File Sharing Remains Constant
from the good-or-bad-depending-on-how-you-spin-it dept
While the recording industry likes to declare that its legal actions against file sharers are a success, a new report shows little change in file sharing traffic. This can easily be spun to support both sides -- and the likely truth is that there are multiple forces at work here. Some people have almost definitely stopped their file sharing activities due to the threat of lawsuits. Though, you could argue that's a hollow victory -- because those people may discover less music and may end up giving less money to the recording industry and its artists. The industry's spin is not surprising. It's celebrating the fact that sharing has been "contained" by noting that with more broadband use, it should have increased. However, again, we're talking hollow victories here. There's still a ton of file sharing going on and the real question is what it's actually done for the industry's ability to make money in the future -- and you could make a reasonable case that it's done a lot more harm than good. The other bit of doublespeak from the industry spokesperson is the claim that all these complaints about copy protection are simply misunderstandings, and that the technology "helps get music to consumers in new and flexible ways." That's funny, it doesn't seem to add any new method of delivery that we can see, and seems to remove flexibility, not add it.Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
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No Subject Given
Because so far, that's what they're doing.
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No Subject Given
There were a couple of CD's (one through EMG) that I wanted. I want to listen in my car and I want to listen on my MP3. Thanks to the new and flexible copy-protection, I can only rip the CD three times, and even then, only to WMA. What player worth a damn plays WMA? Oh don't worry, I was still able to hack the crap out of (insert CD while holding shift disables auto-run. Then use ISOBurner) but the effort I had to go through to get some fair use out of it was ridiculous.
This crap is a joke.
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No Subject Given
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Above
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Re: Above
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Music Is Over
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Re: Music Is Over
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Reasons.
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RIAA is wasting its time
Yea it may be wrong, but that's what the RIAA & major labels get for being greedy bastards. Labels get most of the profit from record sales anyway.
Oh, and I'll buy the cd if it's an indie label. I don't care about major labels, they can rot in hell.
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Sorry for the rant, but I know too may people where I live that wonder why their lives suck and blame me for their failure to use their time in school for educating themselves. Most of them are drop outs and borderline felons. And that ghetto music that RIAA keeps pushing on us is an example of how backwrds this country is. They say there is no future without history, but if you let some of history go, things may actually get better for everyone. So let the friggen past die and get over it!!!! We are not in the civil war anymore, there are no more slaves (in the US). Get the F over it. And stop making music about it!!!
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RIAA must hate consumers
Any copy protection in the past has always been broken. Pirates will always get what they want. The only thing software copy protection and DRM does is inconvience legimate customers.
I'll also second the fact that a large part of the problem with both music and movies today is the crap is being cranked out. Name just one supergroup today. All we have are lip-syncing personalities. The big money in the music industry was in touring anyway, not record sales (just look at the Grateful Dead). But how can you fill a stadium with someone that can't even sing?
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Re: Above
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File sharing
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Re: File sharing
A slight difference in that radio stations pay a royalty for each song played. But other than that, there are no fundemental differences.
One argument used by the RIAA is that one can make perfect copies of songs. Well, based on the technology at the time, people could make almost near-perfect copies of songs. I copied plenty of CDs onto tapes in the late 80s - hey I was a college student at the time with a limited budget. But I also bought plenty of CDs based on those tapes.
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Re: RIAA must hate consumers
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Re: File sharing
This will make classic analog equipment quite desireable ...
Analog hole, ArsTechnica
Analog hole, TechDirt
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