Which probably explains why the RIAA wants to change music from a product to a service. The RIAA are recognising that as long as music is considered a product (media and what's on it), it cannot be stolen through piracy, only the "idea" behind it. Now that the RIAA is restricting media usage and distribution channels, helped also by the rise of legal music over the internet, they can argue that the media is not what the consumer is buying, but the service propogated through the media. If music is considered a service, piracy could be considered a theft of service.
Look out for a revision of that decision by the US Supreme Court.
...their stopgaps will only succeed in pissing of both of their customer bases (listeners and artists) to the point that they end up completely out of the picture.
Bloody hell, that's a relief!
Seriously though, beware. I don't mean to undervalue your experience, but a cynicsm goes a long way. I stand by my statement that we shouldn't be just sitting on our laurels, watching them flounder, expecting death at any moment. Miracles can happen...
This is probably the most worrying thing about the slashdot attitude. The RIAA/MPAA/BPI (or whatever they call themselves in your neck of the woods) are not complete idiots. They are not in any desperate position, so they need no desperate measures (think SCO). They are corporations made of many people, not all of whom can be complete morons. If that's not convincing enough, they pay other people who are very well informed about business and market dynamics to keep them informed (ie not blind). These guys are not going anywhere and it does us no favours to sit back and laugh at them.
Slashdot Mirror
Which probably explains why the RIAA wants to change music from a product to a service. The RIAA are recognising that as long as music is considered a product (media and what's on it), it cannot be stolen through piracy, only the "idea" behind it. Now that the RIAA is restricting media usage and distribution channels, helped also by the rise of legal music over the internet, they can argue that the media is not what the consumer is buying, but the service propogated through the media. If music is considered a service, piracy could be considered a theft of service.
Look out for a revision of that decision by the US Supreme Court.
Everyone needs to make their living (don't anyone DARE say Paris Hilton).
Since when is your occupation the final word on you?
Since feudal times really, but we have progressed a little since then.
Bloody hell, that's a relief!
Seriously though, beware. I don't mean to undervalue your experience, but a cynicsm goes a long way. I stand by my statement that we shouldn't be just sitting on our laurels, watching them flounder, expecting death at any moment. Miracles can happen...
This is probably the most worrying thing about the slashdot attitude. The RIAA/MPAA/BPI (or whatever they call themselves in your neck of the woods) are not complete idiots. They are not in any desperate position, so they need no desperate measures (think SCO). They are corporations made of many people, not all of whom can be complete morons. If that's not convincing enough, they pay other people who are very well informed about business and market dynamics to keep them informed (ie not blind). These guys are not going anywhere and it does us no favours to sit back and laugh at them.
Paranoid, me?
And below that: be very, very afraid.