Digital Audio World

Musings and information on podcasting, digital audio, online streaming audio and home studio recording from Tim 'Gonzo' Gordon of DigitalAudioWorld.com

Friday, January 04, 2008

Backing Down...a Bit

Let's ratchet down the invective I launched a few days ago (see below) about the RIAA. Apparently they weren't going after a guy who simply copied the songs from a CD that he owned on to his computer. No, they were ticked because the guy put them in a 'shared' folder so that other people could access them.

See here!

Following the RIAA's logic, ANY sharing of songs would be considered illegal. Which means that probably 85 percent of all teenagers in the US and half the rest of the population should pay a fine because they shared a CD with a buddy.

Following that logic a bit farther, if all of those people that have broken the laws in that regard were fined to the extent that the RIAA apparently would like them to be, no one would have any money left (or any interest) in buying any more CDs.

Therefore, the recorded music industry would cease to exist and the RIAA guys could get real jobs as, oh, talk-show hosts or newspaper columnists; maybe move into hotel-motel management.

Well, I think I've solved the RIAA's problem. Perhaps I should send them an invoice.

Wednesday, January 02, 2008

RIAA Smoking Crack. Again.

Download Uproar: Recording Industry Goes After Personal Use

The arrogant bastards at the RIAA now claim that copying the songs from a CD that you bought onto your computer is illegal.

Reminds me of the time that Garth Brooks said (back around '88 or '89) that anyone who sold USED CD's should be arrested. Music Millennium in Portland, Oregon, even held a Garth CD fry in honor of that stupid statement. How can you not be able to sell something that you legally bought? Just because Garth didn't get a second royalty check the second time the original CD is sold he thinks it should be illegal.

If I buy a used car, does that mean Ford deserves another royalty payment because they built the car?

When you purchase something used from the classified ads (oh, say a pair of skis or a boat or a tunafish sandwich) I suppose Garth Brooks (and the RIAA) think we should award the original creator some $$ because they made it originally?

I'd be curious to check with Garth and see how many used CD's or tunafish sandwiches he's bought - and what amount he paid to the original manufacturer.

'Scuze me?

What planet are these guys from?