Posted by Doug Jacobs on 10/03/06 18:58

In alt.games.video.sony-playstation2 ViNNY <vinny@noemail.org> wrote:

> You've never had any fair use rights. They create it, they own it, they
> can do what they like with it.

Not quite.

Yes - they own the content. I only own a license to it. I cannot
redistribute the content. I can, however, use that content as defined by
the license and federal law. It is important to note that NO contract can
superscede federal law.

However, that doesn't stop the media companies from trying.

Playing a CD in my computer's CD drive does not violate my license. Yet
the companies have tried to prevent me from doing that.

Making a copy of a CD I own - or mixing my own CD from CDs I own - does
not violate my license. Yet the companies have tried to prevent me from
doing that.

Ripping a CD to MP3 or other electronic formate does not violate my
license. Yet the companies have tried to prevent me from doing that.

Buying used CDs is not a violation of license. Yet the companies have
tried to prevent me from doing that.

Lending(*) my CDs to friends, or playing my CDs on a friend's player is
not a violation of license. Yet the companies have tried to prevent me
from doing that.

(* assumes that once lent out, I erase/destroy or otherwise do not use any
copies of songs on that CD until it comes back to me.)

Intentionally crashing my computer IS against the law, yet music companies
have done it anyways.

Intentionally compromising my computer with spyware IS against the law,
yet music companies have done it anyways.

Odd how the companies want to send you to prison because you wanted to rip
one of your CDs to MP3 for use on your personal MP3 player, yet they've
been judged guilty of crimes against millions of consumers and they're
considered the "good guys"?

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