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Ebert, Gillmor on the Music Industry

TTop writes "Roger Ebert has weighed in with a scathing critique of the Universal Music Group and its new copy-protection scheme which renders CDs unplayable in non-Windows operating systems, DVD players, and CD-compatible game consoles. It's nice to see the mainstream press start to come out against the idiotic copy-protection war the RIAA is declaring on their best customers, music lovers. Having to agree to a legal contract to hear a CD you've purchased on your own PC? Puh-leeze. Ebert compares these copy-protection schemes to Circuit City's failed DIVX DVD format." Columnist Dan Gillmor wrote a piece a few days ago about drawing a line in the sand.

14 of 514 comments (clear)

  1. Weighed in? by FortKnox · · Score: 0, Funny

    Roger Ebert has weighed in...

    What a great way to start a story!

    --
    Good quote, too many chars. Seriously, the slashdot 120 char limit sucks!
  2. Conclusion by phyxeld · · Score: 4, Funny

    I like how he finishes the piece:

    ...it would be the easiest thing in the world to buy a disc, rip it to your computer through your stereo, post it on the Web, and then return the CD for a refund. Did I just say that?

    --
    __
    Choose mnemonic identifiers. If you can't remember what mnemonic means, you've got a problem. - Larry Wall
    1. Re:Conclusion by HamNRye · · Score: 3, Funny

      Keep returning the same one. Play ignorant and just "It wouldn't play." They give you another copy, "It woulodn't play" you can go through your local Tower's stock before they notice.

      Ho Hum.

      ~Hammy

  3. Boycott! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm tired of the *AA trying to take away our rights in a misguided attempt to protect their profits!
    I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to put up with it anymore!

    So I filled my ears with caulk, and gouged my eyes out with a spoon.
    I suggest you all do the same.
    That'll show them!



    This was an intentionally ludicrious inflammitory post.

  4. 2nd law of music-sales-dynamics by CatKnight · · Score: 2, Funny

    as long as the RIAA and MPAA see money "lost" that could be theirs, they're not gonna stop.

    n = 1 - $L / $B

    n = max efficiency
    $L = music bought
    $B = music listened to

    Seems like the record companies are trying to break the 2nd law!

    --
    The Stone Age did not end for lack of stones, and when the oil age ends it will not be for lack of oil. --Bjorn Lomberg
  5. Bumper sticker by Tayknight · · Score: 2, Funny

    I want a bumper sticker that simply says "I RIP CDs"

    --
    Pair up in threes. - Yogi Berra
  6. Re:It's weird by John+Marshall · · Score: 5, Funny
    I used to think Ebert was some pompous windbag, who wouldn't know a good movie it it slapped him in the face. But the older he gets, and the more I read stuff he's written, the more I come to realize he's a guy who really "gets it".

    Methinks you meant to write "the older I get" :-)

  7. Re:Money by cloudmaster · · Score: 4, Funny

    Oh, all "they" have to do is call the new tech the "consumer protection act" or "the patriotic music industry saving plan" or some similar crap, then put up some TV ads about how people who don't give up all their fair use rights must hate babies and america. Then, people will be confused and forget all about how "logic" works. No one will bother to ask "who's being protected" or "what do babies have to do with copy protection shemes".

    People are stupid, in general. If the new copy protection tech isn't *way* more expensive than the old stuff, people will just give in and buy it, because they saw a commercial with some copy-protected player and a bunch of bikini-clad women. :)

    Not that I'm bitter...

  8. Re:Money by Tackhead · · Score: 4, Funny
    > I agree, but I don't think the RIAA and MPAA are ever going to see that people trading MP3's will make them money (people who trade more MP3s, buy more cds becuase they hear more music), and that keeping people from trading them will equal less money.

    As I wrote earlier today, I discovered three new bands this week alone through the magic of downloading MP3s from bands I'd never heard of.

    What's good for musicians and bad for RIAA - one of those bands will be seeing some money the next time I'm in their area. They appear to perform frequently, and I'll check 'em out live.

    What RIAA fears most - two of those bands are now defunct. The only way I could buy their stuff is to buy at a used record store - in which case neither the artist nor RIAA see any money.

    RIAA are the puritans of our age: A cartel of people desperately afraid that someone, somewhere, might be enjoying music without regard for whether it's a "hit".

  9. Re:However by tswinzig · · Score: 3, Funny

    Maybe we could find a way to make buying CDs uncool.

    OK, what if we make it 'cool' to download music for free off the internet.

    Oh wait...

    --

    "And like that ... he's gone."
  10. Re:Grammar by TTop · · Score: 3, Funny

    Doh!!! That's one of my pet peeves, too -- my fingers just got carried away when submitting the story and I missed it in proofreading.

    I hate misplaced apostrophes, so that's embarassing.

    Not quite as embarassing as a neon sign I saw that said "Used Car's"

  11. Re:Grammar by TTop · · Score: 3, Funny

    Now that I think about it, for all I know I did submit it with correct grammar and the editors "corrected" me!

    Hmmm....

  12. Re:Money by Dirtside · · Score: 4, Funny
    Money makes the world go round
    No, angular momentum makes the world go round!
    --
    "Destroy science and religion. Science would re-emerge exactly the same; but not religion." - Penn Jillette, paraphrased
  13. Re:Grammar by Spyky · · Score: 3, Funny

    So, the parent was modded +1 Funny because it's funny that anyone would think a Slashdot Editor actually corrects submissions, right?

    Anyone... anyone

    -Spyky