My (Very Late) RIAA Rant
I'm Back in PA; Fuck You, RIAA: A Rant Against the RIAA's Continuous Onslaught of P2P Users
Thousands upon thousands of computer users have used, at one time or another, at least one Person-to-Person (P2P) software device to download a multitude of files ranging from music to movies. Why, some poeple would ask? Because they could. Buying CD's is a rather risky business, so-to-speak, depending on the situation. Anyone in the right sense of mind wouldn't go out of their way to buy a CD with one or two songs that they like; it's a waste of money. CDRWs (rewritable compact discs) come usually in packs of five or more and, quite obviously are much more money-efficient to buy. Sure, who wouldn't want to buy multiple CDs, say, fifteen to twenty, possibly individually packaged, depending upon where you bought the aforementioned CDRWs as opposed to spending anywhere from fifteen to twenty dollars on only one CD. Hell, you might find out that you don't even like the CD as much as you had hoped.
That, of course, is where P2P software comes in. Programs such as Grokster, KaZaA, etc...allow users to download songs they wanted, and, if possible, burn to a CD. However, the Recording Industry Association of America(RIAA/Rancid Idiots and Assholes of America) quite obviously doesn't profit from this. They saw the light at the end of the tunnel for their company, and it didn't look too pretty. It, in a sense, was the beginning of the end of the RIAA. Quite apparently, they wouldn't take this, at all. Like Napster, before, another, horrifically large copyright-based series of lawsuits ensued. However, this time, it was personal. That's right; they began by digging up information on different P2P file swappers and began slapping them with lawsuits. They contacted ISPs of the users, which presented a minor but already removed snag.
Verizon DSL/internet services refused to divulge the information involving P2P users. Yet another horrific lawsuit began, this one between Verizon Online Services and the RIAA. For more detailed information on the lawsuit, visit the following site: http://www.eff.org/Cases/RIAA_v_Verizon/ In summary, Verizon was tossed aside, opening many new possibilities to the RIAA. Most importantly to them, they could now have access to Verizon Online users, such as myself, giving them so many more lawsuit opportunities.
Now, you might be wondering, what are the views of the RIAA? Here are some quotes, explaining the RIAA's ideals, hopes, and they're quite obviously accompanied by commentary:
The president of the Recording Industry Association of America, the trade group for the largest music labels, said lawyers will pursue downloaders regardless of personal circumstances because it would deter other Internet users.
"The idea really is not to be selective, to let people know that if they're offering a substantial number of files for others to copy, they are at risk," Cary Sherman said. "It doesn't matter who they are." - an article on Cleveland.com
So, basically, no one's safe from the RIAA's insane warpath. Grandparents, in-laws, and roommates, beware. No one's being spared from the RIAA's need to sue everything that's living within a five-to-ten-mile-radius of P2P software.
As Boycott-RIAA's founder Bill Evans notes, "there are more file-sharers than voters for either candidate at the last Presidential Election". - an article from The Register (www.theregister.co.uk)
Which, aside from likely being quite true, is a good point which shows that the RIAA's chances of having every single person who has ever downloaded music arrested, sued, jailed, or fined are dismally low, unless we start relocating residents of some states, building gigantic fences around them, and turning them into penal colonies for file swappers. So, unless the RIAA can use their cheap tactics to find a way and do that, there's not a chance in hell--or anywhere for that matter--that they can jail everyone who has ever downloaded/shared music.
As of recently, the RIAA has had roadblocks with big names such as SBC Communications, to name only one example. SBC shut down three hundred RIAA-filed subpoenas, also including, in a recent ad, to "Go MP3 crazy," or something to that effect. This was preceded by the Retarded (whoopsie, politically incorrect) Imbeciles, Assholes, and Arrogant slobs suing twelve-year-old Brianna LaHara, which was later settled out-of-court for a $2,000. So, as it stands, the RIAA's main victims--er, suspects, consist mostly of young children to junior highschool students all the way to senior citizens. Look out, you grandparents, you could be the next getting sued. More details to come; I apologize greatly for such procrastination. Also, this is dedicated to Christa "DDRroxthehouse", who may very well be moving. Good luck. Anyway, in closing, I'd like--no, I'd enjoy to no measurable extent--to tell you all to make sure you enjoy yourselves and download all of the MP3s you could ever need. In paraphrasing the SBC ad, I'd like to continue in saying "Download all of the MP3s you like. Even the ones you kind of, sort of, a little bit like. Go MP3 crazy. Build a whole MP3 library. Whatever." And, to finish things up, here's a nice list of places and programs you can use to acquire MP3 goodness...:
Happy downloading, folks.
