Tech Companies Getting Called Out For Supporting PIPA/SOPA
from the might-not-be-a-wise-move dept
With the growing public sentiment against SOPA/PIPA, it seems that some of their dislike of these bills is coming back to bite tech companies that have lobbied in support of the bill. It appears that some have been combing through OpenSecrets, and discovered that Sony and Nintendo both lobbied in favor of PROTECT IP (PIPA). This isn't a huge surprise, give who we're talking about. Neither company relies that much on an open internet, but is more focused on closed, proprietary systems that may make use of the internet. But, either way, it seems that people's anger is being directed at such companies pretty quickly these days. Makes you wonder if any other tech companies would actually come out in favor of such bills, and risk a public backlash.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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Filed Under: pipa, protect ip, sopa, tech companies
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Sony protectionism
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Re: Sony protectionism
Have you seen the 3DS' online store? It's like they don't even really want you ordering anything from them online.
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Yep
1. Sony
2. Apple
3. Creative
Microsoft is on the list too, but unfortunately I can't avoid Windows. The rest of their products are definitely "do not buy" for me, though.
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Re: Yep
LINUX.
L. I. N. U. X. !
I avoid Windows pretty much every day.
You can too.
Go, live the dream.
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Re: Re: Yep
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Re: Re: Re: Yep
You have my empathy sir.
I'd suggest becoming an "Expert" Code Monkey or an IT Guru--then you can pretty much do whatever you want with your computer system and nobody will naysay you.
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Re: Re: Re: Yep
At home I run only Linux.
At work, I am not responsible for the Windows, or keeping it working or maintained. BTW, our IT does a great job of keeping our Windows maintained. But if it were to break, it's not my problem.
Maybe one day I will not even have to use Windows at work. I did get my way a few years ago to use Eclipse / Java / etc. My product could, technically, be repackaged to have a beautiful turnkey install onto other OSes.
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Re: Re: Yep
The vast majority of my time on my home PC is spent in a very short list of programs.
Rift
EVE Online
and after Dec 20 Star Wars: The Old Republic
When Linux can run those without an emulator or development houses start releasing builds for Linux then I will make the switch at home. I have no control over what they run here at work, even less so because I work for the State Government.
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Re: Re: Re: Yep
Seriously, there are tons of gaming options.
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Re: Re: Re: Yep
A custom WINE build--I've had considerable success with my favorite Windows games using it.
Railroad Tycoon 3
Command & Conquer Generals
Rollercoaster Tycoon
etc...
If you were using a *very* lite-weight Linux distro (I suggest ArchBang--and easy Arch Linux build for intermediate+ Linux users) I could see your being able to run games with amazing ease.
Never know till you try...
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Re: Yep
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Truly a bunch of dirtbags.
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Re: Re: Re: Yep
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They also risk public support...
Is it any wonder that Steam-- the DRM system that's loved around here-- charges so much less than the open PC games? That's because Steam pushes everyone to pay into the pot and that's good for the little guy.
So aside from the rabid creator haters around here, I think there will be plenty of little guys buying Sony or Nintendo systems. Why? Because the consoles and the content, when added together, are cheaper. The little guy wins and isn't screwed over by the freeloaders.
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Re: They also risk public support...
If and when Valve ever collapses we will be the first to scream bloody murder if they don't do something to ensure that people will still be able to play their legally purchased games.
That never happens with file sharing...
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Re: Re: They also risk public support...
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Re: They also risk public support...
Steam isn't a DRM platform, it's a distribution platform that includes DRM with some games. And some people do hate Steam. But they've shown that their goal is to make money, not to control people. I can respect that.
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Re: They also risk public support...
I just downloaded Skyrim, deleted it and then downloaded it again. 150 times. Enjoy your negative bank balance.
...screwed over by the freeloaders.
Also, apparently I got laid.
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Re: Re: They also risk public support...
Does your asshole still hurt?
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Re: Re: Re: They also risk public support...
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Re: Re: Re: Re: They also risk public support...
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Re: They also risk public support...
BTW, people still pirate Steam games. And we aren't "creator haters", which sounds so very much like when Republicans go off about "taxing job creators" that don't actually create jobs.
Finally...people buy Sony and Nintendo systems because they have exclusives that are not available anywhere else. Not because the games are cheaper; they most certainly aren't, as evidenced by my purchase of 10 Steam games for the cost of your average Wii game.
