You are correct that US telecoms are barely deregulated. Not only that, even though we have a large number of different companies, we have very few to choose from in each region/state. (USA being nearly the size of Europe?? I may be way off there)
I live in a small booming city of 1/4 million people. Not huge, but I was living in an area DSL couln't reach. That left only @Home, which was great. But then they went bankrupt and ComCast is their replacement. My only choice. And they sucked ass.
I'm finally a homeowner and moved 3 miles south, and I quickly switched to DSL. No complaints yet, and I'm downloading over 2 gig a day.
There are larger cities my relatives live in, and they have mentioned not only cheaper Cable, but multiple choices. Maybe the tide is turning.
I don't see how they could shut down p2p. It's just an internet protocol. And one that can change. Could they shut down darknets, like private WASTE networks that are encrypted?
However, as quoted, they realize that you can't stop 100% p2p. They just want to curb it down to the level that they were willing to ignore (like they ignored the fair use of sharing your cd's with friends, etc)
On the other hand, telling girl scout type camp that they couldn't play the Macarena seems a bit ridiculous.
Under the current copyright law, the RIAA could sue up to $150,000 per song. If some philanthropist (sp?) started paying off everyone's settlement costs, or we did your idea, the RIAA could just raise it. By a LOT.
The student (or should i say TERRORIST?) that wrote a college campus search engine was being sued for 97 million or 97 billion dollars!(depending on which article you read)
From what I remember reading, the RIAA did searches on certain songs that they represented the copyright for. When they found people sharing these songs, then they went to check out each individual to see how much they were sharing. They downloaded X files, checked the hash value, and logged the IP number
In other words, I think people sharing up only their local Roy Rodgers band wouldn't even show up in their searches at all.
I don't think so. They're bold faced liars. They screamed bloody murder against BetaMax. What did Jack Valenti say about Jack the Ripper and women?
More importantly though, is the exaggeration about their loss in sales. This is an industry that has enjoyed an increase in their INCREASE of net profits each and every year. This "loss" they keep crying about is simply the reversal of this. Their "loss" is the decrease in NET PROFIT. Notice this doesn't mean red ink. They are not in the hole. They simply aren't increasing their net profits each year like they were. Boo hoo. Their profits are still bigger than what they were before the late 90's boom. Now don't get me wrong, a public company only cares about their stocks, and those only go up if they keep making more money. But in a recession, they're above par.
Personally I think they'll go too far, these congressional meetings will force them to do *something* to compromise, and by then they might actually have a partial discography out there for download. These people *are* smart (even if diabolically) I think they will adapt like the cockroaches they are. Their tight grip on their monopoly of their distribution system is in jeopardy. But their monopoly on the artists and radio is still intact.
To get back to your point (not that anyone is reading this except you and me) I agree that most of the slashdot kneejerk reactions are obviously not thought out. Don't get me wrong, I could have a larger collection of mp3's than almost all the posters put together, but even I don't think "information wants to be free" in the context many are claiming. This whole "it's just 0's and 1's" so you can't stop that doesn't stand up too well when they're claming that their privacy (that's stored as 0's and 1's) are being violated.
-RIAA tricks new bands into signing one-sided, seven-album deals?
-RIAA takes 90% of profits from CD sales?
Funny thing is, these were problems long before P2P came around. These are definately problems that need to be addressed anyway. The fact that indentured servitude, royalty coverups, permanent ownership of artists' IP, price fixing, Distribution + Clear Channel + Internet Radio, indefinate extention of copyright length has gone on so long....shows that they have the power, money and influence to continue their cartel.
I'm happy to see their bottom line cut away from them, and hope it devestates their 50+ years of terror.
Those are the things I'm rooting for. Not for continued free mp3's. Or that information wants to be free. (Although copyright length needs to be fixed back to normal)
However, saying that, the RIAA/MPAA have painted a beauuuutiful picture of how P2P and pirates like me, will kill the industry. Just like Radio would. Just like the VCR. Just like Blockbuster. Just like Diamond's RIO.
Yea right. You can't trust a word they say. I refuse to feel sorry for them.
You might find it interesting that it has been officially announced that all monies awarded from these lawsuits will go back into the law fund (to further protect the copyrights). Zero will be paid to the artists!
Not to mention that the 12 year old in "the projects" had broadband built into the premises for free. Not only that, but when is $1 per day too "excessive" ? (Which is the cost for low end broadband.)
Maybe she should have bought a piece of string for a penny and told her to play with THAT? You'd probably say dirt was cheaper.
I agree. There seems to be a million people here who obviously just want to download music for free. And their arguments are weak.
I for one just want to see the penalty fit the crime. It would be easier, cheaper, and safer to just shoplift the CD's from the store. There's something wrong with that.
I also refuse to feel sorry for the media companies. They have been destroying and bakrupting artists LONG before I was born. They have delayed technology and purchased their laws long before I had a computer. All for their bottom line.
Agreed. Let's not forget that they've lost at least 2 cases of price fixing over the years. I would imagine only their moneys and influence has kept them out of even more illicit business practices.
