Verizon Must Reveal Internet Song Swapper

[Duckman]

Originally posted by whatsurpointnow@Feb 20 2003, 01:49 PM
Why do people piss and moan because it is getting more difficult to steal?

I do not use the internet to download music, but I do use my CD burner to make additional copies of music that I purchase. For instance, I have a 3 year old that loves one specific CD. I made a copy for my car and my wifes car so that whoever brings her to daycare, or picks her up, will have the music with them.

I am actually upset with the fact that they want to be able to stop people from making any type of copy of something that they own.

I do love reading about the RIAA taking it in the shorts for ignoring the consumers that they have relied on these many years. If this is what it takes for them to open their eyes, than I am all for it.

[Niagara_Paul]

To make a response to both replies. While there is the 'fair use' policy, if the RIAA gets their wish, you want three copies, you buy three copies. Thank goodness none of their plans to stop the burning of cd's has actually worked.

The levy is not an urban myth, it is real and we enjoy paying it. Does it justify theft, no but let's face it, we can justify practically anything. If we are going to pay for it, we might as well enjoy it. Another way to look at the levy is your licence to download/rip and burn all the music you want B)

The best way to end the piracy issue is to make the medium so inexpensive it doesn't make sense to pirate. Sell songs that we can download for $0.50 or a quarter and trust me the majority of the problem will vanish. People do want to do the right thing, it's just when you screw with them, they do what they can to make things rough.

[whatsurpointnow]

Roger you on the cost vs. risk argument.

Though some people will steal no matter how inconseqential the actual payment might be. It would certainly take more effort to steal if you could download higher quality songs for less than a buck and own them i.e. have the right to rip to cd, mpeg etc. for personal use.

Undoubtedly, this is the model the industry will move to(unless some new phase change no one has thought of yet intervenes!). pricing and security still need to be resolved.

[whatsurpointnow]

followup thought an acquantence (spull checker?) of mine owns a video store. He said he needs about 15 copies of hot videos. But, only for a few weeks. rental revenue drops off dramatically and at about a month or three you only need one or two copies of the movie. I am sure the music industry is similar.

Hot music demands a high premium while it is on the charts. Then the discount resellers trundle out the 10 cd's for a penney each deals to move musical inventory that would otherwise sit dead in vaults.

My point is that MOST music is NOT being sold. It is dead and buried. The opportunity to access some obscure copy of "Love for Sail" would be worth some money to me. At least at the right price.

Seems like there is some money to be made filling that niche.

[Niagara_Paul]

And there is, it's called the Internet. The quicker the big 5 open the vaults and make available their various catalogues for the general public, the money will start flowing back into their coffers. You want a song, but can't find it anywhere, go to a website, use your credit card and download it. Once you pay for it, it's yours- burn it to a cd, put it on your ipod or Diamond Rio, whatever.

The industry seems to have a blindspot about this whole thing. They also have a track record of opposing all new technology. The MPAA/RIAA have opposed: CD's, Digital Audio Players, MP3 players, and so on and so forth. As all of us have discussed.

I've seen all the graphs and they show that sales of commercial CD's are down, while sales of blank are up. I loved the debate Hilary Rosen had at Oxford, when she asked the rhetorical question why people are buying less music someone yelled, 'because it's all rubbish'. As long as there is a scapegoat,piracy, they will not address the real problem with their industry. The real problem is; it's fat, bloated, bureaucratic and totally lacking in creativity. It is interested in producing only clones of the Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears. This is the real problem.

When one considers the rubbish that is produced they should be thankful anyone gives enough of a care to file share any of it. B)