Thousands upon thousands of computer users have used, at one time or another, at least one Person-to-Person (P2P) software device to download a multitude of files ranging from music to movies. Why, some poeple would ask? Because they could. Buying CD's is a rather risky business, so-to-speak, depending on the situation. Anyone in the right sense of mind wouldn't go out of their way to buy a CD with one or two songs that they like; it's a waste of money. CDRWs (rewritable compact discs) come usually in packs of five or more and, quite obviously are much more money-efficient to buy. Sure, who wouldn't want to buy multiple CDs, say, fifteen to twenty, possibly individually packaged, depending upon where you bought the aforementioned CDRWs as opposed to spending anywhere from fifteen to twenty dollars on only one CD. Hell, you might find out that you don't even like the CD as much as you had hoped.
That, of course, is where P2P software comes in. Programs such as Grokster, KaZaA, etc...allow users to download songs they wanted, and, if possible, burn to a CD. However, the Recording Industry Association of America(RIAA/Rancid Idiots and Assholes of America) quite obviously doesn't profit from this. They saw the light at the end of the tunnel for their company, and it didn't look too pretty. It, in a sense, was the beginning of the end of the RIAA. Quite apparently, they wouldn't take this, at all. Like Napster, before, another, horrifically large copyright-based series of lawsuits ensued. However, this time, it was personal. That's right; they began by digging up information on different P2P file swappers and began slapping them with lawsuits. They contacted ISPs of the users, which presented a minor but already removed snag.
Verizon DSL/internet services refused to divulge the information involving P2P users. Yet another horrific lawsuit began, this one between Verizon Online Services and the RIAA. For more detailed information on the lawsuit, visit the following site: http://www.eff.org/Cases/RIAA_v_Verizon/ In summary, Verizon was tossed aside, opening many new possibilities to the RIAA. Most importantly to them, they could now have access to Verizon Online users, such as myself, giving them so many more lawsuit opportunities.
Now, you might be wondering, what are the views of the RIAA? Here are some quotes, explaining the RIAA's ideals, hopes, and they're quite obviously accompanied by commentary:
The president of the Recording Industry Association of America, the trade group for the largest music labels, said lawyers will pursue downloaders regardless of personal circumstances because it would deter other Internet users.
"The idea really is not to be selective, to let people know that if they're offering a substantial number of files for others to copy, they are at risk," Cary Sherman said. "It doesn't matter who they are." - an article on Cleveland.com
So, basically, no one's safe from the RIAA's insane warpath. Grandparents, in-laws, and roommates, beware. No one's being spared from the RIAA's need to sue everything that's living within a five-to-ten-mile-radius of P2P software.
As Boycott-RIAA's founder Bill Evans notes, "there are more file-sharers than voters for either candidate at the last Presidential Election". - an article from The Register (www.theregister.co.uk)
Which, aside from likely being quite true, is a good point which shows that the RIAA's chances of having every single person who has ever downloaded music arrested, sued, jailed, or fined are dismally low, unless we start relocating residents of some states, building gigantic fences around them, and turning them into penal colonies for file swappers. So, unless the RIAA can use their cheap tactics to find a way and do that, there's not a chance in hell--or anywhere for that matter--that they can jail everyone who has ever downloaded/shared music.
As of recently, the RIAA has had roadblocks with big names such as SBC Communications, to name only one example. SBC shut down three hundred RIAA-filed subpoenas, also including, in a recent ad, to "Go MP3 crazy," or something to that effect. This was preceded by the Retarded (whoopsie, politically incorrect) Imbeciles, Assholes, and Arrogant slobs suing twelve-year-old Brianna LaHara, which was later settled out-of-court for a $2,000. So, as it stands, the RIAA's main victims--er, suspects, consist mostly of young children to junior highschool students all the way to senior citizens. Look out, you grandparents, you could be the next getting sued. More details to come; I apologize greatly for such procrastination. Also, this is dedicated to Christa "DDRroxthehouse", who may very well be moving. Good luck. Anyway, in closing, I'd like--no, I'd enjoy to no measurable extent--to tell you all to make sure you enjoy yourselves and download all of the MP3s you could ever need. In paraphrasing the SBC ad, I'd like to continue in saying "Download all of the MP3s you like. Even the ones you kind of, sort of, a little bit like. Go MP3 crazy. Build a whole MP3 library. Whatever." And, to finish things up, here's a nice list of places and programs you can use to acquire MP3 goodness...:
- KaZaA Lite: Some spyware, but it's quite good. Make sure you disable sharing, for your safety.
- EarthStation Five: It's a bit more complex than your average P2P software, but it's good stuff.
- Google: Search for specifics with this easy-to-use search engine.
- FilePlanet: Part of the GameSpy network, this has a whole crap-load of downloadable stuff.
Happy downloading, folks.