The RIAA sees the face of evil, and it's a 12-year-old girl...

[Luvian]

You know... i'm asking myself a question. What exactly is the point of Kazaa's music service? Look to me like they are simply taking money for a fake service...

[ 09-10-2003, 04:54 PM: Message edited by: Luvian ]

[Timber Loftis]

Originally posted by WillowIX: Yes but while file sharing is still a possibility I doubt they will raise there sales. Why? Simply because it's so much easier to download the file you need instead of going out and buy the album. That does of course not rectify downloading songs illegally. So why lower the prices at all?

Well, maybe if the attack on all fronts, like they are doing (lower prices, sue downloaders, use secret shoppers), then maybe the WILL actually start selling CDs. Those of us who don't download will likely buy more, right? I know I will.

And, how ridiculous is it to go after the 12-yr-old? Her parents will be on the hook for the money -- maybe they're rich. Moreover, I bet all the parents who hear about this on the news will at least consider taking steps to prevent their 12-yr-olds from doing the same.

[ 09-10-2003, 05:03 PM: Message edited by: Timber Loftis ]

[WillowIX]

Originally posted by Luvian: You know... i'm asking myself a question. What exactly is the point of Kazaa's music service? Look to me like they are simply taking money for a fake service...

You lost me there.. Are Kazaa charging you for downloading music? And those fees aren't going to the owners (of the song)? I thought Kazaa was a free service. Is Kazaa the culprit (as in fraud)? [img]graemlins/confused2.gif[/img] I'm sorry if these are stupid questions but I have never used Kazaa...

[Chewbacca]

I just dont get the complaint about the price of CD's. I have a good 100 cd's that go for around $10-$15 retail. I have Jazz, Classical, New Age, Rock, Rap, Country, all sorts in this price range. I am positive most record stores have thousands of offerings in this price range from all genres.

Sure the music in this price range isnt the newest, but how can the quality really be derided compared to the cost to a music lover or a fan? Many of these CD's I have listened to dozens of times, even if it was just one song on the disk that I truly appreciated!

Sure the newests disks cost more initially, but I just don't get stating music CD's on the whole are overpriced. Perhaps everyone who has this opinion should go wander around a music store and re-evaluate.

This opinion doesn't change the fact the record labels trapped themselves in a dubious business model that didn't and hasn't change with the times though. They let the single die out and didn't offer an alternative for the people who only wanted that hot new song on the radio. They did screw the pooch in many ways, but not all CD's are over-priced and not all albums suck except for one or two songs.

Gosh, I just won't shut up about this topic eh? Well I'm at home sick with nada better to do, so feel free to ignore my incessant ranting! [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[WillowIX]

Originally posted by Chewbacca: I just dont get the complaint about the price of CD's. I have a good 100 cd's that go for around $10-$15 retail. I have Jazz, Classical, New Age, Rock, Rap, Country, all sorts in this price range. I am positive most record stores have thousands of offerings in this price range from all genres. Sure the music in this price range isnt the newest, but how can the quality really be derided compared to the cost to a music lover or a fan? Many of these CD's I have listened to dozens of times, even if it was just one song on the disk that I truly appreciated! Sure the newests disks cost more initially, but I just don't get stating music CD's on the whole are overpriced. Perhaps everyone who has this opinion should go wander around a music store and re-evaluate. This opinion doesn't change the fact the record labels trapped themselves in a dubious business model that didn't and hasn't change with the times though. They let the single die out and didn't offer an alternative for the people who only wanted that hot new song on the radio. They did screw the pooch in many ways, but not all CD's are over-priced and not all albums suck except for one or two songs. Gosh, I just won't shut up about this topic eh? Well I'm at home sick with nada better to do, so feel free to ignore my incessant ranting!

Since I apparently pay for making music videos, which I never watch, when buying a CD I am charged for a service I never use. Sure give me a lite version of a CD and I'll buy it. [img]graemlins/blueblink.gif[/img] Commercials I can agree with but not the videos, sorry. I'm not funding some guy to stand around women he would never have a chance to meet if it wasn't for paying them a bunch of money. That's just me. But then I don't download music. I prefer the CDs I already own and the radio. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Timber, I won't. There are not any CDs available that I want. [img]tongue.gif[/img] I mean who pays $15 to listen to some guy talk for 60 minutes? LOL

[Timber Loftis]

Originally posted by Felix The Assassin: Now TL, don't forget about that other $27K of your tax dollar. You pay my salary also, and if you dislike the tax dollar working to put "internet no good doers" where they belong, then forget to pay your taxes next year! ******** Like others have posted, if you can't afford the cost, then go away. Disperse. Better yet, pop smoke and draw fire! Felix

Hmmmm.... are you threatening me? [img]tongue.gif[/img] Actually, it would appear I HAVE popped smoke and drawn fire -- from you.

Look, I'm not complaining that prosecutors exist or prosecute theft (I had no gripe about suing -- note: no state action there -- the "internet no good doers," my comments were about counterfeit CD vendors). I just think that the sitaution may go so far as to be using tax dollars to pursue RIAA's private interests. That's very different than you being out there hucking through the muck in the name of freedom.

