Slashdot Mirror
British Record Companies Win £41m In Damages
Benjamin Fox writes "The BBC is reporting that online retailer CD-Wow has been ordered to pay £41m to the British Phonographic Industry. The London High Court ruled that Hong Kong-based CD-Wow, which imports cheap (but genuine) CDs from Hong Kong and elsewhere into the U.K., is '"in substantial breach" of a 2004 agreement to stop importing CDs.' This is a serious blow to proponents of an open, no-barrier music market."
Well, that was certainly some tortured English and *fascinating* modding there, but I'll do what I can...
> It's awesome how anybody wants to "flash forward" to a future that neither knows nor can make their arguments strong with when they can look at a past that can be known for sure.
I see. So what you're saying is that with careful observation of past events, findings, and trends, there's absolutely no way to give a forecast of future events within a certain degree of probablity? I'll be certain to pass that on to every scientist and statistician who ever lived.
"I don't care if it's 110% humid outside and there's lightning and it rained the last 100 times that happened, you fraud! You take that voodoo witch-doctor bullshit somewhere else!"
> there have been dozens of undisputable bussiness that just were flooded away by the waves of time and technology
I'm not talking "undisputable bussiness," o wise economic scholar. I'm talking about the fact that *any* business that finds its products in high demand will find itself in need of some sort of a support mechanism eventually. Am I using words that are too big for you? SUPPORT MECHANISM. DISTRIBUTION HELP. BUTAN-PUSHIN MAN. My apologies if you're not a native English speaker, but I strongly suspect that it's something chemical in nature that's giving you these amazing insights.
> I don't see how it could be any different with any current profession or bussiness model that today seems to be strongly stablished.
I have no doubt that you can't.
> They are needed no more than people selling ice on the streets, and in fact much less.
Um... right. That correlates. You stick with that.
> almost no singing superstars, but chores on the dozens when one of those pieces required them... They got some names, like Vivaldi, Mozart, Wagner... That industry was simply killed once the phonographic industry "saw the light"
Yeah, man. The good old days. When cats would just gig and riff and scat and shoop-da-woop just for the love of it. You know, for the aaaaaart, man...
> but their time has passed and we will miss all those new rock star bands that won't be no more than our current symphonic composers that are no more.
I feel you. Kurt Cobain was the new Handel. PLAY "WATER MUSIC," MAAAAAAAN!
> Even in the worst case scenario where all current music standards just disappear, do you really miss the Bachs, Behetovens or Mozarts that have not been in the twenty century because the bussiness model pushed by RIAA asociates worked against them?
Dude, you gotta stop. My nose is bleeding. This isn't funny any more.
> You still will be able to listen to them if you really want it, for free, out of the Net just saying -maybe, oh, how great old days that passed away
Ow. Oh shit. Did you hear that? What was that "pop?" Why can't I see? Where are you man? I'm cold. Hold me...
> Just remember that on a free market, really no bussiness is essential or non-reemplazable.
Dave? I can't do that, Dave. What are you doing?
Daisy, Daiiiisy, giiiive meeeee yoouuuuuurr...
*click*