From artist Sent Thu, Apr 15th 1999, 20:07
From artist Sent Thu, Apr 15th 1999, 20:07
> This week Banddb spoke exclusively to UK independent label Warp Records > about their plans for MP3. what plans? i didn't see anything in that article saying what warp are going to do /with/ mp3, just what they (think they're) going to /about/ it. that's to say, trying to make people feel guilty for listening to their music without going to a shop and buying it. which is the only strategy at their disposal that might have a chance of working. the comparison between illegal mp3 files and burglary, well, i dismiss this out of hand. this has been said ever since the first software pirates were in action. and plenty of people use legal purchased software even though they could have free copies from the internet. and the software companies still make a bit of money, you know. data-theft is very different to property theft. the timebomb was set ticking the day that consumer digital audio was invented, simple as that. there's no turning back, they fucked themselves by doing that, and then they try to blame us and prey on our consciences! if the situation worries them now, what will it be in 10 years time, when bandwidth increases another 20-fold, or another 100-fold, or probably more. if you want it, you'll be able to get it. there's no way the record companies can keep it in check, the way things are going now. the only way out of it is to restrict public access to the means of digital distribution (internet, DAT, CDR, MD). that may seem ridiculous, but once the other, bigger branches of the media industry start to see their property made freely available (thanks to increasing bandwidth), and more pressure is put on our governments to act, then this scenario will be much more plausible. all the current formats would have to go - CD, DVD etc because the means of manufacture are already too firmly rooted amongst the public, and then it would take years before all the existing equipment to make (and play) these formats breaks down of old age. and the idea of all media converging towards one source, the computer multi-media entertainment hub? didn't they realise they would be slitting their own throats with this? and while all this goes on, hey presto, we'll have to re-purchase our music collections again! if the digital age gives us nothing else, it has given us freedom of information. not that warp have much to worry about, they'll be long gone before it gets /really/ bad. they should think about selling up - i hear murdoch has a few spare quid lying around since he failed to swallow united.. rant over now.. <waves>