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OT: The recording industry strikes again.

Started by User 01001010,

106 posts in this topic

bronze_rules

bronze_rules

Posted
Posted

The sky is the limit when it comes to awarding fines for a 'poor' citizen. :censored: Yet, when the Madoffs of the world steal billions, they only have to pay a small fraction of the crime (assuming they are ever brought to trial). Why can't they be fined 10 trillion dollars for all the collateral damage they have done? You can argue that they influenced and or participated in a chain of other losses along the industry (slide in trillion dollar multi-market meltdown). etc... just as they made the weak argument that she stole and distributed multiple copies.

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the blob

the blob

Posted
Posted

madoff will ultimately get a $50-75 billion judgment against him, which won't mean much. i'm outraged that his family and colleagues haven't been indicted and had all their assets frozen.

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topofthetotem

topofthetotem

Posted
Posted
there really isn't much excuse for this sort of file sharing when you can download these songs so cheaply and there are so many gimmicks and coupons where you can get tons of free and legal downloads (I kept on "winning" itunes or mp3 downloads every time i drank a diet dr. pepper...I don't have that stuff, so i tossed them out)

 

of course, most of the music i listen to is 25-45 years old, with few exceptions, so most of it I can find in the discount box half price or way less at music for less, then again, i'm a caveman who listens to DVDs!

 

you are old. i kid of course unless you are old. but the older the music the better (esp the blues)

 

but can anyone tell me what that whole shine on you crazy diamond means? my google search doesn't go back that far.

 

j

Syd Barrett tribute
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He11blazer

He11blazer

Posted
Posted
I agree with Junkenstein.

 

"Harmless file sharing" though Hellblazer? Do you really believe it's harmless?? I'd urge you to read some of the more modern economic books out, that would disagree with you. Hastings is a national "media" store, selling music/books/movies. I'd bet that within 5 yrs they will no longer exist, a large part due to people not renting dvds or buying their music (and with only 10% of our population even reading books anymore, well... go figure). There are 5x Hastings that employee 70-80 people each in our city alone, so when I know 400-500 people will be out of work, I do not see it as "harmless".

 

Sure, sure I'm not blaming 100% on this of course, but I use that as more of an example to the crumbling of our retail sector in today's market. I'm not above downloading items either, not implying that. Just stating that "harmless" is about the last word I'd use to describe it.

 

I'm late in replying so others have already said it. Changing technologies make certain lines of business redundant. So be it. Those people will have to adapt and find new lines of business. That's a simple unavoidable fact of life (unless you're a luddite ;) )

 

I go further than most in this whole debate by proposing the abolition of all copyright and patent law. Crazy right? But it's not. Present technology makes it extremely easy to perfectly duplicate all intellectual property, music and video faster than it can be produced and distributed globally within seconds. Why fight it?

 

Oh I know what those who hold a stake in the present system say. "We won't make any more films, because there's no profit in it!" lol Ridiculous! If there were absolutely no money to be made by composing and performing music, do you suppose our culture would cease to produce any? Of course not!

 

The best (or perhaps only true) art is created as its own reward. Because the artist had something to say. Because the artist wanted to communicate something to the world, and because they had a special talent that burned to be used.

 

As for all that insipid, meaningless fluff that dominates the airwaves? Factory produced and marketed to make money. I'm all for dismantling the machinery that makes it worthwhile.

 

So even if making music, film and other art never earned the artist a penny, I suspect the world would have at least as much quality output of each as ever. It would be easier to find too, as we wouldn't be beaten about the head with the latest soulless dross churned out by the moneymen.

 

Regardless of all that, there would still be plenty of money to be made for great performers. Concerts are as popular as ever and earn huge sums for the performers. The cinema is strong too. As long as it is an experience that can't be matched in the home, people will go. Even if they didn't, I don't mind.

 

A world without copyright would be a less greedy world, and a much better world. A lot would change, and many businesses would cease to have a function, but I've never been a fan of preserving pointless functions just so someone can have a job. Find them a new, worthwhile job! Put the energy into something useful!

 

Enough. I could go on all night. Believe that while I sound crazy when I say we should drop all copyright, I HAVE thought it through and I believe I CAN defend the position logically and decisively.

 

rantrant

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the blob

the blob

Posted
Posted

sorry hellblazer, but i think you're dead wrong. while i don't think bankrupting single moms is the answer, eliminating IP protection will basically eliminate some of the only industries that the U.S. and Europe (and Japan) can effectively compete in -- basically creative ones and developing new technology, science, drugs, etc. punishing the innovators is hardly a way to spur the economy. we're not going to compete with china in making plastic widgets, but we can compete in developing the latest technology, some of which is too sensitive to be made abroad where it will get ripped off.

 

believe it or not, i read somewhere that the value of U.S. manufacturing is twice that of china. germany is the biggest exporter in the world. this is, in large part, because of high end and high tech products that require IP protection (I don't know if movies an entertainment products are counted in that figure, but a heck of a lot of people here rely on jobs in those industries). believe me, the economy of the U.K. benefits PLENTY from IP protection. heck, the taxes collected on the royalties from the Harry Potter books and movies probably pay for half of your national healthcare budget!

