Wikiposts
Search
Computer/Internet Issues & Troubleshooting Anyone with questions about the terribly complex world of computers or the internet should try here. NOT FOR REPORTING ISSUES WITH PPRuNe FORUMS! Please use the subforum "PPRuNe Problems or Queries."

BEWARE! Music downloaders!!

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 9th Sep 2003, 17:04
  #1 (permalink)  
Cool Mod
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Apr 1998
Location: 18nm N of LGW
Posts: 6,185
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
BEWARE! Music downloaders!!

It has been announced that single individuals are being targeted by the music companies. This is to catch those whose who download music via websites that allow the sharing of music through each person's own hard drive.

Seems they are no longer interested in the 'facility' but will now go after the individuals through their ISP's and then take them to court. The suggested cost of conviction is £100,000 - "but it is likely to be a lesser figure at final settlement." Obviously not worth it either way.

Apparently this is big piracy and the music company's have had enough.
PPRuNe Pop is offline  
Old 9th Sep 2003, 23:00
  #2 (permalink)  

I'matightbastard
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Texas
Posts: 1,747
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
You mean beware if you're someone's old granny who happens to have a teenage granddaughter who downloads music over your connection. Not that you understand anything about computers mind, it doesn't matter, you'll just get your granny ass hauled into court. Just happened over here.

The problem as I see it is that copyright is important and the lifeblood of the artist, but it's not as if the record companies have been the best guardians of musicians' rights in the past.

Bit hypocritical if you ask me.
Onan the Clumsy is offline  
Old 10th Sep 2003, 00:09
  #3 (permalink)  
The Oracle
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Naples, Florida U.S.A.
Posts: 2,902
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Onan the Clumsy,

I see it more as, the record companies are not adapting to the changes in technology. There is a whole new way to reach a greater audience, but they would rather scare their public.

It seems to me the record companies are going alienate their consumers and turn them off all together.

Take Care,

Richard
Naples Air Center, Inc. is offline  
Old 10th Sep 2003, 00:13
  #4 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Sunrise, Fl. U.S.A.
Posts: 467
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I really deplore their methods for trying to salvage $$$ that they simply don't need. When does greed stop these guys?

The simple fact is that they charge too much for the CD's they sell, one record company has reduced in this reguard.
RW-1 is offline  
Old 10th Sep 2003, 00:24
  #5 (permalink)  
The Oracle
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Naples, Florida U.S.A.
Posts: 2,902
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
RW-1,

If they need the money or not is irrelevant. The music companies has the power of the copyright and the law behind them. I just think that the record companies are not being smart about this.

I do agree with you, it is pretty sad that a Music CD costs just about as much as a Movie DVD. But again, that is beside the point.

Take Care,

Richard
Naples Air Center, Inc. is offline  
Old 10th Sep 2003, 00:28
  #6 (permalink)  
Bringer of Wx
 
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: London
Posts: 236
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
It would appear that Onan's scenario has actually come to pass. As (I think) he pointed out, the RIAA have now subpoena'd a twelve-year-old girl. Scary.

Jx
WeatherJinx is offline  
Old 10th Sep 2003, 02:32
  #7 (permalink)  
The Oracle
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Naples, Florida U.S.A.
Posts: 2,902
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
WeatherJinx,

I wonder if they will give her the Kevin Mitnick treatment? Not allow her to be in the same room as a music device for the next 9 years or something.

Richard
Naples Air Center, Inc. is offline  
Old 10th Sep 2003, 05:41
  #8 (permalink)  
Bringer of Wx
 
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: London
Posts: 236
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Post

Richard

I wouldn't put it past them. Their actions are now so disproportionately agressive, it wouldn't surprise me if more enlightened artists start asking themselves whether the recording 'industry', whilst hiding behind the skirts of 'Intellectual Property' is really acting in their best interests after all?

The next logical step in my mind would be for these artists to find a way to deal direct with the online distributors who are getting it right (Apple iTMS, OD2) and cut out altogether the greedy, litigious leeches who, in failing to understand the implications and vast opportunities afforded by digital technology, will almost certainly end up eating their own lunch.

Jx
WeatherJinx is offline  
Old 10th Sep 2003, 06:00
  #9 (permalink)  
The Oracle
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Naples, Florida U.S.A.
Posts: 2,902
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
WeatherJinx,

I do not see them cutting out the record labels any time soon. The record labels spend a huge amount of money promoting the artists via advertising and concerts.

There are very few artists/bands that can pull away from the record label machine and they are a well oiled machine that controls everything & everyone in that industry.

