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Disney Blames Apple For Music Piracy
Vishniac writes "It looks like Disney CEO Michael Eisner is accusing Apple in part for fostering music piracy, particularly with its 'Rip, Mix, Burn' campaign. Testifying before the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee, Eisner said that the ad suggests to people that 'they can create theft if they buy this computer.' Apple? iMac? Impossible."
they can create theft if they buy this computer
Theft is an act. It is not something that is created. People can create pirate copies of music with this computer, but they can do that with most modern computers. Why pick on Apple? Why not pick on Redhat for shipping GRip and and MP3 encoder with their distro?
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People like Macs in part because they can rip, mix, and burn their purchased CD collection, or tote it around on their iPods. They also like Macs because they come with the tools necessary to put your own videos on DVD and send them to your pals. The latter is a power Disney does not want you to have. All video entertainment must come from the corporate empire. None of it must come from regular people.
Disney is really a hypocrite, I mean it has been proven that a lot of their movies have been ripped off of others, such as Lion King from Kimba the White Lion and Atlantis from Nadia. Where has Apple gone wrong?
Maybe it is because of the Disney and Pixar issue (where Pixar is bound by Disney and they really want to get out of the contract) and Disney is really aiming at Steve Jobs... Thats probably completely wrong but is a thought.
I've always hoped that Disney would purchase Pixar.
Funny, I've always hoped that Pixar would get big enough that they could buy Disney, or at least Disney's feature animation division. Maybe then we'd start seeing decent Disney movies again.
I hope some of the Congressmen realize the difference between "Rip, Mix, Burn" and "Download, Burn." When Apple advertises that their computers can do this, they are in no way advocating stealing anything from the music industry (obviously). When you "rip," you take the music off of a CD that you purchased, when you "mix," you remove the crappy songs from the album that were only included so you don't feel ripped off because you bought a CD with only 2 or 3 good songs on it, or you put the best songs from several albums that you purchased onto one CD, effectively discarding the excess crap that the good ol' music industry always surrounds the good stuff with. And I think that even the elected know what "burn" means.
"Rip, Mix, Burn" does not in any way advocate taking things away from the music industry, in fact it advocates getting rid of the things you paid for but deem worthless.
Lack of eloquence does not denote lack of intelligence, though they often coincide.
Ford is accusing Sears of encouraging theft by their promotion of "Crafstman" brand crowbars, thereby distressing Ford's customers. When asked about the actual legitimate uses for crowbars, a Ford spokesman responded: "What's the first thing that comes into your mind when you hear the word 'Crowbar'? I bet it's smashing things. Maybe smashing windshields. We just want to help keep crowbar wielding thugs off of our streets."
On can wonder how long it will be until Steve will announce that the next Pixar movie won't be released by Disney. Eisner has way more to lose by this stupid move than he has to gain. Most Pixar movies gross over $100 million at the box office. Apple users will have to pirate a hell of a lot of stuff to match the loss to Disney if the next Pixar movie goes to another studio.
If this continues I guess I'll have to boycott Disney someday. Funny, the last purchase I made from Disney was the Tron DVD and if I remember right it was all about giving the users more power. I guess Eisner hasn't seen it.
How is someone supposed to "Rip" if they don't "Own" first? Someone needs to put these companies in their place and protect us from their unbridled greed. We have fair use rights, if we have paid for the music then we are legally allowed to make copies for our own enjoyment. You cannot "Rip" unless you have already purchased the product. Apples rip, mix, burn ads do not encourage theft, they encourage fair use. It is Disney who is encouraging theft by trying to persuade congress to restrict our freedoms for their unfair desire to charge us all multiple times for the same product. Now THAT would be theft.
I see a new Apple ad campaig in the making:
Jobs to Eisner - "Bite. My. Ass."
Actually, what I'd really like to see is Jobs going full-tilt and taking his case public.
How about a picture of Hollings, Eisner, and Valenti, with scrolling text describing what the SSSCA would do to the computer industry. ("In 2002, Congress held hearings on the SSSCA...") with appropriate soundbites on how "they can create theft if they buy this computer" and other Hollywood claptrap droning on in the background, presented on a giant screen, with throngs of dullards staring blankly at the screen, until someone comes in and throws an iPod through the screen, shattering the telestreen (and the images of the Hollywood Cartel spokesdrones) into billions of fragments.
"Rip. Mix. Burn. The reason why 2004 still won't be like 1984"
Your car is the first step in creating DRUNK DRIVERS!
Your lighter is the first step in creating ARSONISTS!
Your Axe is the first step in creating AXE MURDERERS!
Your Penis is the first step in creating RAPISTS _AND_ PEDOPHILES!
Lather, rinse repeat.
If we eliminated all "first step" items, you should just ask Herr Ashcroft to lock up the whole world, and put us all in straight-jackets.
I prefer to take action that use these TOOLS for bad purposes. (notice I sad bad, not illegal. Sometimes these are defininitely not the same.) Taking away the tools simply because some might abuse them is just plain stupid, unless of course, you prefer a totally "unfree" society.
Cheers!