 

not to mention, copyright, patent, etc...that stuff is in the U.S Constitution (not guaranteed, but the Constitution contemplates setting up a copyright and patent office, etc.), so you foreignors ain't gonnah take it away (heck, Europe is even more hyperprotective of copyright than the U.S.)

 

as for patents...who is going to spend $500 million developing a cure for cancer if some generic pharma company in india can just rip it off the next day? i'm not defending obscene pharma pricing or profits, but am defending making a reasonable profit on huge investments

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He11blazer

He11blazer

Posted
Posted
sorry hellblazer, but i think you're dead wrong. while i don't think bankrupting single moms is the answer, eliminating IP protection will basically eliminate some of the only industries that the U.S. and Europe (and Japan) can effectively compete in -- basically creative ones and developing new technology, science, drugs, etc. punishing the innovators is hardly a way to spur the economy. we're not going to compete with china in making plastic widgets, but we can compete in developing the latest technology, some of which is too sensitive to be made abroad where it will get ripped off.

 

believe it or not, i read somewhere that the value of U.S. manufacturing is twice that of china. germany is the biggest exporter in the world. this is, in large part, because of high end and high tech products that require IP protection (I don't know if movies an entertainment products are counted in that figure, but a heck of a lot of people here rely on jobs in those industries). believe me, the economy of the U.K. benefits PLENTY from IP protection. heck, the taxes collected on the royalties from the Harry Potter books and movies probably pay for half of your national healthcare budget!

 

not to mention, copyright, patent, etc...that stuff is in the U.S Constitution (not guaranteed, but the Constitution contemplates setting up a copyright and patent office, etc.), so you foreignors ain't gonnah take it away (heck, Europe is even more hyperprotective of copyright than the U.S.)

 

as for patents...who is going to spend $500 million developing a cure for cancer if some generic pharma company in india can just rip it off the next day? i'm not defending obscene pharma pricing or profits, but am defending making a reasonable profit on huge investments

 

Well, it's important to my argument to note that I do not care to promote the interests of any nation over any other. The world at present is grossly unfair in the division of wealth, and whilst I enjoy my relatively luxurious existence as a 'working class' citizen of the UK, as a matter of priniciple I would support a more even distribution of wealth even though that would mean a considerable reduction in my own quality of life.

 

Why should I have it easy just because of an accident of birth? I just happened to be born in the UK instead of Namibia. I don't deserve better living conditions just because of where I happened to pop into existence.

 

So fine, there would probably be changes in the distribution of wealth if all IP was free. Clearly that is not a concern of mine.

 

No incentive for innovation? What do University researchers do? They are not well paid. Investment in things like cancer research comes largely from government and charity at present, as well as corporate. I would like to see all of it come from government. A government that uses taxpayer's money wisely rather than spending obscene sums lining the pockets of their arms-dealing puppetmasters (etc.)

 

Look, I don't want to spend all night ranting. You can see I'm a bit of an idealist. I can see how the world could and should be, to my mind, and although it seems wildly naive and impractical to most I sincerely think that is because they just haven't thought things through to their logical conclusion.

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bronze_rules

bronze_rules

Posted
Posted

Dr. Soberin Exx and team

44bdh.jpg

 

At a certain point, you just have to realize everyone's mind is wired differently.

At the end of the day, might makes right.

 

 

Although I do agree with the merits of IP protection, there are far better things that can be accomplished with your lofty goals in mind. Much like press detection, however, it's best to succumb to the realization that they'll never get implemented.

 

 

Christ I sound like Vizzini don't I?

 

vizzini.jpg

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shortstack comics

shortstack comics

Posted
Posted
sorry hellblazer, but i think you're dead wrong. while i don't think bankrupting single moms is the answer, eliminating IP protection will basically eliminate some of the only industries that the U.S. and Europe (and Japan) can effectively compete in -- basically creative ones and developing new technology, science, drugs, etc. punishing the innovators is hardly a way to spur the economy. we're not going to compete with china in making plastic widgets, but we can compete in developing the latest technology, some of which is too sensitive to be made abroad where it will get ripped off.

 

believe it or not, i read somewhere that the value of U.S. manufacturing is twice that of china. germany is the biggest exporter in the world. this is, in large part, because of high end and high tech products that require IP protection (I don't know if movies an entertainment products are counted in that figure, but a heck of a lot of people here rely on jobs in those industries). believe me, the economy of the U.K. benefits PLENTY from IP protection. heck, the taxes collected on the royalties from the Harry Potter books and movies probably pay for half of your national healthcare budget!

 

not to mention, copyright, patent, etc...that stuff is in the U.S Constitution (not guaranteed, but the Constitution contemplates setting up a copyright and patent office, etc.), so you foreignors ain't gonnah take it away (heck, Europe is even more hyperprotective of copyright than the U.S.)

