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World Copyright Summit and the Lies of the Copyright Industry
Mike Masnick over at Techdirt has an incredibly in-depth look at two presentations in particular from the recent CISAC world copyright summit. Rep. Robert Wexler and Senator Orrin Hatch both gave deeply troubling presentations calling opponents of stronger copyright "liars" and suggesting that copyright is the only way to make money on creative works, respectively. "Does anyone else find it ironic that it's the so-called 'creative class' which copyright supporters insist are enabled by copyright supposedly have not been able to tell this 'great story?' Perhaps the problem is that there is no great story to tell. Perhaps the problem is that more and more people are recognizing that the 'great story' is one that suppresses the rights of everyday users, stifles innovation, holds back progress and stamps on our rights of free speech and communication? Has it occurred to Wexler that for the past decade, the industry has been telling this story over and over and over again — and every time they do, more and more people realize that it doesn't add up? "
I am so tired of this bullshit reasoning. This idea that no one's watching movies or listening to music because it's all crap... if that's true, then why can I search for torrents of any current movie and find tens of thousands of people downloading it at that instant? Do you honestly believe that not a single one of those people would be willing to pay for it?
No, of course not. You know full well that many (though certainly not all) downloads do represent a lost sale. You're simply trying to justify your actions, 'cuz you want free stuff.
You're right, of course, but Slashdot's moderation and meta-moderation systems are quite good at enforcing groupthink. As long as the majority of people on this site just want free stuff, rational opinions will be marginalized, and the same tired old lines will get modded up over and over.
"Hollywood only makes crap, no one would pay for it even if they couldn't download it."
"Piracy doesn't take a physical good from anyone, so it's OK."
"They've over-extended terms/sued for too much/employed illegal tactics to harass filesharers, therefore I'm justified in stealing their stuff."
"It's my right to free speech to copy that guy's free speech verbatim!"
"Artists are just leeches trying to coast on a few minutes of work"
blah blah blah...
So, how about movies? TV shows? Books? GPL'd code?
Oops, looks like it can't be generalized all that easily!
Uh-huh, sure. That's why, as of right now, there is one pro-copyright post thats been modded up more than once (and that only to +2), and that one actually just says "copyright shouldn't be *completely* destroyed."
Anyone who relies on the logic, "We would listen to opposing viewpoints, but the rest of the world is all too stupid to make a coherent point" is both arrogant and a fool.
Ah, quote #3 from my list: "They did bad things to us, so it's ok for us to steal from them!"
See what I mean? It's all the same, every time. Even when you try to directly refute my post, you prove part of it true.
Ah, the classic internet QQ post. "No, really, I wasn't trying to make a point. I'm just trolling you. Boy, I sure got you!"
FYI, no one believes those sorts of posts. You didn't dig up those links to troll me, you didn't adopt that tone to troll me. You do care, and you like to think "boy, I sure owned that guy".
Sounds awfully like PHB speak.
Of course you have an example of a new business model. One that will work. By work I mean in reality, on this planet. Care to share it?
Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
I wasn't aware she did. I wasn't aware she'd even claimed to. No doubt you'll enlighten us all on this point.
Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
I was thinking it was because he's been dead for several hundred years and his works had passed into the public domain. Boy, you really deserved that informative mod!
Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
I agree. punishing the honest is no way to do it.
We should punish those who are openly stealing, and encouraging others to do so.
Like thepiratebay.
But hold on, isn't it this very site that champions the thieves at thepiratebay as some sort of heroes?
make your minds up.
DRM-free indie games for the PC and Mac: Positech Games
wow.
I mean WOW.
So if a band walk into a recording studio and record an album (laughably you think this takes an hour, rather than weeks). you think they are on ly entitled, in your mind to earn an hours work.
newsflash:
bands maybe took 10-20 years learning to play, writing songs and playing gigs earning fuck all to get them to that point. They will then end up spending months doing PR, touring, TV shows, radio appearances yada yada yada for free to promote that work.
This pathetic jealous idea that all content creators are sitting on the beach laughing with piles of money for zero work is just insulting.
if its so fucking easy, why don't YOU give up work and write some music?
instant gravy train right?
DRM-free indie games for the PC and Mac: Positech Games
I've never heard of it, and if it did happen there'd have been a huge outcry from the jealous wankers[1] around here.
[1] Oops, that should read "guardians of liberty"
Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
You must be a manager or a lawyer. Nobody else could use so many words where a simple "no" would have sufficed.
Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
I'll just take one of your pie-in-the-sky ideas - the customisation one.
First, a lot of my favourites don't have a girl's name in them. Heck, some don't have words at all.
Secondly, let's say I have a crush on fictional reporter Miranda Veracruz De La Jolla Cardinal. Explain to me how I can work her name into this Irish folk song without making a grade A1 clusterfuck of the rhyme, metre and geographical reference.
Thridly, and by no means lastly, the entire concept is so lame and twee I don't know whether to laugh or cry. But given that you didn't just bring up an Elton John song but chose his worst one ever as an example, I'll just snigger and mince accross the room while pointing at you in a limp-wristed manner.
When you make a million from your idea, let me know and I'll concede I'm wrong. But until it's proven that it does work, then any sane person will conclude that it doesn't work. Mmmmkay?
I won't even dignify your lame offtopic ad hominem attacks by replying to them. Leech.
Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."