As a lifetime guitar player, I recognized the design in the video still immediately. The listing of products in one of the other posts names off some very iconic instrument series and when it comes down to it, this product will probably be considered a musical instrument. I don't know if that would be enough to call it a direct copyright infringement, but I can certainly understand why Gibson would be put out.
As far as the retailers are concerned, if they were stocking pirated copies of software or other goods where copyright was up in the air, they would be cracked down on for doing so, along with the manufacturers themselves. I don't see where the case can't be made on the same grounds as what was used against torrent sites, except that this case is worse because the facilitators are making money.
I can't believe people still attempt this kind of thing at this point. Anything to prevent people from reminding them that the cellphone has never and will never be as necessary as air. Both the world and its drivers have managed without cellphones for as long as the car has existed.
Here's something crazy. Maybe the laws don't work because they're NOT ENFORCED, and they're not enforced because enforcement is NOT MANDATORY?! Ever think of that? In California cops can't even pull a texter or cell user over unless they're breaking some other traffic law. And when they do pull them over, the fine is $50. Who cares?
Make the offense PRIMARY, change the first offense fine to $1000, and double it on each additional offense. Then come back and tell me how many people are hiding the phone under the wheel. The fine here for littering is over $1000 for crying out loud.
And for those who want to use Nirvana fallacies to argue this, such as that it doesn't solve problems with people crashing because they're playing Jenga and other such nonsense, what say you about removing the drunk driving, speeding, and reckless driving laws because they don't solve those problems either? Give me a break.
These laws exist because "me me me" Americans won't do what's right without being dragged by the scruff of the neck. They don't work because the fox is guarding the henhouse and the judges and lawmakers are breaking them too.
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Gotta side with Gibson here big time
As far as the retailers are concerned, if they were stocking pirated copies of software or other goods where copyright was up in the air, they would be cracked down on for doing so, along with the manufacturers themselves. I don't see where the case can't be made on the same grounds as what was used against torrent sites, except that this case is worse because the facilitators are making money.
Ridiculous, Clueless, and Unoriginal Spin
Here's something crazy. Maybe the laws don't work because they're NOT ENFORCED, and they're not enforced because enforcement is NOT MANDATORY?! Ever think of that? In California cops can't even pull a texter or cell user over unless they're breaking some other traffic law. And when they do pull them over, the fine is $50. Who cares?
Make the offense PRIMARY, change the first offense fine to $1000, and double it on each additional offense. Then come back and tell me how many people are hiding the phone under the wheel. The fine here for littering is over $1000 for crying out loud.
And for those who want to use Nirvana fallacies to argue this, such as that it doesn't solve problems with people crashing because they're playing Jenga and other such nonsense, what say you about removing the drunk driving, speeding, and reckless driving laws because they don't solve those problems either? Give me a break.
These laws exist because "me me me" Americans won't do what's right without being dragged by the scruff of the neck. They don't work because the fox is guarding the henhouse and the judges and lawmakers are breaking them too.
Techdirt has not posted any stories submitted by Rhynn.
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