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Pirate Party Founder Steps Down After 5 Years
ktetch-pirate writes "Five years to the day after he created the first Pirate Party, Rickard Falkvinge has stepped down as leader of Piratpartiet, the Swedish Pirate Party. The announcement was made in a webcast with Falkvinge and his deputy Anna Troberg, with Troberg taking on his duties effective immediately."
He finally realized what a dirty, thieving bastard he was trying to get everybody to be. It's about god damned time one of them relented. Artists and others who work hard for a living and create things that enhance your lives every single day deserve to make a living. You are not entitled to the sweat of their brows or all the time out of their lives that it takes to actually learn how to play an instrument, become a good actor, etc. Sorry to break the news to you.
come on, I make joke.
but you know, we all know what this joke relates to. a year ago, it would not have made sense.
I now think of sweden as a 'high risk' country; meaning, women can sue youor have you arrested easily if you look at them thee wrong way.
good going, sweden.
sigh.
--
"It is now safe to switch off your computer."
"Five years to the day after he created the first Pirate Party, Dread Captain Rickard Falkvinge has walked the plank as leader of Piratpartiet, the Swedish Pirate Party. The announcement was made on the high seas under sword-point with Falkvinge and his First Mate Anna Troberg, with Troberg taking on his duties effective immediately. May his bones rest quietly in Davy Jones' locker. Arr!"
Why is parent modded as troll? He's got a very valid opinion on the matter. About 90% of all rape allegations in Sweden don't even result in charges.
Wait, isn't she one of the chicks that was banging the Wikileaks guy?
Do daemons dream of electric sleep()?
Why is parent modded as troll? He's got a very valid opinion on the matter. About 90% of all rape allegations in Sweden don't even result in charges.
So you "believe" the assertion that "looking" at women in Sweden can "easily" get you sued or arrested or sued is not a troll? No need to state your true agenda either.
If I'd modded it I'd have kicked it down as "off topic", your post on the other-hand is a "troll".
"Valid opinion" == sophism. So's your second sentence. No matter how strongly you feel you've somehow been wronged (or slighted) making up bullshit to support your viewpoint will always work against you.
Jeremy: "I should be able to have everything I like, all the time! Isn't that what Democracy is about?"
No matter how strongly you feel you've somehow been wronged (or slighted) making up bullshit to support your viewpoint will always work against you.
Except if you're a politician in the United States of America (tm); then it's encouraged.
Why is parent modded as troll? He's got a very valid opinion on the matter. About 90% of all rape allegations in Sweden don't even result in charges.
So you "believe" the assertion that "looking" at women in Sweden can "easily" get you sued or arrested or sued is not a troll?
Looking at women, yeah a troll. But looking at women the wrong way, not a troll, must be +1 Funny or Interesting
You are not entitled to the sweat of their brows or all the time out of their lives that it takes to actually learn how to play an instrument, become a good actor, etc.
Neither is the RIAA/MPAA, who gets about 90% of the profit from these artists with almost none of the work behind them.
It's way to easy to see the whole "piracy" issue as *just* two opposing viewpoints. And, to me, neither view stacks up. I strongly suspect both camps are being naive and manipulated. And here's my reasoning:-
My point here being that neither party is "completely" right. Copying doesn't reduce the industries revenue stream as much as claimed - though it doesn't make the impact the industry claims it does. I'll leave the value of promotion out of this - it's a red herring.
Why would an immensely profitable industry spend a fortune on a demonstrably pointless pursuit? The assertion that they are total idiots contradicts their success.
Follow the money is the method that should be applied. Do that and it appears obvious (to me) that the "industry" is spending vast amounts of money because it is a cost effective way for them to protect their income. The mistake pro-pirates make is believing the product is the income stream. IMO they are wrong and have been deliberately been fooled.
The industry is profitable and powerful because it controls distribution. The RIAA/MPAA campaign is not about stopping copying it's about stifling an alternative distribution network.
Well, that wouldn't affect anyone. If they only take more when they don't have to pay, if they had to pay, no one would be making more.
I believe there might be a certain amount losses in sales to copyright violations, but a whole lot less than the industry want us to believe. And as you say, there's a lot more to it than sale of recordings. Which might benefit from increased distrubution even if it isn't increased sales.
We are all God's parents.
>>> it's about stifling an alternative distribution network.
