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Comment Begging the question... (Score 3, Interesting) 684

The original post begs the question of "DOES DRM actually deliver revenue to the content owners." It assumes that it does and that therefore there needs to be some mechanism to enable DRM to do so.

As has been pointed out numerous times here on /. as well as techdirt and popehat and reddit and other places, that is NOT the case. The revenue that is gained goes to ENFORCEMENT, goes to HARASSMENT of "illegal downloaders"[sic - downloading is not illegal], but NEVER to the artists who created the content.

A better refinement of the question should read:
"What mechanisms could be used to ensure that the creators of content are compensated and their rights are not taken nor abused?" There are quite a few examples (in the sources previously cited) where artists put their content for downloads, and VOLUNTARY DONATIONS bypass the hoarde of middlemen thieves to make the artist wealthy. There are no "technical" mechanisms that can let someone read a book, listen to a song, or view a video that they cannot then make a copy. If you don't allow them to backup that copy, watch/listen/view it on multiple devices including car-audio or smartphone, they will make their own copy and no revenue will be afforded the creator.

A second mechanism is one where the content is EASILY made available for these uses, but incrementally the value-add is to the buyer who chooses to buy that other copy. For example: if I buy a Blu-Ray of BestMovieEver and for another $2 I can download it to my smartphone with chapters, subtitles, and all the features I'd want to see in an original creation (but won't get in a BR-rip) that's worth it.

If I buy a book from AMZ and for another $0 I can get it for my Kindle [reader on my smartphone] for ALL titles and it will NOT be pulled away later [like 1984] then that's a great value. Maybe for another $5 I can get a second copy stamped "Office Library" in big red letters on the softbound cover, so I can keep that in the office to read.

If I get an MP3 or two or three or an album, and for $5 I get a jewel box with a CD for the car, or a poster of the band... those are also value adds.

Key 1: technology will not prevent copying
Key 2: giving the content creator the revenue means removing all the thieves from the middle of the process
Key 3: getting "revenue" to exist means giving the buyer a "value-add" to purchase more, and thereby an incentive to purchase, rather than today's attempts to dis-incent the copying.

Good luck.
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Comment Re:There's no such thing as "illegal downloading" (Score 1) 447

This is an incorrect understanding of law. There are several types of law. You are apparently only recognising vertical law, but breaking a horizontal law (e.g. a contract) is also against the law and illegal. It may not be a criminal act and breaking a state imposed law, but it is still illegal.

You are misstating the way laws work and "vertical law" or "horizontal law" are as such aspects of property law which is not relevant here.

Contract violations are not a violation of a law and are therefore not unlawful or "illegal."

Again: There's no such thing as illegal downloading. That means there is no law which is broken by the mere act of downloading.
If you think differently I ask -- again -- provide such statute or law citation.

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Comment Re:There's no such thing as "illegal downloading" (Score 1) 447

>> This is why nobody is arrested for downloading files

> Aaron Swartz says hello...

Aaron Swartz wasn't arrested for downloading files. He was arrested for violating computer access laws. Strike 1.
I asked if anyone responded to include a law citation. You didn't. Strike 2.

NB the CFAA has no section on "downloading."

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Comment There's no such thing as "illegal downloading" (Score 1) 447

Illegal requires a violation of a law. There is no law preventing downloading of a file.

This is why nobody is arrested for downloading files. Some have been charged
with CIVIL suits for MAKING AVAILABLE these files.

Is it unlawful to download a file? No.
Is it unlawful to upload a file? No.
Is it unlawful to back up your DVD to a file? No.
Is it unlawful to take that backup file and place it on the Internet? No.

Before you turn on the flamethrowers, I ask that if you disagree with any of these
statements above, KINDLY include a direct link to a current statute or law that
makes any of those four things violate a law.

Regards and happy easter

Ehud
Tucson AZ US

Comment Why this entire redrawing of our state borders.... (Score 0) 642

And if my grandmother hand wheels on her shoes,
she'd roller skate down the hill.

Crack pipe posting on slashdot. Must be a slow weekend.

What's next? A map of how different US presidents with all-changed-names
would have made us into either HItler-slaves or Battlestar-Galactica Cylon
killers?

Score one for the "Yeah slashdot wasted bandwidth on something so stupid
it's unbelievable" queue.

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Comment *Cough* United Kingdom *cough* (Score 1, Insightful) 1387

It's convenient for political organizations to pretend everyone agrees with them.

As of this writing (January 2013) the United Kingdom still uses MILES to measure distance, MILES PER HOUR to measure speed, STONES and POUNDS and OUNCES to measure weight, and FLUID OUNCES to measure volume.

There is no way that anyone short of a politician would claim that the UK is "Metrified" (or metrificated) and yet they do.

Sorry, I know it's great to paint the US and Liberia as "holdouts". The truth is there are a lot of houldouts that JUST DON'T GET COUNTED.

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Comment Re:A brilliant strategy... (Score 1) 377

> In what universe, exactly, did this plan make any sense?

In this universe. They are a company. They provide goods and services. They determined
that some of those were not profitable. They ceased providing them. This is what we call
simple economic theory. If you prefer slogans think "buy low sell high" and "supply and demand."

Let me know if the small words I used were confusing to you.

best regards for a happy new year.

Ehud

Comment Small Claims Court (Score 2) 341

1. Nice letter saying "Pay by the end of the month or I'll be forced to file in court."
2. Wait for end of month.
3. File in small claims court the sum of a)what they owe, b)maximum statutory interest, c)filing fees, d)an extra amount that if they will show up (they won't) you'll have to forego
4. Get default judgment when they don't show up
5. Get an order from the court allowing you to garnish their bank account for this amount
6. Provide said order to their bank

That will get you paid. You may even get their attention somewhere between steps 3 and 5.

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