Richard

P.S. The thing the record labels missed is that a good percentage of the people that download the music in an MP3 will go out in buy the CD if they really like the song/group. They want the better quality sound that you get from a CD, which the MP3s just do not have.
Naples Air Center, Inc. is offline  
Old 10th Sep 2003, 08:30
  #10 (permalink)  

Metrosexual
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Enroute
Posts: 622
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Grrr

If the record companies want to stop losing money, or recover revenue, they should start by not wasting so much money on crap product they dish out these days!!

And no, I am not an old fart who hates young peoples' music.

Honestly the ****ethat is pumped out these days is amazing, no wonder nobody wants to spend money on it!!
Jet_A_Knight is offline  
Old 10th Sep 2003, 11:01
  #11 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 1,346
Received 22 Likes on 11 Posts
It would appear the real reason for the downturn in CD sales has been covered here - it costs too much to buy a lot of cr*p. Why do so many artists release an album, and then release 5 singles off it - usually with "remixes" of the same songs. Too many artists now producing one good song, and that's it. Who wants a whole CD of mediocre filler?
The record companies should be seeing opportunities here - why not join the bandwagon (no pun intended) and offer "official" downloads at reasonable price & quality?
reynoldsno1 is offline  
Old 10th Sep 2003, 18:49
  #12 (permalink)  
Bringer of Wx
 
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: London
Posts: 236
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
They want the better quality sound that you get from a CD, which the MP3s just do not have.
Richard

I would tend to disagree. I defy anyone, audiophile or not, to tell the difference between a MP3 with VBR (Variable Bit Rate) encoding at 192 kbps or above, either on my iPod or on a decent hi-fi. Additionally, if you choose not to compress (both the iPod and your computer should be able to play the raw AIFF file) there is no loss at all.

I have already begun the move over to a fully digital system - I have begun shopping around for a new hi-fi and will not be buying a CD player

Jx
WeatherJinx is offline  
Old 10th Sep 2003, 21:25
  #13 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Quite near 'An aerodrome somewhere in England'
Posts: 26,850
Received 333 Likes on 116 Posts
Well, no doubt the vinyl aficionados, digital yoofs, MP3 pirates, 'valves for ever' types and even 78ers all have their individual points of view.

But the universal CD is so convenient and can be played at home, in the car, on a laptop or wherever. It doesn't get tangled up in the works like a compact cassette and sounds fine to me. If the music industry manages to bring down costs to the great unwashed general public by stamping out piracy, then good luck to them....even if it does mean that a few spotty kids will have to pay for something instead of just stealing it.

"Naaow, that's so unfair. 'S doin' me 'ed in. I wannit for nuffin' "
BEagle is online now  
Old 10th Sep 2003, 21:31
  #14 (permalink)  

I'matightbastard
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Texas
Posts: 1,747
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
My ipod has a few songs that don't sound as good as the original CD version (for which my lawyer reminds me I paid full retail price and have kept the receipts), but I think that's because they're compressed. If I uncompressed them, I'd get a lot fewer of them on there. On the whole, they sound ok, but then again, so does a cassette through ear phones.

I'm with Richard here. The 'industry' is just missing a fabulous new opportunity that newspapers don't seem to be missing. Idiots. :roll eyes:

Here's a funny sidebar, when the 'story' broke on our local news, the 'reporter' walked slowly towards the camera in a room surrounded by racks of CDs. I thought it looked familiar and yes, it was a local reseller of books, magazines, CDs, videos etc (you know the places where you clear out your cupboards and they give you a couple of quid and everyone's happy). Not exactly the best place to illustrate the underlying complexeties of the story I would have thought.
Onan the Clumsy is offline  
Old 11th Sep 2003, 17:51
  #15 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Scotland
Posts: 151
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
All

I will openly admit to downloading the occasional audio snippet from the interweb and yes this recent hoo haa has made me think twice about downloading.

I get completely pi$$ed off at the way we get ripped off here in the UK to pay for albums etc. There are other ways of delivering this media as mentioned below, look at what Apple are doing with iTunes which has just passed the 10 Million downloads mark and Microsoft and others are about to follow suit.

I can sum it up by watching MTV's Cribs which shows us round the houses of these poor pop stars who are being ripped of by file swappers. Plasma screens in the bathroom/hall/bedroom/kitchen/garden shed... etc etc etc. Then out into the car park which looks like a luxury car showroom, HELLO how many 100k motors do you really need? Well I suppose one for each day of the week after they have gotten home from school.

I think that my occasional foray into the seedy side of the web might not harm them too much.
Front_Seat_Dreamer is offline  
Old 12th Sep 2003, 14:58
  #16 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Scotland
Posts: 151
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
TCS

Valid and good point.