Is that why I have to wait 30 days before I can see the latest SGU or Caprica episode on syfy.com? Yep. Well if they think I'm going to pay to subscribe to Comcast and Syfy Channel, then they can just think again. I can wait a long, long time until I can see it for free or cheap (DVD rental).
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - historian Evelyn Beatrice Hall
And in another few years, Anna will retire and another will come along.
They should think about franchising...
Chas - The one, the only.
THANK GOD!!!
Wouldn't it be cool though to have a country where the women totally oppressed the men, where the men had to travel around in veils, where the women worked and the man stays home; where the man has to file false lawsuits alleging rape by the woman? It would be awesome.
Hmm, nope... I'm not into BDSM. Why do you ask?
Guys, there is a very simple solution to this problem: make the publishers go away.
Artists can sell their music on the internet, they don't need publishers who record their CDs anymore.
Artists could earn more money if the publishers went away while still lowering the prices of their albums. It's a win-win for artists and we, the customers. The losers are the publishers who are pretty much useless. And frankly, fighting 'pirates' is no reason to be a dick to honest people, so I have no sympathy for the publishers.
enough partying, time to plunder!
he who controls the spice controls the universe
Guys, there is a very simple solution to this problem: make the publishers go away.
Agreed
Artists can sell their music on the internet, they don't need publishers who record their CDs anymore.
Only when the audience can hear about them - web pages rely on search engines - which can, and will, be gamed. Fine if you're Devo or Radiohead, maybe ok if you're Courtney Love, and if no one has ever heard of you? You what - rely on SEO experts?
The internet is no more a threat to the established studio monopoly than radio or television - bittorrent over the internet is the threat. It's the subversive technology. Web sites are no more a threat to the existing system than ads in local newspapers and junk mail.
I also doubt that twits and facefriends can, or will, change the existing order.
How is this either troll or flamebait? Slashdot mods gone insane with rage. Could it be the mention of socialism? McCarthyism still seems to be running high among Americans.
Mod parent up!
You can't expect much subtlety in catch phrases and propaganda. But I can assure you that the thought process doesn't end there when pro-pirates are concerned, and I assume the same is true for the anti-pirates.
Copying information has been easy and nearly costless for quite some time. What the internets have provided us with is a very easy and nearly costless way to connect people and publish and distribute information. All organizations (in its most inclusive meaning) that have benefited from the earlier situation where high costs were associated with connecting people as well as publishing and distributing information, are in one way or another threated by this development. This includes e.g. the copyright industry as well as the catholic church and even the national state itself, even though it may not be immediately obvious. All these organizations will try to defend themselves, and we will have a major struggle for quite some time, but I really don't think opposing communication among people will work out very well in the long run.
Here comes everybody, by Clay Shirky, explains some of these things in more detail. It's a great book.
Actually it didn't work for Radiohead as they said they'd never do the pay-what-you-will model again. Those who downloaded the album and paid nothing probably didn't have a big impact on the overall fiscal performance of the venture. Those that did pay would have paid under a price point that Radiohead obviously felt their product was worth. This means that even if Radiohead were to name a price to get back enough money to make it worthwhile for them to record that the public would be unwilling to pay it. Even with all the Slashdotters who claimed that they were going to pay for the album even though they didn't like Radiohead the venture was unsuccessful.
Dedicated Cthulhu Cultist since 4523 BC.
Actually it didn't work for Radiohead [snip]
Dunno if Radiohead is a good example of music people want to listen too. I only liked the first three albums - if memory serves "Rainbows(?)" was the donate if you want it album - that I don't have it, and can't think of a track from it, should speak for itself.
I used Radiohead as an example of a name that could command an audience. My point being that having webspace alone wouldn't replace the existing (limited slot) promotion system unless the artist is already established.
As to whether sufficient money would be volunteered to make a donation method work - that's probably a bagel type thing (see Freakanomics) - peer determined. But if no one knows you exist they can't donate squat.
Can a donation or subscriber system work? It certainly works for *some* - both software (noscript, adblock), anime (I know people who religiously download every week, translate, and then spend a fortune buying the official copies of what they already have) and literature. It's worth considering that live shows are where most musicians make a living, and many bands without record deals working the indie scene on the Oz east coast depend on their back of the van homebaked CD sales (it's where I've spent most of my music collection money). Getting heard really helps.