Slashdot Mirror
Even worse, the faster the speed they give you, the quicker you would use up the 3 gb. I use 2 gb a day :>
Not that anyone cares, but I meant "Charter" was my old Cable, not "Comcast". (I'm sure Comcast sucks too)
I live in a small booming city of 1/4 million people. Not huge, but I was living in an area DSL couln't reach. That left only @Home, which was great. But then they went bankrupt and ComCast is their replacement. My only choice. And they sucked ass.
I'm finally a homeowner and moved 3 miles south, and I quickly switched to DSL. No complaints yet, and I'm downloading over 2 gig a day.
There are larger cities my relatives live in, and they have mentioned not only cheaper Cable, but multiple choices. Maybe the tide is turning.
Woah. You just lost me at "ssh".
Woah. You just lost me at "mobo".
In my neigborhood, everyone's at work at 2PM.
Maybe he could be a young Jabba the Hut.
However, as quoted, they realize that you can't stop 100% p2p. They just want to curb it down to the level that they were willing to ignore (like they ignored the fair use of sharing your cd's with friends, etc)
On the other hand, telling girl scout type camp that they couldn't play the Macarena seems a bit ridiculous.
We've gone through the same problem in history with printing preses, book industry, VHS, etc.
Heheh. Yes, sharing mp3's is definately a gateway drug. It almost always leads to sharing movies, games, and *gasp* porn!
Jeez, I know people with 1000 cdr's of mp3's.
The student (or should i say TERRORIST?) that wrote a college campus search engine was being sued for 97 million or 97 billion dollars!(depending on which article you read)
They settled for $17,000.
In other words, I think people sharing up only their local Roy Rodgers band wouldn't even show up in their searches at all.
Way to make a stand mr... um... anonymous!
I agree with this, and imagine the 261 people being sued wish this 'virus' was already on their computer.
Unless there's a George Bully the Bush III, I don't think even the USA will invade every country in the coming decades...
BayTSP has been quoting that they can find anything. Yea, I don't believe them, either.
I don't think so. They're bold faced liars. They screamed bloody murder against BetaMax. What did Jack Valenti say about Jack the Ripper and women?
More importantly though, is the exaggeration about their loss in sales. This is an industry that has enjoyed an increase in their INCREASE of net profits each and every year. This "loss" they keep crying about is simply the reversal of this. Their "loss" is the decrease in NET PROFIT. Notice this doesn't mean red ink. They are not in the hole. They simply aren't increasing their net profits each year like they were. Boo hoo. Their profits are still bigger than what they were before the late 90's boom. Now don't get me wrong, a public company only cares about their stocks, and those only go up if they keep making more money. But in a recession, they're above par.
Personally I think they'll go too far, these congressional meetings will force them to do *something* to compromise, and by then they might actually have a partial discography out there for download. These people *are* smart (even if diabolically) I think they will adapt like the cockroaches they are. Their tight grip on their monopoly of their distribution system is in jeopardy. But their monopoly on the artists and radio is still intact.
To get back to your point (not that anyone is reading this except you and me) I agree that most of the slashdot kneejerk reactions are obviously not thought out. Don't get me wrong, I could have a larger collection of mp3's than almost all the posters put together, but even I don't think "information wants to be free" in the context many are claiming. This whole "it's just 0's and 1's" so you can't stop that doesn't stand up too well when they're claming that their privacy (that's stored as 0's and 1's) are being violated.
-RIAA takes 90% of profits from CD sales?
Funny thing is, these were problems long before P2P came around. These are definately problems that need to be addressed anyway. The fact that indentured servitude, royalty coverups, permanent ownership of artists' IP, price fixing, Distribution + Clear Channel + Internet Radio, indefinate extention of copyright length has gone on so long....shows that they have the power, money and influence to continue their cartel.
I'm happy to see their bottom line cut away from them, and hope it devestates their 50+ years of terror.
Those are the things I'm rooting for. Not for continued free mp3's. Or that information wants to be free. (Although copyright length needs to be fixed back to normal)
However, saying that, the RIAA/MPAA have painted a beauuuutiful picture of how P2P and pirates like me, will kill the industry. Just like Radio would. Just like the VCR. Just like Blockbuster. Just like Diamond's RIO.
Yea right. You can't trust a word they say. I refuse to feel sorry for them.
After all , SBC didn't say "Upload all your mp3's to the rest of the world".
You might find it interesting that it has been officially announced that all monies awarded from these lawsuits will go back into the law fund (to further protect the copyrights). Zero will be paid to the artists!
Maybe she should have bought a piece of string for a penny and told her to play with THAT? You'd probably say dirt was cheaper.
I for one just want to see the penalty fit the crime. It would be easier, cheaper, and safer to just shoplift the CD's from the store. There's something wrong with that.
I also refuse to feel sorry for the media companies. They have been destroying and bakrupting artists LONG before I was born. They have delayed technology and purchased their laws long before I had a computer. All for their bottom line.
Agreed. Let's not forget that they've lost at least 2 cases of price fixing over the years. I would imagine only their moneys and influence has kept them out of even more illicit business practices.