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RIAA Brief Attacks Free Software Foundation

NewYorkCountryLawyer writes "The RIAA has requested permission to file a response to the amicus curiae brief filed by the Free Software Foundation in SONY BMG Music Entertainment v. Tenenbaum, the Boston case against a Boston University grad student accused of having downloaded some song files when in his teens. In their proposed response, the RIAA lawyers personally attacked The Free Software Foundation, Ray Beckerman (NewYorkCountryLawyer), and NYCL's blog, 'Recording Industry vs. The People.' The 9-page response (PDF) — 4 pages longer than the document to which it was responding — termed the FSF an organization 'dedicated to eliminating restrictions on copying, redistribution, and modifying computer programs,' and accused the FSF of having an 'open and virulent bias against copyrights' and 'blatant bias' against the record companies. They called 'Recording Industry vs. The People' an 'anti-recording industry web site' and stated that NYCL 'is currently subject to a pending sanctions motion for his conduct in representing a defendant' (without disclosing that plaintiffs' lawyers were 'subject to a pending motion for Rule 11 sanctions for their conduct in representing plaintiffs' in that very case)."

39 of 554 comments (clear)

  1. Ok . . . by arizwebfoot · · Score: 4, Funny

    The RIAA thinks it's a bad man in a big town when it reality it wouldn't make a pimple on a simpleton's ass in a village.

    --
    Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.
  2. Only Terrorists... by nurb432 · · Score: 2, Funny

    ...support piracy, so the FSF must be a terrorist organization, right?

    --
    ---- Booth was a patriot ----
    1. Re:Only Terrorists... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      Didn't you read their name? It's the Free Software Foundation. Who's going to give away free software??? Obviously they support piracy.

    2. Re:Only Terrorists... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Aha! It's all making sense now -- and Stallman's beard is the final proof...

  3. Re:Maybe I haven't been paying attention... by Abreu · · Score: 4, Funny

    Yeah, but they probably don't know about Stallman's twin katana prowess... I certainly would never try to provoke him to anger...

    --
    No sig for the moment.
  4. Re:Anti-Copyright? by noidentity · · Score: 2, Funny

    The FSF's centerpiece, the GPL, depends wholly on copyright for enforcement.

    Yep; they should have criticized those BSD people for their license which basically allows an author to turn his work into the virtual equivalent of that nasty abomination that is known as public domain!

  5. Then we're fucked by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    GNU General Public License, version 6, 2013

    1. Pull down you pants.
    2. Bend over.

    GPLv2 or later doesn't sound like such a good idea now, does it?

  6. Uh, they are LAWYERS! by Locke2005 · · Score: 4, Funny

    If you or I were to do things like that, then we'd be called lying assholes... but if a lawyer does it, then he is simply doing his job.

    --
    I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
  7. Re:Anti-Copyright? by NewYorkCountryLawyer · · Score: 5, Funny

    The FSF's centerpiece, the GPL, depends wholly on copyright for enforcement. So saying that the FSF has an "open and virulent bias against copyrights" clearly demonstrates either a lack of research, a lack of understanding, or a lack of honesty on the part of the RIAA's lawyers.

    I agree with the first sentence of your comment. As to the second sentence, I question your use of the word "or". The correct word should be "and". With that minor correction.... respect.

    --
    Ray Beckerman +5 Insightful
  8. We're not *your* friend, buddy! by HTH+NE1 · · Score: 3, Funny

    termed the FSF an organization 'dedicated to eliminating restrictions on copying, redistribution, and modifying computer programs', and accused the FSF of having an 'open and virulent bias against copyrights' and 'blatant bias' against the record companies. They called 'Recording Industry vs. The People' an 'anti-recording industry web site'

    What part of our confrontational legal system does the RIAA not understand?

    --
    Oh, say does that Star-Spangled Banner entwine / The myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's vine?
  9. Re:Maybe I haven't been paying attention... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    If you can't innovate, litigate.
    If you can't litigate, legislate.

    If you can't legislate, watergate?

