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TiVo-like Application for XM Radio Under Fire
Strudelkugel writes "USA Today reports: 'Catching Blondie's reunion tour broadcast at 4 in the morning wasn't an option for XM satellite radio subscriber and single father Scott MacLean. "I was missing concerts that were being broadcasted when I was asleep or out," he said. So the 35-year-old computer programmer from Ottawa, Ontario, wrote a piece of software that let him record the show directly onto his PC hard drive while he snoozed.' As expected, the lawyers are coming out. Seems like a good idea, though. This capability might actually entice me to get an XM radio."
Well it works just like one. I think that they will have a hard time forcing him to shut it down. It is XM RADIO which still operates like radio! I fail to see why a judge would see to treat it differently from a regular radio and a tape recorder. Just because it MIGHT be used for mass distribution does not mean that it has.
I know this is kinda redundant, but I'm really blown away by this. The RIAA involvement makes sense, but I don't see why XM cares.
Sure, XM could take legal action. And regardless of whether their claims have merit they could probably intimidate them out of using the software. But, unlike the various RIAA suits against people swapping MP3s online, every person XM sues is guaranteed to be one of their paying customers.
Who in blazing blue fsck thinks this is a good idea? What the hell do they gain by this? Lemme pitch this: "Hey, this will piss off our customers, may irreperably damage our reputation, and will bring in zero money, but it'll maybe help us get a few more subscribers to a service we haven't launched yet. Someday."
Stop the world, I wanna get off.