Quote: Originally Posted by DailyTech This week the U.S. government announced a joint program with Russia in an effort to thwart piracy as well as protecting intellectual property. The new joint program calls to address what the U.S. terms IPR, or intellectual property rights, which is a big concern in Russia right now as well as other countries such as China and Taiwan.

Thoughts?

That sucks. I like AllofMp3. I've never had a problem with it and its music is top notch. I really like using it for album tites and track numbers and such. But all good things must come to an end at some time.

Big Brother is always out to get everyone.

Shutting down AllofMp3 isn't going to stop anything. Thats what I don't understand. Goverenment Keeps on trying to fight piracy eventhough there is no way to really stop it.

O well. Will be nice to see what new program pops up

The Gov't is lame.

Yep, not before long before something else schnazzy pops up.

++ Cool I have a custom title... Thanks Rob. lol.

AllofMP3 was always shady. Yeah your paying for it, so you can feel better, but they didnt pay for it in the first place. Better off just pirating it... Crooks on all sides.

They need to realize there are much bigger problems in the world other than piracy. There's people dying in Iraq. And they are worried about intellectual property.

Quote: Originally Posted by j-dogg They need to realize there are much bigger problems in the world other than piracy. There's people dying in Iraq. And they are worried about intellectual property.

Having just sat through a series of wonderful lectures on Intellectual Property, I can tell you that while it might be very, very boring it is most definitely important. While I'm not on the side of the RIAA and other music bodies who seem more interested in greed than fighting crime, downloading is morally wrong, not to mention illegal, and you can't blame companies and governments for trying to stop it.

To be honest I don't really see what's so bad here. They are breaking the law - and the powers that be are punishing them. It's that simple, and it was going to happen sooner or later. There are still an infinite number of ways you can get music for free.

Or you could just pay for it....now that's a novel idea.

I'll be frank - I have downloaded illegally before, but just because you can do something doesn't mean it's right.

Yes, there are bigger issues in the world, but unfortunately the record industry is a large one, and just like the oil industry, it has sufficient weight to be able to put pressure on the world's governments, for better or for worse.

while not an excuse...

I've listened to a lot of music...

I also need to listen to so much more to be happy.

I have a low paying job..

ahhhh, wants suck.

Quote: Originally Posted by Cyno01 AllofMP3 was always shady. Yeah your paying for it, so you can feel better, but they didnt pay for it in the first place. Better off just pirating it... Crooks on all sides.

If you read their legality FAQ, they claim that they paid the Russian something or other 15% +5% for artists or something or other..

As long as gomusic.ru goes unoticed for a while, I don't care

Quote: Originally Posted by Dex As long as gomusic.ru goes unoticed for a while, I don't care

Way to go posting it here then....

Quote: Originally Posted by reflux Having just sat through a series of wonderful lectures on Intellectual Property, I can tell you that while it might be very, very boring it is most definitely important. While I'm not on the side of the RIAA and other music bodies who seem more interested in greed than fighting crime, downloading is morally wrong, not to mention illegal, and you can't blame companies and governments for trying to stop it. To be honest I don't really see what's so bad here. They are breaking the law - and the powers that be are punishing them. It's that simple, and it was going to happen sooner or later. There are still an infinite number of ways you can get music for free. Or you could just pay for it....now that's a novel idea. I'll be frank - I have downloaded illegally before, but just because you can do something doesn't mean it's right. Yes, there are bigger issues in the world, but unfortunately the record industry is a large one, and just like the oil industry, it has sufficient weight to be able to put pressure on the world's governments, for better or for worse.

Morally Wrong? By What standard? The MPAA Is Capitalist, now tell me charging 15 Bucks isnt outragous. Most of that money goes towards the record label, NOT the artist. Still whats the big deal? What if you go and record a song from the radio? Isnt that pirating? Like every other nut in the world, they are making a Big Fuss just because its in digital Format.

The RIAA are a bunch of pirates themselves. Have you ever seen the kind of hell they put thier artists through before they put any money into the artists pockets?

And the sad thing is that most new artists keep falling for the same bs even tough they've all heard the truth over and over again, because they think that the RIAA is the ONLY way to get any kind of advertising.

Now, I don't argue that you should be breaking the law. It has been proven time and again in court that downloading music is piracy, by the letter of the law, and therefore is wrong. However you deal with that on a moral level is up to you.

MY issue with the whole deal is this: If the RIAA is so damned worried about the ARTISTS getting their money, why aren't they paying the artist more? Artists make their real money from touring, plain and simple. They are lucky to even see a fully rounded percentage (most only get a fraction of one percent per album) per album sold.

Sure, there ARE bands that are the exception. . . . Metallica fought to get a much larger percentage of what they were owed, and won based on a verbal contract with a former exec for their label. But that is an EXTREME rarity. You basically have to have enough of a following based on MTV ratings and other RIAA controlled outlets that you would represent a genuine threat to the companies profits if you decided to walk.

So, to me, morally, it's wrong to support the RIAA in any fashion. I will attend concerts, showing my support one $20 ticket at a time. I will buy a t-shirt for $30 at the venue because I know that $30 is going directly back to the band after the cost of renting the concert hall is paid off. And most importantly, I will shell out the bux to buy a cd at the show, because those discs that are already owned by the band, so the profit is theirs to spend, not the RIAA's.

Why is this an important distinction to make? Because you are further supporting the artist you love, and not the companies who rip them off, that's why.

And anyone who's using the IP arguments for this case? That's not showing support for the creator of the content. That's only going to strengthen the reach of the RIAA and other corporations. IP is an artificial concept invented to deal with the fact that the law only covered theft in the physical sense. IP boils down to one sentence in the end, and to me, it's one of the most horrible sentences in ANY language: "I have already thought this idea, and I own it. If you dare to think this idea after me, I will have you charged with theft."

Vote with your dollar (by NOT buying the big branded albums). Support the starving musicians by contacting them as directly as you can. Check into some Creative Commons backed artists . . . There are a TON of great (EXCELLENT, even) artists who DO release their albums on the net for free, just to drum up the interest in thier live shows. It's going to be a LONG, slow and HARD fight to get some of our basic freedoms back for fair use, but it CAN be done.

I can't say one way or the other on downloading, because that's not my place, but don't get caught if you want to break the law.

This is my big assed pile of $.02. Do with it as you will.

D

Quote: Originally Posted by reflux Way to go posting it here then....

Crap yeah I forgot there are RIAA spys all over PCApex waiting for us to slip up...

Quote: Originally Posted by Dex Crap yeah I forgot there are RIAA spys all over PCApex waiting for us to slip up...

Yeah, you had better take down http://www.olliesmegapwnzorwarez.com as well

Good post btw Drougnor, all of that is very true, I agree.