  10. Re:Millions of damages by Red+Flayer · · Score: 2, Funny

    I would really like to know how much the Daily Mail paid for this.

    I don't know, but after reading that songlist I'm gonna go home and make sweet, sweet love to my wife.

    OK, I'm actually going to go home and try to put the moves on my wife, who will reject me because she's "too tired" or "has a headache" or "is dying from some venereal disease" or some other lame excuse.

    Who am I kidding? I'm going to go home, go downstairs to my cave, and masturbate quietly so my mom doesn't hear, just like every night.

    --
    "Trolls they were, but filled with the evil will of their master: a fell race..." -- J.R.R. Tolkien on Olog-hai
  11. Re:Maybe I haven't been paying attention... by Red+Flayer · · Score: 5, Funny

    If you can't watergate, waterboard.

    x283.

    --
    "Trolls they were, but filled with the evil will of their master: a fell race..." -- J.R.R. Tolkien on Olog-hai
  12. I love the RIAA... by Progman3K · · Score: 3, Funny

    No matter what you do to them, you don't feel bad.

    Seriously, it is great to see them being openly evil like this, for those that are slow or haven't gotten the point.

    Well done, RIAA. Try twirling your mustache the next time you accuse anyone, just to really seal the deal.

    --
    I don't know the meaning of the word 'don't' - J
  13. Re:Who cares about the length? by Locke2005 · · Score: 3, Funny

    My wife cares... trust me, she cares!

    --
    I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
  14. Re:Who cares about the length? by fooslacker · · Score: 2, Funny

    I'll translate this into terms that Slashdot can understand. It's a bit like XML vs binary. When you store something in a lawyer-readable format it's always more inefficient than the plain content humans use. ;P

  15. Re:Anti-Copyright? by NewYorkCountryLawyer · · Score: 5, Funny

    Darn it, Ray... now I'm beginning to suspect that YOU have some sort of bias against the RIAA too! ;-)

    How dare you say that? I have nothing against them. I wish them the best in their lives. I hope that, after they serve their time in jail, they succeed in finding honest work, and live out their days in peace.

    --
    Ray Beckerman +5 Insightful
  16. Re:Things I found interesting by HTH+NE1 · · Score: 4, Funny

    If the amicus curiae felt 'neutral' on the subject, why would they be filing a brief?

    Here's a neutral amicus curiæ: tell the court I said "Hello."

    --
    Oh, say does that Star-Spangled Banner entwine / The myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's vine?
  17. Re:Well, is he? by Bman21212 · · Score: 2, Funny

    There is a link to the term "pending sanctions motion"; if you follow the link ...

    You must be new here

  18. Idiots by Greyfox · · Score: 4, Funny
    Unlike the RIAA, the FSF will never lose a copyright based lawsuit they initiate.

    Or, to put it another way, Richard Stallman's cock is larger than the the cock size of everyone associated with the RIAA combined! What are they going to do in the face of such an enormous penis? What can they do?

    Yeah I could make a serious post on the subject, but I'm giving the RIAA all the respect they and their shrill complaints deserve.

    --

    I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?

  19. NYCL strikes again by Tiro · · Score: 4, Funny

    Wow, perfect grammar in a /. story summary! I can't recall seeing such an exquisite exposition of the proper usage of nested quotation marks.

    It's almost as if /. found a professional editor!

    Oh wait...

  20. Re:Well-structured ad hominem attack by CecilPL · · Score: 4, Funny

    "If you have the facts on your side, pound the facts. If you have the law on your side, pound the law. If you have neither on your side, pound the table."

  21. Re:Well, is he? by NewYorkCountryLawyer · · Score: 5, Funny

    You must be new here

    You must be new here if you're saying that to NYCL.

    You must be new here if you're not used to people saying 'you must be new here' to NYCL.

    Question: how long do I have to be here before I can be said to no longer be new here? In Soviet Russia I would probably be considered old here.