However my question to everyone who reads this how many of you can have NO unpaid for software on your system?

I am fortunate that I get nearly all my software through my business and as such never feel the need to go down the market to buy bootleg copies and if you look hard enough there are free alternatives to just about everything on freeware sites.

Amusing side point however there is/was a shop not a million miles from where I work that blatantly sell bootleg disks, one of my colleagues was in there a while back and they had a sale on!!!

You just couldn't make it up.
Front_Seat_Dreamer is offline  
Old 12th Sep 2003, 19:02
  #17 (permalink)  
Cool Mod
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Apr 1998
Location: 18nm N of LGW
Posts: 6,185
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
TCS

I think you are missing the point. Perhaps you are being mischievious. But either way it is not a tabu subject. As far as software piracy is concerned it IS tabu if, as some have tried to do, they make an attempt to point to a link - using PPRuNe - that deliberately encourages an act of piracy. We will not tolerate that. Discussing it as a subject without links is a valid subject.

My post on the matter of music downloads is in the public domain, has a direct interest value to PPRuNers and it is nothing more than a 'heads up' to make people aware that a potentially serious problem awaits those who do not heed. The discussion that followed is excatly on the lines that has been discussed on TV, radio and in the media. PPRuNe is no different. If a link to downloading music appeared it would swiftly be removed, with the possibility that the poster would soon follow!

I hope that clears up your point.

PPRuNe is diverse in helping, advising and encouraging it's readers you see!


PPP
PPRuNe Pop is offline  
Old 13th Sep 2003, 07:00
  #18 (permalink)  
Dream Coder
Dream Coder
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Canada
Posts: 286
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Bravo PrunePop!

I never thought for one second that software piracy was Taboo to talk about on PPRuNe, only to do, solicit, encourage, or actively exhibit. These forums should have very few taboo’s and we do.

Albeit from the ones that defames, or infringe on copyright, or are liabilist, threads which are quickly hidden/deleted from innocent eyes. But otherwise this arena is a free-for-all!!!

Just the way it should be.

As for the music companies trying to sue for more money from technophiles, (which means about 2% of anyone over 30 and everyone in their teens and 20's) they just make their dark cloak of evil that much more visible.

They rape the musicians with cost sheets while making an album/doing a tour, that include everything from charging the air they breathe as deductions off their profits (which by the way are already insignificant compared to the record companies profits from an album) they rape the consumer by charging incredible margins on something that is in the pence to produce, record, and promote.
And now they have found a way to create an even newer younger enemy, the fans who purchase (and download) their products.

If you ask me, it’s a real smooth move by all the lawyers involved. They’re the ones who are profiting the most. This only hurts the industry, the fans, and the musicians in the long run.

P.S. I have a huge CD collection, one that I'm quite proud of, and I found every one on sale.
As for MP3's I love em. They give my video card something pretty to display while the music is playing.

Ridley is offline  
Old 13th Sep 2003, 09:36
  #19 (permalink)  
Dream Coder
Dream Coder
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Canada
Posts: 286
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I can understand the confusion TCS. I would have garnered the same opinion.

However reading the whole thread, I can tell what was being squelched.

The fine line between discussing piracy and being part of the piracy problem is simple, if you know how to do something illegal or are doing something illegal, don't share your bad choice in an open forum, but if you have an opinion on it, then by all means share it. That way, no one gets in trouble, including the poster.

It would have turned into a henley's helpful piracy hints thread. OR worse, a flame war against the poor original poster.

Makes sense why the thread was closed.

Ridley
Ridley is offline  
Old 13th Sep 2003, 16:18
  #20 (permalink)  
Dream Coder
Dream Coder
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Canada
Posts: 286
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I don't think your being confrontational at all!!!

I believe in some strange circles, this is called a discussion.

And you did get it right, I was using you and your as in the royal you and yours. Everyone, not you specifically.


As for the Kazaa thread, I never read it. (So I can't comment on it)
But just a quick note, sometimes PPRuNe gets emailed from some very powerful people who request that certain threads are removed immediately because they violate some copyright/liable/defamatory law. And believe it or not, sometimes they are actually taken down because the points made are valid.

What I'm trying to get at, is sometimes threads are taken down for more than just the obvious Mod who seems to be power tripping. That's an extremely rare thing around here, since the other mods keep us all in line. It's like a group beating. A mod can't really close a thread without a lot of agreement going on.

At least in principle.
Hey happens.

Hope this enlightens things a bit.
P.S. When I do get to meet you at a PPRuNe bash one day TCS, I'll buy you a beer, but only if you promise to be confrontational.

Ridley
Ridley is offline  


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.