 

as for patents...who is going to spend $500 million developing a cure for cancer if some generic pharma company in india can just rip it off the next day? i'm not defending obscene pharma pricing or profits, but am defending making a reasonable profit on huge investments

 

Well, it's important to my argument to note that I do not care to promote the interests of any nation over any other. The world at present is grossly unfair in the division of wealth, and whilst I enjoy my relatively luxurious existence as a 'working class' citizen of the UK, as a matter of priniciple I would support a more even distribution of wealth even though that would mean a considerable reduction in my own quality of life.

 

Why should I have it easy just because of an accident of birth? I just happened to be born in the UK instead of Namibia. I don't deserve better living conditions just because of where I happened to pop into existence.

 

So fine, there would probably be changes in the distribution of wealth if all IP was free. Clearly that is not a concern of mine.

 

No incentive for innovation? What do University researchers do? They are not well paid. Investment in things like cancer research comes largely from government and charity at present, as well as corporate. I would like to see all of it come from government. A government that uses taxpayer's money wisely rather than spending obscene sums lining the pockets of their arms-dealing puppetmasters (etc.)

 

Look, I don't want to spend all night ranting. You can see I'm a bit of an idealist. I can see how the world could and should be, to my mind, and although it seems wildly naive and impractical to most I sincerely think that is because they just haven't thought things through to their logical conclusion.

 

cartmanhippies.jpg

 

even though I partially agree with you

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StarkEnterprises

StarkEnterprises

Posted
Posted
Where's the 'high-five' emote? Metallica died with Cliff (he wrote a lot of Justice's material, ya know).

 

This thread reminded me of this old gem:

(NSFW launguage)

 

Grabasses...BAD!

 

lol, I loved those Metallica spoofs by Camp Chaos. Death Magnetic was actually a decent album but I bet ex-pat, Dave Mustaine, will still blow them away when Megadeth's Endgame comes out in September. Dave has been kicking their asses creatively since 1990 when the badass record that is Rust In Peace was released.

 

Back to the topic at hand. First off: people still use Kazaa? I stopped using it years ago. Bit torrent is the way to go! And, yeah, the record industry have been trying to delay the inevitable for years now. They still don't realise that it's not working.

 

Let's try a little test. Here's this week's Billboard Top 10 albums. How many of these acts have you folks heard of?

 

1 Black Eyed Peas - The E.N.D. (Energy Never Dies)

2 Dave Matthews Band - Big Whiskey & The Groogrux King

3 Eminem - Relapse

4 Chickenfoot - Chickenfoot

5 Aventura- Last

6 Lady Gaga - The Fame

7 Hannah Montana - Movie Soundtrack

8 Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown

9 Mos Def - Ecstatic

10 Pleasure P - Introduction Of Marcus Cooper

 

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the blob

the blob

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Posted

No incentive for innovation? What do University researchers do? They are not well paid.

--------------

 

do you know many university researchers who are doing research into cutting edge drugs and what not? in the u.s. they do quite nicely. honestly, i don't know about europe.

 

if the namibians want to raise their standard of living perhaps they should focus on doing so rather than clan warare, corruption or whatever else is keeping them down. south korea, a dirt poor country 60 years ago with virtually no natural resourses managed to bring itself up to a world class economy, sure, in part due to good cheap labor, which is not so cheap anymore, but nowadays they have a lot of innovation and what not.

 

i happen to live in a country that i don't want to see averaged out with the third world. their standard of living can rise without our standard of living being lowered. it is not a zero sum game. i'm all in favor of susidizng AIDS drugs and what not, but they don't need to get our software and movies for free.

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the blob

the blob

Posted
Posted

Quote:

 

Let's try a little test. Here's this week's Billboard Top 10 albums. How many of these acts have you folks heard of?

 

1 Black Eyed Peas - The E.N.D. (Energy Never Dies)

2 Dave Matthews Band - Big Whiskey & The Groogrux King

3 Eminem - Relapse

 

6 Lady Gaga - The Fame (only as a personality/cover of magazines)

7 Hannah Montana - Movie Soundtrack (only as a personality, no doubt I've heard snippets of songs)

8 Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown

9 Mos Def - Ecstatic

 

The above are who I have heard of. Surprisingly, most of the top 10. I barely listen to current music except when my wife turns on the radio in the car.

 

 

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Mr.Diggler

Mr.Diggler

Posted
Posted
Apparently not....and Metallica will remain forvever douchebags in my mind for calling fans who downloaded songs thieves. Talk about asssholes who have lost touch with reality.

I agree 100%! IMHO They are the thieves for putting out albums after "And Justice for All".

 

Where's the 'high-five' emote? Metallica died with Cliff (he wrote a lot of Justice's material, ya know).

 

This thread reminded me of this old gem:

(NSFW launguage)

 

Grabasses...BAD!

 

(thumbs u :roflmao::roflmao:

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