RIAA sues Usenet.com

You know me. I'm all for the RIAA going after really stupid people.

But Christ, Usenet? What dumbass in a thinktank came up with THAT strategy?

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by Sassafrass

I'm guessing you don't use it.

I abandoned Usenet around the same time I stopped running MUDs on Telnet. This is probably 1995 or so.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by Night Phoenix

So don't fret, keep bootlegging.

I see this from another side from you.

For the last three years, I've been climbing up the same steep hill to get a soundtrack CD released. This is seperate and probably more technical than what you're use to dealing with - you mentioned the whole aspect of contracts for popular artists involve ownership of cataloges and royalties. I'm stuck at an impasse involving two record labels, a music agent, University Of Southern California's Media Library and the largest film distributor in the United Kingdom.

Where has it gotten me? Barely anywhere.

Whats the reason they Cite? Bootlegging. "Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free", more or less. Also - movie music royalties are tricky since it involves a three pronged system of cash flow. To get the film company to sit down at a table, you need to have six figures to start with. Then you have to pay for the type of release (1,000 Cds, 3,000 Cds, etc) and then the remastering, the packaging, etc.

I realize that I'm talking about a niche market, but hearing someone who supposedly wants to break into the industry and support bootlegging makes me wonder about you, man. Truth be told - you'd be running a lot of honest, hardworking people out of a job. Nevermind artists - there will always be a need for music. But people like CSAs, Marketing Directors, Graphic Designers... people who push papers to make a living will suddenly have nothing to put in their wallet.

After all - what is $1 to you? Are you that cheap you won't buy music you like? Nevermind hot artists - what about the people who are on dimestore record labels trying to get somewhere?

The whole idea of bootlegging seems to boil down to people who don't have the money to buy music and probably don't deserve to have a notion - never mind an opinion - about what they think of it suddenly feel they have the right to take what isn't theres. I mean, thats just me, I don't rob people I invite into my house.

Originally Posted by Sassafrass

Your loss. For serious.

Stealing would be someone else's loss.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Originally Posted by Sassafrass

Last I knew, making music was something people did as an art because they love to do it, not as a money-making machine.

Last I heard, higher education was to better one's self, not to simply get a job. But what things are suppose to be and what things actually are are rarely the same.

Originally Posted by Sassafrass

If you happen to make a lot of money at it, that's secondary to your love of the game music.

And if crime didn't pay, there would be very few criminals. But not all criminals are wealthy individuals, are they? No, quite the other way around, in fact. You're pushing the idea that its only the artist the suffers - but what about the thousands of people employed by Decca or Elektra or the guy who washes floors at Warner Bros Music?

Originally Posted by Sassafrass

What's the harm in NP pushing his own shit.

Nothing per se. Putting yourself out there in the way people bootleg is a great way to get known - but a terrible way to make a living at it.

A "bigger" example of this stupidity was the premiere of the movie Serenity - why would you let in all the fans of the show to see the movie for free? Similarly, why would you want to give away your hard-earned work if you wanted to make a living at making music?

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?