Alot of different threads and topics have emerged, but they all discuss something slightly different and as to not clutter them with off-topicness, I've decided to create this mothership thread. Talk about everything that doesn't fit everywhere else... First of all, I want to start this topic off by telling you a bit about a fellow forum user (of another forum I go to) who got sued by the RIAA. Supposedly, this person had about 65 gigs of music being shared from his computer (definetely "substantial"). There has been alot of speculation about what the money situation there is, but the lawsuit victim himself said originally it was something like 33,000,000 dollars (about 2,000 dollars a song), but now it is something like 250,000 dollars, or even as low as 100,000 dollars, only if that's what the RIAA will settle for. Actually, i'll just link you guys to the actual thread, since it isn't my forums, and you can see the statements yourselves: http://forumsector.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=6013 Anyways, I don't share, I only purchase CD's, but I still don't know exactly what to think. 65 gigs is alot of pirated material to have on one's computer...what are your opinions about this, and everything slightly related to this topic? Let your voice be heard! Or actually, your typing...whatever..hehe
RIAA cannot attack you if you aren't sharing anything. As long as you have file-sharing disabled, they can't trace your computer. And, if you're smart, you'd move your music to a folder other than your shared folder. They can't get you that way. Also, sometimes their numbers can be inflated because people rip their purchased albums onto their PCs (like me) so they don't have to pop the CD in every time they want to listen to just one song. I have 32 albums (10-14 songs each) ripped onto my computer, so they wouldn't count if RIAA was to attack me. I do, however, have another 30-35 downloaded that I'll end up buying in the near future.
Tecnically, we're still not safe that way, Will; at least I don't think so. I got the news that ISPs are now taking part in this hunt for people with lots of songs. I think as long as they have your IP, they can hack into your sh*t and see you've got illegal material. I don't care. I still download throughout all this.
Technically I think that's illegal. They can't just hack into your computer and see what you have. That goes against the Internet Privacy Act Bill Clinton signed in 1995 (or whenever).
Ohk, here it is: Will Will, the people that don't "not share" their files are making that same community that these fileswappers use all the better. If everyone put away their "Shared" folder, there would be no network...no filesharing, no nothing, and that's what the RIAA is trying to accomplish...no "underground network". But the problem is, a MAJORITY of internet users are using p2p programs now. If each person is going to end up with that type of lawsuit on their hands, our entire economy will be screwed over, and slowly we'll be going under. Jonny I believe you're right. Alot of controversy is arising about the security that RIAA may be breaching, because there are alot of fake files that act as "spies" to enter your shared folders and check out your illegal files.
I use Kazaa Lite. I download songs (right now I have like 28 songs) and videos/movies (I have about 12 vids). I know it's illegal but I still do it. I like it because I can download a full movie that I haven't seen in 3 hours and download all the songs I'd like to preview before buying the album. I hope that they won't get to me. Anyways, If they take down Kazaa (Lite) or any other File sharing program I'm sure that someone will come up with a new better program.
I don't share at all. It slows my 56. So i think I'm pretty safe. Aw ####, I have almost ninety songs on Kaaza, and then prolly another 100 or 120 on Windows Media Player. 200+ songs, on a 20 gig HD. ####.
Piracy will always exist, but the reason they're not "shutting down" Kazaa is because they know that another program will overtake it, so they're going straight to the users. If they put a scare into the users, it won't matter what programs come out...
The RIAA can suck it. Im tired of hearing them complain about file sharing. I understand the industry needs money. But if anything, file sharing helps us to discover bands, which then the reasonable person goes out and buys their CD. I know I do. CD's for 20 bucks a pop is just ridculous. Not to mention I have to go 10 miles away to find half of my CD's (Yellowcard, Slick Shoes, other unknown artists) because my CD stores here have poor selection. Its crap. Guess what RIAA, I have 1500 songs on my computer, come and find me idiots.
This whole thing is rather scary when you think about it. Not the fact that people are getting sued, but rather how the RIAA is gathering the information to sue the people. They are forcing ISP's to give out IP addresses of 'suspects' so that they can locate and contact them. Wow, doesn't this seem like it goes against a person's privacy? I'd bet it'd be illegal if it weren't for these new 'Patriot Acts' and everything that allow the government to basically watch you take a piss if they please. I dunno, the whole thing is getting out of hand. And I also find it hard to believe the music industry is losing any money. I bet the people that are arresting the 'pirates' are driving around in Mercades and Audis.
The RIAA is just blaming the poor sales of crap artists on the fact that we used file sharing to prescreen artists. I don't think it's crime to prescreen artist's by listening to their songs. If it's good, we should buy it. If not, we shouldn't have to buy it. But RIAA is just taking it out on us because alot of these "up and coming artists" are not selling, when it's actually because their music is crap. Same goes to the old bands. Metallica sues because their albums sales are dropping...it's not because of file swapping, it's because their music is old and we don't want to hear it. I don't have to keep telling you guys the Linkin Park "Hybrid Theory" story, of how it's the most downloaded album and most purchased album, all in one year...
I completely agree...I can't even say how many albums I've bought after hearing the bands music that I've downloaded. Cold, Finger Eleven, Good Charlotte, I mean geeze. If I hadn't downloaded songs by these guys I'd have never gotten their cds. I don't like buying cds based off of the single released on the radio...I want to go in buying a cd knowing I like at least 3 or 4 songs off of it.
I completely agree. The RIAA must think America is full of rich people who are willing to risk 20 bucks for every plastic CD they purchase, and knowing it may only have one good song on it (if that).