    --
    Ray Beckerman +5 Insightful
  22. Re:Who cares about the length? by gmhowell · · Score: 2, Funny

    My wife cares... trust me, she cares!

    And fortunately, I'm reaping the benefits.

    That thing she does with her tongue...

    --
    Jesus was all right but his disciples were thick and ordinary. -John Lennon
  23. Re:Maybe I haven't been paying attention... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Yeah, but they probably don't know about Stallman's twin katana prowess... I certainly would never try to provoke him to anger...

    That's an XKCD reference, boy. You know what we do to XKCD referencers around here?

  24. I am not a lawyer.... by ducomputergeek · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...but I'd really like to know how to file one of those amateur circus briefs.

    --
    "The problem with socialism is eventually you run out of other people's money" - Thatcher.
  25. Re:Maybe I haven't been paying attention... by Ohrion · · Score: 5, Funny

    That's an XKCD reference, boy. You know what we do to XKCD referencers around here?

    Cheer them on and be reminded to go check out the recent comics at XKCD? /cheer

  26. Re:Maybe I haven't been paying attention... by retchdog · · Score: 2, Funny

    OK, to be fair it wasn't exactly my point at first; I just changed my point a little while replying and hoped you wouldn't notice. ;-)

    Hopefully this won't come to pass. I just have this horrific twisted image of the US deciding to coast along as a two-penny tyrant, on its increasingly-empty "brand" of technological innovation and militarism.

    --
    "They were pure niggers." – Noam Chomsky
  27. Re:Maybe I haven't been paying attention... by Tubal-Cain · · Score: 5, Funny

    Mod them up?

  28. Re:Well-structured ad hominem attack by NewYorkCountryLawyer · · Score: 4, Funny

    anyone else think that the only reason NYCL submits these stories is to brighten up our day with the humour that ensues?

    Let me know the results of this poll. I've never considered myself much good at providing humor, or at brightening anybody's day. But if I get strong results in the poll, I may have to reconsider my overall outlook, maybe even make a career change.

    --
    Ray Beckerman +5 Insightful
  29. Yeah, the dweebs by symbolset · · Score: 5, Funny

    They act like they think they're running the US Justice Department. Oh, wait...

    --
    Help stamp out iliturcy.
  30. Re:Maybe I haven't been paying attention... by Scarletdown · · Score: 4, Funny

    That's an XKCD reference, boy. You know what we do to XKCD referencers around here?

    I'll get around to answering that later. I have a more important matter to attend to.

    Someone is wrong on the Internet.

    --
    This space unintentionally left blank.
  31. Re:Maybe I haven't been paying attention... by syousef · · Score: 2, Funny

    If you can't waterboard, boogie board!!!

    --
    These posts express my own personal views, not those of my employer
  32. Re:Who cares about the length? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    "4 pages longer than the document to which it was responding"

    And?

    And 0.5mm thicker.

  33. Re:Maybe I haven't been paying attention... by Grail · · Score: 5, Funny

    My girlfriend picked that one up and ran with it X(

    So nowadays, when she's heading to bed, "are we having sex, or is someone wrong on the Internet?"

    Sheesh... impossible decisions...

  34. Re:Pound on the table by VGPowerlord · · Score: 2, Funny

    When does throwing chairs come in?

    --
    GLaDOS for President 2016! "Well here we are again. It's always such a pleasure." -- GLaDOS, 2011
  35. I'm not your buddy, guy! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    I don't have anything to say. I just wanted to reply to the parent's subject line.

  36. Rule 11 sanctions...(obligatory) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    "Rule 11. All your carefully picked arguments can easily be ignored."

    (Citation: Rules of the internet)

  37. Re:Well, is he? by NewYorkCountryLawyer · · Score: 2, Funny

    Question: how long do I have to be here before I can be said to no longer be new here?

    You'll be new here until you tell those damn kids to get off your lawn.

    I can't bring myself to use that Slashdot meme. I identify with the kids.

    Would it be ok if I just warned them that my dog uses the lawn too?

    --
    Ray Beckerman +5 Insightful