Bill would prevent sharing of digital music, video

USA Today ^ | March 22, 2002 | Reuters

[Bubba_Leroy]

WASHINGTON (Reuters)

[js1138]

the Fuggs albums are mostly available on CD. Try one of the big online CD stores. Some let you sample the songs.

[Revel]

"Kazaa, Imesh, Limewire, etc. Kazaa is my favorite."

Yep my brothers kids were into that. The Kazaa program would harass you with questions. Spy on you and lock up his computer on regular basis. He kept having me take of the program and all the spy ware(Which does not uninstall with the program). Then his kids would just put it right back on via ma ma's approval. They used it to download all kinds of filthy music. Well a week ago they downloaded the "I Love You Virus" with the thing. Wiped out 3500 files on the computer permanently. Files Not repairable. So enjoy.

[Timesink]

These guys are like a toothache. There must be a way we can yank them out and rid ourselves of this constant pain .

Solution 1: Stop buying all prerecorded music and videos. Don't rent at Blockbuster either. You want music? Get it off the net. Get HBO if you're desperate for movies. (Downloading movies off the Net isn't really ready for prime time yet .... still takes too long and the quality sucks.)

When these companies' revenues start falling through the floor, they'll start to get the hint.

[Dimensio]

Downloading movies off the Net isn't really ready for prime time yet .... still takes too long and the quality sucks.

You apparently haven't seen the latest FotR bootleg.

[js1138]

It is impossible to do what this bill would mandate except by building hardware that would play only those files that bear a special "seal of approval" that could only be added to a file by a small circle of publishers

I'm paranoid, but not that paranoid. You are suggesting that home recording would be impossible.

What's more likely is that some security firm like Verisign would issue certificates, the way they do for secure web sites. This costs money, but it is not out of reach for small companies.

The only reason an artist would do this is to enjoy the same copy protection available to the big guys. Folks willing to release unprotected works would not be blocked.

[Keeper of the Turf]

I agree. My little sis runs Kazaa on the folks machine and they have nothing but problems. I am constantly logging onto their machine to fix things.

[Dimensio]

I mentioned in another thread that one possible method for combating the bill is to consider its full implications and exploit them.

The works of pornographers are "copyrighted" and as such could be protected via the systems required by the proposed law. As such, it would be helpful to get the word out that Sen. Hollings has proposed a bill that would benefit and protect pornographers -- that might cause a bit of a fuss.

(I can't take credit for the idea, BTW, I read it on Slashdot)

[mn12]

There is absolutely no force in the marketplace for the six channel 24 bit audio DVDs that are possible.

Oh, yes there is. There is a force in the marketplace for power cords that cost upwards of $1000 EACH. Yes, I am talking about the piece of wire going from the outlet to an appliance. The story is that these special cords somehow "condition" the current going to the stereo, leading to improved sound quality. Trust me, there's plenty of people wanting a step up in sound quality from the CD. They aren't just crazed audiophiles either, if I'm not mistaken DVD-Audio and SACD are starting to pick up momentum in the mass market..

[Dinsdale]

If you just have to have a CD find a used copy.

The music industry hates that too.

[Bubba_Leroy]

Yep my brothers kids were into that. The Kazaa program would harass you with questions. Spy on you and lock up his computer on regular basis. He kept having me take of the program and all the spy ware(Which does not uninstall with the program). Then his kids would just put it right back on via ma ma's approval. They used it to download all kinds of filthy music. Well a week ago they downloaded the "I Love You Virus" with the thing. Wiped out 3500 files on the computer permanently. Files Not repairable. So enjoy.

I've been running Kazaa for months with no problems. When you first load it you have the option of loading "extra" features. Don't load them, they are spyware.

After every Kazaa upgrade (or any other Internet software download) I run Ad-aware and delete any spyware on my system. Kazaa has continued to run with no problems.

I keep my virus scan software up to date by updating it daily. I'm a heavy internet user and get multiple virus e-mails each month. So far, my virus scan software has caught them all.

Kazaa (and any other peer to peer software) makes you an attractive target for hackers, so it is vital that you keep a firewall in place. The free ZoneAlarm version has worked fine for me. For example, here is one of several hacker alerts on my computer today:

The firewall has blocked Internet access to your computer (ICMP Unreachable) from ***.**.***.***.
Occurred: 255 times between 3/22/2002 1:41:20 PM and 3/22/2002 2:28:56 PM

[jlogajan]

Anything that can be heard by the ear or seen by the eye can be copied. Sorry congressional losers.

[steve-b]

If you just have to have a CD find a used copy. The music industry hates that too.

In fact, they tried to sue used-CD places out of existence. The courts told them to get lost.

[Dimensio]

In fact, they tried to sue used-CD places out of existence. The courts told them to get lost.

Guess they'll have to send more bribe money to Sen. Hollings.

With record sales so dismally low, I wonder where the music industry is getting so much money to pay off politicians?

[js1138]

Oh, yes there is. There is a force in the marketplace for power cords that cost upwards of $1000 EACH.

There is a difference between a product that sells a few copies and one that is a best seller.

Classical music takes up to 20 percent of the space in some music stores, but accounts for about five percent of total CD sales. Most of the nuts buying vacuum tube amps and oxygen-free cables are into recordings of live acoustic performances. They are a real minor blip in the sales charts. They probably don't pirate much. They probably don't worry about paying $20 for an hour of music.

Kids spend most of the money and play their MP3s on crap.

[Timesink]

You apparently haven't seen the latest FotR bootleg.

No, but if you want to give me a pointer....<grin>

[Mr. Thorne]

Bingo. Three songs, plus incredible costs. It ain't the media (what, 70¢ per disc, tops?). So somebody's making some serious bucks. And, just on principle, I'll bet it's not the artists.

[In veno, veritas]

So, under this bill, would I not be allowed to watch a TV show I recorded for not being home?

[JmyBryan]

I would like to see a law, at all levels of govt, that legislators be required to read the laws they vote on.

[foreverfree]

bump

[Harrison Bergeron]

"Kids spend most of the money and play their MP3s on crap."

Sigh... reminds me of the portable record player I carried around to friends' houses when I was a kid, I think it used an old fingernail clipping for a stylus. Steppenwolf never sounded better.