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Musicians on Internet & Filesharing

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the something-to-think-about dept.

reverseengineer writes "A Pew Internet & American Life survey asked (large PDF) 809 artists and 2,755 musicians, songwriters, and publishers about how they use the Internet, and whether it has been beneficial or detrimental to their success. Results (larger PDF) are quite interesting, with near 50-50 splits on a variety of questions involving fair use and filesharing. A quote from Pew's summary: 'Across the board, artists and musicians are more likely to say that the internet has made it possible for them to make more money from their art than they are to say it has made it harder to protect their work from piracy or unlawful use.' Here is the NY Times summary [ Free registration blah blah ] of the survey."

5 of 330 comments (clear)

  1. fp by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    boobies

  2. Well, which is it? by FortKnox · · Score: 0, Troll

    From the summary:
    Results (larger PDF) are quite interesting, with near 50-50 splits on a variety of questions involving fair use and filesharing.

    OK, so everything is split in half.

    'Across the board, artists and musicians are more likely to say that the internet has made it possible for them to make more money from their art than they are to say it has made it harder to protect their work from piracy or unlawful use.'

    OK, they think the internet is good...

    So... which is it??

    --
    Good quote, too many chars. Seriously, the slashdot 120 char limit sucks!
  3. Perception != Reality by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll
    Perception is not the same as reality. Many musicians may perceive that the Internet has provided more opportunities than it has taken away (via piracy). Yet, what is the reality? What is the dollar amount that the Internet has given in benefits, and what is the dollar amount that the Internet has taken away via piracy?

    Case in point is China. We have precise quantitive information about the dollar amount that software piracy has ripped off of American programmers and their businesses. In fact, piracy is so rampant, that the going price for Windows XP in China is less than a dollar on the black market.

    I'd be willing to bet $100 that the Internet has been a net negative for writers and singers.

  4. Re:Yes and no. by Kenja · · Score: 0, Troll
    "Explain something to me... why is it copyrights currently last for what.. about 100 years after the creator's death, but patents lose their sole production status in about 10% of that time?"

    By non transferable I mean just that. Cant leave it for your kids etc. I think the life time of the creator is a good term for copyright. Patents are another issue.

    --

    "Have you ever thought about just turning off the TV, sitting down with your kids, and hitting them?"
  5. Free Registration by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Yeah, do you know who else had free registration? The Nazis. That's right. Divulging your personal information in order to view a news story is one step away from the death camps. Well they'll never get me. You have to get up pretty early in the morning to figure out the name of John S. Thomas, that's for sure. And even if you did, you would have to fight it out of me. You'd have to show up at my door, right here at 1273 Willowview Lane, Gary Indiana, 50816 and slug it out with me right there on the sidewalk to get any private contact information out of me. No way are you going to sign me up like a rat in a lab. If there were more people like me, we wouldn't have abominations like "free" registration. So join me in the cause, you lily livered, good for nothing punks!