While I doubt Luc Besson'd ever make a profitable movie based on a bittorrent distribution system and donations or subscriptions... I don't doubt a Firefly type show could.
Copying as theft is, well, obviously rubbish.
It is not rubbish, it is fact. You and others can repeat that 10 million times and it will not make it so. What happened was that millions of high school and college kids, with the usual financial limitations of people in that age group (which their parents and grandparents all had to deal with in their day, BTW) decided that they shouldn't be limited in the amount of music, movies, and video games that they could consume, so they broke the law en masse with the idea that the authorities can't bust them all, might as well give up trying. Moooo-o-o. So when the RIAA and MPAA predictably started making examples of people, these kids logged onto sites like this one and posted hundreds of specious rants... "oh it's not theft, it's infringement... the cops should be going after the real criminals, like the guy who swiped my iPod at the restaurant... there are no victims". But there are victims. The entire music industry has gone steeply downhill over the past ten years, driving most of the big box retailers out of business.
Copying as theft is, well, obviously rubbish.
It is not rubbish, it is fact.
Go take some pictures of your head. Maybe if you could make a coherent point you would get the same air time in real life as you get on the web.
Hint: what you are *trying* to say is "copying causes loss". If you can't say what you mean you're just pointing and grunting. I read your rant before I judged it, making my brain hurt trying to follow your logic doesn't engender sympathy.
AC is for a purpose - using it because you're scared to post from behind a pseudonym like the rest of us - just demonstrates you "don't quite get it". (sigh).
But there are victims. The entire music industry has gone steeply downhill over the past ten years, driving most of the big box retailers out of business.
See - that an example of stupid. "Record shops" come and go. The "music industry" is doing just fine. Theater takings are down - the film industry is doing just fine. News at 11 - drive-in theaters are taking a hit. VHS production companies crippled.
Now - imagine you're a dick, and imagine you just wrote the post I'm responding to, but I repeat myself. Apologies to Mark Twain.
No, I'll keep my capitalism. I don't buy much music or movies because it's complete s@#@@! The good stuff I do pay for, and I DO NOT WANT THE GOVERNMENT deciding whom to pay. Idiots or corrut aholes will pay the crappiest artists instead.
Has no one in the US learned that socialism means more government beuracracy?
Since when has the government effectively managed money, or any form of social welfare?
I would rather decide the private institution that gets my money, and that's the way it should be. At times that it's most needed the US citizenry comes through with aid. We conributed more than the rest of the world to Haiti. Even though I'm unemployed I dropped some money to the Red Cross.
Right now the government is taking too much money, and that's proven by the fact they are increasing the national debt by comepletely wasting it on stupid things. No business should receive a bailout, and the banks I use never even came close to needing it(even with free checking that doesn't require a minimum balance or direct deposit.) We should be closing all foreign miliary bases, ending both wars, and focusing the money on military research(led to the internet and most modern tech so why stop.)
---------------
Liberterian Out
Falkvinge's emails were always riddled with simple grammatical errors and sometimes I've even wondered if he bothered to turn on the spell checker. Anna has always written much better.
Have you seen Pioneer One? It has the first two episodes out, and it's not bad. Reminds me of X Files at times, with a bit less budget.
I feel fantastic, and I'm still alive.
Two words: anger management.
Have you seen Pioneer One? It has the first two episodes out, and it's not bad. Reminds me of X Files at times, with a bit less budget.
No - but bloody good point - I remember seeing it advertised on the PirateBay, and reading up on it. I meant to find out what it was like and forgot. Thanks for the reminder.
Disclaimer: I'm a member of the Swedish Pirate Party, and I've been so for a few years. I've voted for them in the three most recent elections (two for the Swedish parliament and one for the EU parliament).
I definitely believe that this is a good move. Rickard Falkvinge is a very charismatic person, but also a controversial one. He's enthusiastic, he knows how to reach the headlines and has done a wonderful job of founding the party and establishing an awareness of these questions in Sweden. The problem is that he lacks political tact. He's committed at least two really bad faux-pas, one statement in which he defended the right to keep but not buy child pornography and one time when he asked for personal funding from the party members, suggesting as they would be gifts they didn't need to be taxed. On top of that, there is a common view that the Pirate Party is Falkvinge's own private project and that he is something of a cult leader.
