RIAA Co-Opts More Universities

southpolesammy writes "The Register reports that six more US Universities and colleges have agreed to enter into protection schemes with the RIAA. In short, several institutions have signed deals with the RIAA's lapdog, the Napster music service, to 'goad these schools toward becoming music brokers'. The underlying threat of being sued by the RIAA if they don't pay them off is almost certainly the driving force behind their acceptance of this scheme. And of course, there's the ever-present gag order they'll probably enforce on these new universities as well. Great business model guys. Way to engender yourselves to your biggest customer base."

Comments

Aiiggghhh

[digitalhermit]

I'll do many things, but engendering myself with the RIAA is not one of them.

RIAA General

[SIGALRM]

Cornell University, the George Washington University, Middlebury College, University of Miami, the University of Southern California and the Wright State University (Ohio) have all pledged to have Napster up and running in the near future

Two years ago, who could have possibly imagined such a quote from a serious news article?

For fun trivia, Which "slash-and-burn" Sherman was more agressive... (A) --or-- (B)?

"Protection schemes?"

[haxor.dk]

Sounds like mafia tactics to me.

"Pay up, and we'll make sure no unfortunate accidents happen to you..."

Re:"Protection schemes?"

[Exiler]

They woke up next to the severed heads of their favorite boy band.

Under Pressure

[Grayden]

Perhaps the university officials received threats of being SNIPPED and GUNNED down...

Re:Under Pressure

[xee]

Snipped? Like the Depends coupon you snipped out of the sunday paper? Or sniped, like I just sniped that P out of 'snipped' from the roof of a neighboring sentence?

Still forgetting to click Post Anonymously!

In other news...

[CmdrTostado]

Six more US Universities and colleges have announced another round of tuition increases. Hope you're saving for your child's education, ....even if you don't have a child yet.

All your Universities...

[Anonymous Coward]

Students: What happen?
Universities: Somebody set up us the RIAA contract.
Universities: We just watch you.
Students: What!
Universities: Main screen turn on.
Students: It's You!!
RIAA: How are you thieving punks!!
RIAA: All your schools are belong to us.
RIAA: Your rights are on the way to destruction.
Students: What you say!!
RIAA: Your rights have no chance to survive make your time.
RIAA: HA HA HA HA!
RIAA: Your ass is mine
Students: You know what you doing.
RIAA: Landsharks, engage
Students: For great justice.

(Wonders how many time the same joke can be milked for.)

Re:It's about time.

[isomeme]

I suppose transforming from "mob of looters" into "protection racket" is progress of a sort.

Re:Basic literacy is a must

[offpath3]

I think clearly the definition they were going for is:

2. To come together; to meet, as in sexual embrace.

This will totally affect student employment!

[Anonymous Coward]

As we all know, finding employment these days doesn't have anything to do with how smart you are or how much you like what you do, it all boils down to the interview, and how much bullshit you can dish out. It also has to do with how much cock you can take 'back there', and this is where an anopractor can help you.

What is an anopractor?
In 1897, BJ Buttfuck discovered that by stretching his anus before an interview, he was able to take three cocks more than before. Since this is a "man do man" world we live in, this immediately led to a promotion and a new horseless carriage. Modern anopractic was born.

The anopractor is a highly skilled professional that can take any anus and make it into an 'employment grade' anus. By manipulating the anus with his hands, the anopractor can make your anus fit a #4 Del Monte pineapple sideways, with the leaves still on!

Nothing beats a stretched anus for any interview situation. When your future employer sees your anus and thinks "What a cum bucket! He's hired!", you'll know that anopractic has helped YOU.

Re:*Yawn* yes, the RIAA is bad. BUT, come on...

[john82]

Dunno about the rest of you, but I'd swear we've heard this dialog before:

"I've just made a deal that will keep the [RIAA] out ..."

which will be followed later by:

"I'm altering the deal. Pray I don't alter it any further."

This is the INTERNET

[Trogre]

Can't we just flag the RIAA as damage and route around them?

Come on, /. musicians, submit your work under a Creative Commons licence and sell it somewhere like here or that other one whose name escapes me.

Re:No, its not.

[tomhudson]

XryanX wrote:

Exactly.

On top of not wanting to pay for a music service that doesn't serve my musical interests, the said service won't run on my chosen operating system.

Right, but look at the opportunities you have because of this:

1. You can offer to unNapsterize the music (pop the hd into your box and copy the songs for people who are graduating and don't want to lose what they bought and paid for)
2. They (RIAA) can't close the analog hole - stereo patch cord to line in on your box == free non-DRM'ed music
3. You can offer song upgrades ("You got that at 96kbps? Hey, I'll upgrade you to 320kbps for a buck, and no DRM) They paid for a defective song - you're just fixing it :-)

Besides, we're talking universities here - it's not like sneakernet isn't quicker when you want to transfer a dvd's worth of mp3s to your classmates. Napster is already obsolete.