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.
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!
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
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.
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
I want a bumper sticker that simply says "I RIP CDs"
Pair up in threes. - Yogi Berra
Methinks you meant to write "the older I get" :-)
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...
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".
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
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"
Now that I think about it, for all I know I did submit it with correct grammar and the editors "corrected" me!
Hmmm....
"Destroy science and religion. Science would re-emerge exactly the same; but not religion." - Penn Jillette, paraphrased
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