Therefore it is great to have Troberg on board as a leader. She is less technical and more personal than Falkvinge, but first and foremost she's much better suited to running an organisation than Falkvinge ever was. She will be able to handle people without driving them off, she's competent and she radiates credibility in a way that a party with the word "pirate" in its name needs desperately. Falkvinge was great for kick starting the party but Troberg is just the right person to take it to the next level. She has a tough job though - the party flopped in the 2010 elections and without a lot of hard work there is a risk the party will dwindle and be largely forgotten well before the 2014 EU parliament elections.
What, no Black Pearl jokes? Damn.
Is that why I have to wait 30 days before I can see the latest SGU or Caprica episode on syfy.com?
Don't you brag about still being on dial-up? Why the fuck do you care? It isn't as if you are going to be able to watch it anyway.
Bah... nobody would surrender to the Dread Pirate Anna.
Distributed Denial of APK: It takes 15 seconds to reply to him anonymously, but wastes tons of his time if we all do it.
I'd like to know your literature examples of people that it has worked for.
My point being that having webspace alone wouldn't replace the existing (limited slot) promotion system unless the artist is already established.
And my point being that even being established doesn't really mean success. For all the free press and supposed non-fan "donations" that were made Radiohead still couldn't pull it off. What happens when artists start putting out stuff on the web on a regular basis with no backing and no free advertising? I'm not disagreeing with you but rather throwing in more ideas behind it.
It would have been interesting to me to see what would have happened if Radiohead had put a dollar value on their recording that they would have like to have seen with an active ticker. Much like Wikipedia has today during their pledge drive. I wonder if people would have ponied up more or the rate of decline in payments after the mark was met. It would be even more interesting to see Radiohead break down the costs of an album production in a meaningful way. I don't think people really appreciate the costs involved in producing a first rate album. I have no doubt that they have no idea how much time some of these people put into their craft and the risks they're taking to deliver entertainment.
Dedicated Cthulhu Cultist since 4523 BC.
Freenet - is cryptonetwork for anonymous distributed storages/sharing of files and of messages (message boards, free-mail etc also work. also static web-like HTML pages). Check it out it rocks (but it IS for patient people! just 5 minutes to set up though - but weeks to really learn the possibilities!!)
Copyright is a deal. You agree to pay the creators of content a fixed amount to experience the content once. Agree? Agree. Deal. One side decides to make copies and give them away that is breaking a deal. You can parse EULAs, the DMCA and the Constitution any way you want, it is still breaking a deal.
"...and yet, I blame society" Duke - Repo Man
What's this I heard about you using two or more registered user accounts here on slashdot, clone? clone53421 (1310749) and this one clone52431 (1805862)??
http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1927208&cid=34689212
It also appears that your big trolling mouth and skimming got you into a jam again in that URL above, and you ran away. How embarassing for you clone!
and did Rickard Falkvinge get to parley?
apk, kingsjokers, MEK_LoveBug, or the kings jokwers?
oh wait, you're all 4 the same person. embarrassing = YOU.
So you ADMIT you have more than 1 registered account here then, clone53421 (1310749) and this one clone52431 (1805862)!
(lol... hilarious!)
Also see subject above. You are WRONG, as wrong gets, as per your usual.
I have DSL at home.
And high-speed at work.
Only when I'm stuck in a hotel do I have to downgrade to dialup. So when I'm at home (or work) I watch an episode off syfy.com
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - historian Evelyn Beatrice Hall
I'd like to know your literature examples of people that it has worked for.
I don't have a ready answer/link to that one. From memory it is writers offering custom variations for a fee - if enough readers pony up the money the writer will expand on what happens with minor characters. Just go time to dash off some quick responses then I need to sleep - I'll dig through my bookmarks and references in a couple of days and post the links here.
Here's a publishing company offering some free downloads as part of their business model.
Having since listened to the Radiohead album in question (In Rainbows) they might have done better if the album wasn't so bad.
Bittorrent alone won't work - I agree. Something fan based that reviews and points at bittorrents might be useful - I'm thinking of the sort of photocopied music mags that used to get dropped off at pubs around the Sydney Indie scene.
Yes - I think a published "target" might help - even an ego type board posting messages and/or donators names.
With movies - product placement'd be interesting - given the small budget Pioneer One was made with. And actors could be very cheap - most NIDA graduates'd jump at the chance to work in a production that would get a large audience.
Two words: anger management.
One word: loser.