Does this remind anyone of a certain type of "logic" used in the War on Drugs?
One of the arguments the RIAA has made in every file-sharing lawsuit it has ever filed is that making a song available on a P2P network is the same as distributing it, therefore violating the record label's copyright on the song. So far, judges have been favorable to the RIAA's interpretation of the Copyright Act, with the latest victory for the RIAA coming in Atlantic v. Howell.
Sounds an awful lot like the argument that mere possession of a certain quantity of drugs is automatically enough to make you guilty of trafficking. Throw that intent and actual action out the window, boys. The copyright cartels are going to assume that just because the songs could be shared that damage was done! Granted, no honest person could ever claim that the copyright holders actually lost any money when no copyright infringement occurred. But then, this is the RIAA we're talking about...
This is nonsense. We've built our software business on the "making available" of specific folders on your harddrive to specific friends, and 500,000+ users love the free service ( http://www.gigatribe.com ). What's the difference with doing that, and making copies of your front door key to a few friends? The latter isn't illegal, why would the digital equivalent be illegal? Who is the judge to decide whom (and how) people have the right to share their stuff with? In any case, they're going to have a hard time tracking down activity, as our service, and those of our competitors, encrypt all exchanges... and so the cat and mouse game continues...!
I like the new format. It is easier to read your posts on the white background!
Eh... With the old format I felt dark and mysterious, like I was reading a blog I wasn't really supposed to. The white background doesn't make me feel like so much of a rebel.
I don't think there's anyone on the planet that would disagree if you suggested that the RIAA is probably demon-possessed. Where do they get these freakin' lawyers?
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The record companies are finished, they're just too stubborn to admit it.
By the way, Mike, are you going to make the email requirement permanent for commenting? I made up a fictitious email for this comment, since I prefer not to give out my actual email address.
I just removed that requirement because I'm not sure if it is the same way it was in Movable Type 3.X. So no, it ain't there anymore.