Posted by trippy on 09/09/06 22:21

In article <X7CdnUp-tPbLkp3YnZ2dnUVZ_vGdnZ2d@giganews.com>, Aaron took
the hamburger meat, threw it on the grill, and I said "Oh Wow"...

> Modemac wrote:
> >>From our friends at Boing Boing:
> >
> > http://www.boingboing.net/2006/08/22/riaa_propaganda_movi.html
> >
> > You can download a free propaganda film about how downloading
> > copyrighted movies makes you an EVIL TERRORIST WHO WILL BE TRACKED DOWN
> > AND CAPTURED BY THE GLORIOUS SOLDIERS OF THE GOVERNMENT! What's more,
> > you can order a high-quality copy of the film on DVD, for free!
> >
> > --
> > The High Weirdness Project
> > http://www.modemac.com
>
> I love that trailer they're putting at the beginning of some DVDs now
> with the kids downloading movies on their computer and there is some
> song in the background and it flashes "YOU WOULDN'T STEAL A CAR," blah
> blah blah, "DON'T STEAL MOVIES."
>
> That rationalization is so played out. Okay, I'm not saying that people
> SHOULD steal music or movies, but it's just not the same THING, people!

Sure it is. You *are* taking royalties away from the artists. By
downloading a song and not paying for it, you are depriving artists of
their due share of the money for a song. Their work, their
artistic/intellectual property, their money. And filesharing makes it
all the more easier. Download enough songs and you don't have to buy
their album and there's millions of people on the internet. If
everyone was to download the album for free, what do you think the
artists would make? Zilch. Why buy something when you can get it for
free?

But I too download songs from the net, for free, using my favorite
filesharing proggie for three reasons.

1) The schemes to provide content to people legally are ridiculous,
for the most part. I use the Yahoo Launchcast service for free. It's
okay except that part of the subscription benefits is unlimited song
skipping. So, once the free skips run out, it's all crap that you
really, really wish you could skip through.

They play 800 kazillion ads an hour. Pay a small subscription rate and
no ads. However, the ads play way more frequently than on commerical
radio. That's wrong. At least cut it down to that much, if you're
going to do something like that.

Part of the deal they've worked out in order to provide this service
is that they can't play only the songs you rate. This too means a lot
of crap you wish you could skip through. Although, I will be honest
and say that I have found songs to add due to this. Also, they play
stuff that's just coming out too so you can look superleet by blending
old/new sounds. Still, if you're going to have people rate songs, let
them hear them. Work out a better deal so that you don't have wade
through as much crap to hear the songs you pick.

2) Sometimes I just want to hear a song and not have the whole radio
experience.

3) I've tried to find some of my favorite songs legally and they don't
even make the discs anymore. Also, the music that is produced legally
is priced sky high.

4) I haven't heard of an artist going broke yet due to filesharing.
Additionally, most of your piracy is going on overseas, where US laws
don't apply.

--
trippy
mhm31x9 Smeeter#29 WSD#30
sTaRShInE_mOOnBeAm aT HoTmAil dOt CoM

NP: "To Live And Die In L.A." -- Wang Chung

"Now, technology's getting better all the time and that's fine,
but most of the time all you need is a stick of gum, a pocketknife,
and a smile."

-- Robert Redford "Spy Game"

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