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The big difference

---If I can take a song and rip it MP3, tape to casset, burn
it a DVD or what ever then why can't the Recording
Industry give two formats on CD.---

While it's a grey area, I'd say the big difference is that
while you are copying your song for personal use, the
RIAA is selling copies of that song. That makes a big
difference, particularly if you have a contract that says you
get paid for every physical copy of a song sold.

---It's kind of like songwriters don't get it. So they want
piracy of thier songs stopped but are going out of their
way to hinder processes to stop piracy. Doesn't make
much sense to me.---

I think your confusion comes from mixing up two issues.
First, you assume that this method will stop "piracy". This
is clearly wrong, as "piracy" refers to wholesale copying of
cds and re-selling them (also called bootlegging). These
measures will not stop this practice in the slightest.
Bootleggers will merely copy the entire cd, copy protection
mechanism and all, and sell copies on the street. You still
won't be able to rip an mp3 from the bootleg though. And
remember that bootlegging is a much, much bigger
financial problem for the RIAA than song sharing.

What I'm guessing you meant is that songwriters want to
stop song sharing over p2p networks. This is also not a
great assumption, as many songwriters have publicly
announced support for p2p.

Now, as to the most glaring confusion, what we're dealing
with here is two different issues. What the songwriters
really want, is to get paid what they're owed. The RIAA
companies have ripped them off for years. They have a
contract with the RIAA companies that calls for a specific
payment for a specific reason, and that's what they're
asking for here. Perhaps it will hinder the RIAA's
misguided attempts to destroy sales, er, stop song
swapping. But that's no big deal. Protected cds aren't
going to sell. Maybe the songwriters are smart enough to
realize that crippled cds will hurt their royalties in the long
run through lower sales, and this is their method of
cutting off the RIAA from doing something stupid.

Posted by: tic swayback   Posted on: 01/16/04 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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