I don't believe that increased enforcement of intellectual property (IP) law is in the best interest of the American people.
Incumbent media industries have a history of attempting to extend IP law to avoid having to compete with new technology. Player pianos, radio, television, tape recorders, video recorders were all at one time seen as threats to the existing media industries of the day.
Technology has rendered the cost of duplication and distribution of digital goods to near zero. No amount of stronger enforcement will change this fundamental fact.
According to the incumbent IP industries, billions of dollars of losses are accorded to the assumption that each unauthorized copy represents a lost sale. Nowhere is it proven that this is the case. In fact, the movie industry had a record-breaking year in 2009. More movies are being made now as a result of cheaper means of production and distribution. The music industry is growing steadily as well (it's the recording industry that's suffering due to a failure to capitalize on lower costs). More and different forms of entertainment are being made and enjoyed now than at any other time in human history.
The incumbent IP industries also fail to recognize the benefits to society and the economy as a result of lower copy and distribution costs. There are numerous independent studies that have found that whole new industries (where they haven't been litigated out of existence by the incumbents) have sprang up as a result of improvements in media technology.
As an ironic example, the costs to Walt Disney might have prevented him from succeeding if today's IP laws had been around when he was appropriating older content as basis for his creations. Now the Disney corporation is one of the major proponents of IP law, getting copyright extended time and again in order to keep Mickey Mouse out of the public domain. A public domain where today's Walt Disney would be prevented from using Mickey as a basis for his new creations.
To put it bluntly, if a company cannot make money off of copies of its product in today's market, then that company should be looking for new opportunities other than selling copies.
It is not the government's job to ensure the success of any company's business model. Doing so can only result in restricting civil liberties and dangerously hampering America's true innovators at a time when global competition is fierce.
...you don't need the proper drivers to draw energy from a usb port.
As a long time Linux user, I've never used the software that comes with USB devices - camera, printer, MP3 player.
I was amused to find that every one of these applications, when properly installed on Windows machines, finds some way to spam the user. In the case of Kodak, it sends every picture the user emails wrapped in a big advertisement for Kodak products.
This all came to light when a student was disciplined for "improper behavior in his home" with the evidence being a photo of the kid from his laptop webcam.
Just how stupid do you have to be to not realize this would turn very ugly, very fast?
On the post: Kaleidescape Introduces Expensive And Almost Pointless Blu-ray Jukebox... And Hollywood Still Thinks It's Illegal
Just Sayin...
Mplayer + DECSS: $0
Watching movies at the touch of a button: priceless
(Who needs Blu-Ray?)
On the post: Songwriters Guild Claims The Internet Makes It Impossible To Create Content
Walk it Back
Take a step back. It's the release of recorded music that allows people to engage in "copyright piracy".
By this logic, it is the recording industry itself that is abetting the unauthorized sharing of copyrighted works.
Stop releasing recordings and you fix the whole problem.
On the post: Attorneys General Upset That Craigslist Is Profiting From Procedure He Forced Craigslist To Put In Place
And Furthermore
"...the correct use of those funds is in my campaign coffers."
On the post: Canadian Entertainment Industry Begins New Media Campaign For Draconian Copyright Laws
No Problem
I have great faith that, as in America, the Canadian politicians will see through the charades they are paid to see through.
On the post: Does ACTA Kill Online Anonymity?
ACTO
Because it has eloctrolytes?
On the post: Universal Music Funds Yet Another 'Educational' Propaganda Campaign Against File Sharing
Persistence
On the post: Response To The White House's Request For Feedback On IP Enforcement
My Letter
I don't believe that increased enforcement of intellectual property (IP) law is in the best interest of the American people.
Incumbent media industries have a history of attempting to extend IP law to avoid having to compete with new technology. Player pianos, radio, television, tape recorders, video recorders were all at one time seen as threats to the existing media industries of the day.
Technology has rendered the cost of duplication and distribution of digital goods to near zero. No amount of stronger enforcement will change this fundamental fact.