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Re: They also risk public support...
But, the question then becomes, is the cure worse than the disease?
I don't think you can stop copyright infringement at this point without basically turning off the Internet or restricting it so much that it ceases to be the world-changing, populous-enabling wonder that it is.
Should we stifle one of the greatest inventions of our age and all the communication, organization, sharing, and good that it's brought with it in the hopes that we can increase the profits for an industry that's about the size of the pet supply industry, is currently having record profits, has a history of trying to outlaw new technology, and produces what most consider to be non-essential luxury goods?
The clear answer is no.
On a side note, I've spent over a grand on games through Steam.
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Re: Re: They also risk public support...
Did it ever occur to you, that exactly *that* might be the purpose behind all this?
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Re: Re: Re: They also risk public support...
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Re: They also risk public support...
Describing Steam as a "DRM system" is perhaps disingenuous, and at the very least discounts WHY it's successful, thus missing the point(intentionally?).
I don't think people 'round here (or anywhere) "want to pay their fair share of development costs", so much as "are fine to pay what the feel is a fair price for something".
Referring to people here as "content haters" is downright bullshit though, and you know it.
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Re: They also risk public support...
Players like Steam because it generally stays out of the way of playing the game. Again I don't think price applies regarding the DRM Valve just understands their market.
Your statements just don't match up with human nature. Nice try at trolling though, try again.
- > Archillies
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Re: They also risk public support...
Exactly - and that is why copyright should be abolished.
The situation you describe is inevitable - and therefore the only sensible course of action is to accept it and move to a model that matches reality.
When you want to produce some content you solicit support from amongst the group that wants to pay a fair share of the development costs, they fund the project and then you release it for free to everyone. That way the same group of people funds the project as now - and we all lose the ridiculous costs of enforcing copyright.
You see if you follow your own thoughts to their logical conclusion then you will end up exactly where I am.
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Protectionism
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"their gamer customers will stay angry."
http://denver.cbslocal.com/2011/11/09/man-threatens-to-blow-up-store-when-video-game-not-in-stoc k/
You few here are acivists who want to and DO mistake your self-interested (in terms of pro-piracy and game-playing) views for those of the wider society. As in that piece linked to today, MOST of those who object to SOPA still recognize copyright as essential and piracy as a PROBLEM, not "opportunity".
It's also generational phenomena: kids have grown up told that they're "empowered" by the Internet when actually it's the perfect police state tool to monitor their every move, almost exactly as in Orwell's "1984".
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Re: "their gamer customers will stay angry."
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Re: Re: "their gamer customers will stay angry."
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Re: "their gamer customers will stay angry."
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Re: Re: "their gamer customers will stay angry."
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Re: Re: Re: "their gamer customers will stay angry."
If he were better at it, he'd be Rush Limbaugh.
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Re: Re: "their gamer customers will stay angry."
For those who don't read the whole article mike linked to here's the whole quote:
You grabbed a sentence fragment out of context to change the focus of the article to something you wanted to talk about... Well I know I'm not suppose to, but I feel like feeding the troll, I mean someone has to do it, Think of the starving little troll children!
Wquating customers being 'angry' that a business supports SOPA and a customer who was angry that a game was out of stock is like saying teachers picketing for better wages are exactly like the Columbine kids shooting up a school full of kids, I have to agree with AC here, None of your post makes a shred of sense.
What I can say about the article you posted, Here is a paying customer who was unable to be served by traditional brick and mortar distribution methods. Had Modern Warfare been available through a digital download (which is technically possible even for xbox/ps3/wii, although not typically used) and used a different payment model (say pay-per-month like most MMORPGs use) than this Paying customer could have been served, and a crisis averted. This kid may have become a pirate that day, as a direct result of a Customer Service Failure, a Business issue, that doesn't need a law to fix.
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Re: Re: Re: "their gamer customers will stay angry."
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Re: Re: Re: Re: "their gamer customers will stay angry."
OOTB is barely a strawman compared to *angry dude*
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: "their gamer customers will stay angry."
If he only had a brain . . .
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Re: "their gamer customers will stay angry."
The problem, though is that it only rings true to people who when asked "How do you respond to claims this will break DNSSEC?" answer with a vacant stare before deciding it's time for lunch.
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Re: "their gamer customers will stay angry."
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