucked over by labels.

In the UK we don't have an organisation like the RIAA as such, we have the PRS wich is a non-profit organisation who's goal is to ensure that artists are NEVER ripped off. The PRS has a minimum percentage in place (I believe to be around 40-50%) for artists' share, and get this - It's illegal for any record label to have relations with artists independantly of the PRS. There is a seriously nasty penalty for any label that tries to exploit artists and gets find out.

CD's over here are like 15-20 pounds ($20-25??) which is a lot of money that I don't mind paying because I know the talent behind it is recieving thier fair share. The U.S needs something like this in place to avoid money-grabbing organisations like the the RIAA from obtaining such a stanglehold, and then using the law to maintain this stranglehold in such a strong-arm fashion.

But hey, there are so many fucked up and antiquated(sp?) laws the world over that one more problem isnt going to make a difference.

BH

Artists do not lose money from napster, in fact, they gain money.

When you buy a cd for $20, about 70c goes to the artists. The rest of the money goes to the various distribution channels and the record label. Artists (especially new ones) make their money mostly from tours and merchandise, which is supported by their music.

If they were to set up a subscription service, like napster, and ask for say, $10 a month for unlimited access, I would gladly pay it. And even if only half that went to the artists (we could pay them according to the popularity of their music), we would be paying them far more. $5 a month is like buying 5 albums a month. Who does that?

The RIAA is terrified of this new means of distribution, because they currently have so much control over the industry. Control that they'd lose. So they're trying to stop digital music altogether. This is the typical stubborn, corporate viewpoint that won't work with this new means of music delivery. We are entering a new age, and, even if the RIAA thinks otherwise, they cannot stop technology.

A toast to the future of unlimited music!

Feenix.

It's time that SecureIP, and encryption in general becomes more widespread.

...
That, and an anonymous digital cash system, to make one-click buying/selling easy...

(If it was easier to pay $0.02 for something legally, rather than hunt it down and steal it illegally, most people would do it. If the market can't bear a price online, they'll always be able to go around it.)

shackart.8m.com

SO FUCKING TRUE about linux

it's free, but try finding out how to do "something" in it
playing mpgs
getting 3d games working
etc
(the list is huge) basically all the things we are used to in windows

although one day linux will be easy
wouldnt be surprised if they simplify it, that it looses performance.

Why the hell is this even news? I got busted for the same thing back in 97, only for me the RIAA faxed my univerisity president, and he yanked my connection!

okay "some people make too much money" is pure Karl Marx.

"I want to pay less for a certain good/service" is pure capitalist competition.

just to clear that up. There is a large difference in those two ideas

this is pretty ghey...

Damn, anybody here good with c?

I think they should take this out back and settle it with 2x4's and spiked bats.

Or perhaps a knife fight.

Heh.. Go check out Fairtunes.com

The artists love it. The RIAA etc. hates it, yet can't do anything about it.

www.spinner.com is really good for Internet radio.

Sadly, AOL owns it now but it's still quite good -- the only AOL influence so far is an ad on the app (that you can minimize) for 700 free hours of pretend Internet.

You guys should check out: www.echo.com

It is "radio", but it adjusts to your music interest, no audible advertisements, and you can win stuff.

[although it is buggy and in beta]

IMHO

You know, we can go to a library and read any book we want instead of buying it from a bookstore, you know what that means, WE'RE STEALING FROM THE AUTHORS!!!!

Al Gore
feels so... dirty...

this made me poop

Damn, when I get back to my place, I'm going to stop sharing anything on napster, um... not to say that I use napster in the first place, i just um... I...
PLEASE DON'T HURT ME RIAA!!!

Al Gore

jesus. i went to a record store recently. It was fucking $17.99 to $19.99 for a CD.

Look. A book costs the same as a movie which costs the same as HALF A CD. jesus something is wrong.

Sheesh, was this kid running a massive scale server for mp3's or was he just some lone napster user or something?

Al Gore
(they're after me!!)

No more major label purchases by me. Indie only, and from independant or used record stores if I can.

Of course, that's what the RIAA is afraid of. They know that for every yip-yop out there burning a CD, someone like me is discovering indie label stuff on napster etc. and buying it instead of the heavily promoted commercial stuff they want us to buy.

This shit scares me and pisses me off

This is starting to sound like the "war on drugs"... and we all know how well that's working.

there are some cd's that I just can't resist not buying ... but any more those are becoming few and far between.

I love the RIAA.

They better stop trying to run after people. Damn... and he is just a student. WTF? That's not your computer you ashole of RIAA. If they keep on doing that I will make a server in ethiopia and nobody will be able to reach me there! FUCK YOU RIAA... damn they can't even heard me.

FUCK THE PO-LICE!!!!

http://www.upside.com/News/39c0353b0_yahoo.html
go Courteney!
:]