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.

Comments

Conclusion

[phyxeld]

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?

Boycott!

[Anonymous Coward]

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.

Re:It's weird

[John Marshall]

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" :-)

Re:Money

[cloudmaster]

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...

Re:Money

[Tackhead]

> 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".

Re:Money

[Dirtside]

Money makes the world go round

No, angular momentum makes the world go round!