According to the incumbent IP industries, billions of dollars of losses are accorded to the assumption that each unauthorized copy represents a lost sale. Nowhere is it proven that this is the case. In fact, the movie industry had a record-breaking year in 2009. More movies are being made now as a result of cheaper means of production and distribution. The music industry is growing steadily as well (it's the recording industry that's suffering due to a failure to capitalize on lower costs). More and different forms of entertainment are being made and enjoyed now than at any other time in human history.
The incumbent IP industries also fail to recognize the benefits to society and the economy as a result of lower copy and distribution costs. There are numerous independent studies that have found that whole new industries (where they haven't been litigated out of existence by the incumbents) have sprang up as a result of improvements in media technology.
As an ironic example, the costs to Walt Disney might have prevented him from succeeding if today's IP laws had been around when he was appropriating older content as basis for his creations. Now the Disney corporation is one of the major proponents of IP law, getting copyright extended time and again in order to keep Mickey Mouse out of the public domain. A public domain where today's Walt Disney would be prevented from using Mickey as a basis for his new creations.
To put it bluntly, if a company cannot make money off of copies of its product in today's market, then that company should be looking for new opportunities other than selling copies.
It is not the government's job to ensure the success of any company's business model. Doing so can only result in restricting civil liberties and dangerously hampering America's true innovators at a time when global competition is fierce.
Sincerely,
On the post: Frost & Sullivan Analyst Apparently Has Never Heard Of Network TV: Says Video Can't Be Free To Consumers
Ouch
If I was this Dan guy, I'd be taking an "internet leave of absence" for a few days.
On the post: As Expected, Ridiculous, Wrong, Exaggerating And Misleading Report Claims That 'Piracy' Is Killing Jobs
In Other News
On the post: Energizer Introduces USB Battery Charger With Bonus Rootkit Feature [Update]
Who Owns Your Computer?
As a long time Linux user, I've never used the software that comes with USB devices - camera, printer, MP3 player.
I was amused to find that every one of these applications, when properly installed on Windows machines, finds some way to spam the user. In the case of Kodak, it sends every picture the user emails wrapped in a big advertisement for Kodak products.
Nice...
On the post: Can You Still Say DRM Is Effective When It Creates Security Vulnerabilities, Performance Degradation, Incompatibilities, System Instability And 'Other Issues'? [Update]
Sounds like a Microsoft product.
On the post: Don't Blame Your Community: Ad Blocking Is Not Killing Any Sites
Zero Tolerance for Adimation
However, when I do block an animated ad, I usually go for the whole domain - *.doubleclick.net, *.yieldmanager.com, etc.
So when I venture to a new site, if they have ads from one of these domains, I won't even know I'm blocking them.
On the post: RIAA Takes The Cake: Equates File Sharing To Children's Fairy Tale
Ouch
That was masterful.
On the post: Home Cooking Is Killing The Restaurant Industry!
Also
On the post: Olympics: Thou Shalt Not Tweet (Without Paying Up)
Evolution
On the post: Instead Of Suing Each Other Over Who Can Claim 'Most Reliable' Why Not Invest In Making A More Reliable Network?
Reality
Oh, for Chrissakes - Mike, where do you get these silly ideas?
On the post: School Accused Of Spying On Kids In Their Homes With Spyware That Secretly Activated Webcams
Amazing
Just how stupid do you have to be to not realize this would turn very ugly, very fast?
On the post: Confusing Economic Factors With Moral Ones; Explaining Economics Is Not Anti-Intellectual
Re: Re: Illumination
Yes, but my great-great-grandfather had the idea for that pot, so you owe me half back.
On the post: Confusing Economic Factors With Moral Ones; Explaining Economics Is Not Anti-Intellectual
Illumination
"I have a great pot for sale"
"I have a great idea for a pot. You must buy it from me in order to make pots"
On the post: If You're Subversive, And Live In South Carolina, Please Register With The State Gov't
Sing Along
raise your hand
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