If you can't afford the taxes, go away? [img]graemlins/1ponder.gif[/img] Hmmm.... as a taxpayer, don't I have the right -- and the duty -- to insist those tax dollars are spent wisely? Surely you aren't advocating we all write Uncle Sam blank checks and not check up on what he's doing with them? I mean, not all tax dollars go to make war, y'know -- some pay for sculptures of the Virgin Mary made of feces.

The trick is distinguishing the RIAA situation (where their lawyer is in court working with the state) from Chewie's situation. In Chicago, those vendors in front of his store could have been put away for running a business without a license, loitering, and/or soliciting, by the way.

I want to prosecute thieves, but I guess my thinking is that copyrights should be something you require folks to enforce for themselves in civil court. I don't know if that really works, either.

Anyway, I just wanted to flag a problem. Surely there should be a line we draw between the public services the government provides and those that are more truly private services.

[andrewas]

Originally posted by WillowIX: You lost me there.. Are Kazaa charging you for downloading music? And those fees aren't going to the owners (of the song)? I thought Kazaa was a free service. Is Kazaa the culprit (as in fraud)? [img]graemlins/confused2.gif[/img] I'm sorry if these are stupid questions but I have never used Kazaa...

Kazaa plus. Kazaa with - enhanced searching, some kind of download enhancement, both probly negligible, and customer support. It also has no ads on it. Not worth the $29.95 but seems attractive to those who arent very net savvy and dont know about kazaa lite.

Theres no mention I can see about it being a music service, but loads of people associate kazaa with music downloading, and in that case having paid for kazaa might make it seem legal. I seem to recall that Klite puts up a warning about copyright vioations, but it was one of those one time things that you just click past instinctively. Anyway, your average 12 year old dosent know or care much about copyright.

[Chewbacca]

Originally posted by WillowIX: Since I apparently pay for making music videos, which I never watch, when buying a CD I am charged for a service I never use. Sure give me a lite version of a CD and I'll buy it. [img]graemlins/blueblink.gif[/img] Commercials I can agree with but not the videos, sorry. I'm not funding some guy to stand around women he would never have a chance to meet if it wasn't for paying them a bunch of money. That's just me. But then I don't download music. I prefer the CDs I already own and the radio. [img]smile.gif[/img] Timber, I won't. There are not any CDs available that I want. [img]tongue.gif[/img] I mean who pays $15 to listen to some guy talk for 60 minutes? LOL

Actually WillowIX if it makes any difference in many cases the artist foots the bill for the video and the photoshoots and the recording studio time. The labels may pay for this stuff upfront, but it typically comes out the artist's royalties, be they potential or realized. If the artist doesn't break, then the label does foot the bill. Of course very few up and coming breaking artists get videos now-a-days anyway so it doesn't matter that much. So if you don't buy CDs of artists that make videos, then you aren't footing much of the video bill.

Also the artists have no say how much their CD goes for either.
Thats why I respect artists like Pearl Jam who have walked away from major labels to do their own thing, both cheaper and better if you ask me. Pearl Jam for example has offered every concert they did this summer on two CDs for $12.00. Two CD's of live music for twelve bucks! And you get your pick of shows! The 7-11 Boston show is three disks, with a bonus hour long pre-show acoustic set! How can anyone complain about that? The catch is you hafta buy it direct. ( and of course like their music )

[ 09-10-2003, 05:31 PM: Message edited by: Chewbacca ]

[WillowIX]

Originally posted by Chewbacca: *snip* Also the artists have no say how much their CD goes for either. Thats why I respect artists like Pearl Jam who have walked away from major labels to do their own thing, both cheaper and better if you ask me. Pearl Jam for example has offered every concert they did this summer on two CDs for $12.00. Two CD's of live music for twelve bucks! And you get your pick of shows! The 7-11 Boston show is three disks, with a bonus hour long pre-show acoustic set! How can anyone complain about that? The catch is you hafta buy it direct. ( and of course like their music )

Which pretty much shows that the music industry contains a lot of greed doesn't it? Of course live recording is cheaper that recording in a studio right? Still live albums from Universal (and the rest of them) costs a heck of a lot more than $12...

[SecretMaster]

Well one problem is our generation. I'm 13, and most of my peers don't watch the news. I do, so I am aware of what is going on with everything, and so I am sometimes the "smart kid" for being aware on whats going on.

And since many kids (from what I can infer) don't watch the news or read the paper, or go online or whatever, they are unaware that copying and downloading music is illegal. I know many people who do this and don't realize it. Can I stop them, no. Personally, I don't download CD's. Burning them is another matter though...

So, the fact of the matter is that many kids do not realize that what they are doing is illegal, regardless of how many warnings the RIAA has given out, unless their parents have actually spoke to them. So like Felix said, it generally comes down to good parenting.

And most of the piraters of CD's are kids and teens, or from what I can gather. But the other arguement has a point, CD's are really to much, the price really has to go down. $30 for 10 songs, not worth it. For 90 bucks, I could get maybe three or 4 dollars. With that same $90, I could have buyed myself a pair of pants and two shirts from Hot Topic. Which is the better buy?

Oh, really sry for you Chewie, hope everything will get better eventually.

[ 09-10-2003, 05:51 PM: Message edited by: SecretMaster ]