DMUSIC voting booth SHOULD THE SUPREME COURT OUTLAW GROKSTER AND P2P?
yes? no? undecided?

no

Absolutely not.
To paraphrase the Sony Betamax case, there are "substantial non-infringing uses" to p2p technology.

It's scandalous & obscene to think the High Court would change the laws to protect corporate profits, when their only job is to interpret the law.

No

It has yet to be shown that a technology that has any sort of infringing uses is actually a detriment to the industry. In every case I know of only after all attempts to make a technology illegal were exhausted did the industry try to attempt to use that technology. In every case I am aware of, that resulted in yet another marketplace to sell things and make money.

Once again the "sky is falling", as chickenlittle does his best to make all aware of untrue conjectures and smoke screens.

They should let Grokster and P2P be and outlaw the RIAA/MPAA and their extortionist activities.

I'm going to be the devil's advocate and give 3 reaons why overturn of betamax would serve our cause.

1. The abuse of power by copyright holders will become so obscene congress will have to react.

2. The abuse of power by copyright holders will more quickly impact the average middle of the road consumer much more heavily than if grokster wins.. thus prompting calls for action

3. The economy will take an obvious nose dive, further alerting congress for the pressing need for copyright reform.

Of course everyone will hurt terribly in the interim.. and there is no guarantee that cold hard cash wont win out over even this economic and social upheaval.. but it HAS been said that sudden sharp pain tends to bring about swifter action than slowly increasing discomfort.

4. No one could listen to any of their music for free, taking away their free advertising gravy train.

Congress doesn't have to react to anything. We need someone to speak up for us, and as far as I know, we don't. Too much money has already changed hands. The Republicans vote almost without a single exception anything the White House wants. And the White House wants whatever big business wants. No, they shouldn't, but then the Supremes don't deserve much respect anymore, either.

So far p2p has only served as a promotion tool for the RIAA/MPAA and has been of very little benefit to the independent artist/content producer. The p2p nets are full to the brim with indie obscuring RIAA content. (I assert that they themselves are responsible for much of it being there.)

In the short term, maybe it would be a benefit to the independent music community if p2p were outlawed. However, there are consequenses that far outweigh the temporary boon that such an occurance would bring about.
The death of p2p would be the first step in turning the Internet into nothing more than a glorified Tv set with a 'top-down' content distribution structure. This is exactly what our enemies (and even some in our government) want. They see the Internet as too liberating. They can't stand the loss of their control of the thoughts and communications among the populace they enjoyed in the past by dominating all other forms of media.

For this reason, I say we should fight against the attempt to kill off p2p, even though at the moment it is relatively worthless to us as a promotional tool.

No

P2P is an extremely useful tool and should NOT be touched. Awehr, your reasons are rather iffy, and since the republican congress is for big buisness, this would most likely never happen. We need a democratic senator to speak up for us, or even a moderate republican. I'm going to have to contact my senators (Sen. Arlen Specter and Sen. Rick Santorum) yet again. Give the EFF and Boycott-RIAA all your support folks, they're gonna need it for this battle. I say we found a political party, the technologists/musicians democratic party of america!

As a died in the wool non-violent anarchist, I believe the Supremes should, in all seriousness, outlaw themselves, and take down those yellow fringed admiralty court flags, and quit practicing roman law!

see
http://www.petitionforpeace.net ( Dessie Andrews)
http://www.jusbelli.com (Ralph Winterroud )

I'm all party'd out. I think I just want to go lay down awhile. --Spuds McKenzie

My vote was a NO by the way

no. hell no

NO!!

Hell no! They already made a ruling that P2P was perfectly legal, as long as it was a "legal" type of P2P. No need going back to change it or else there's going to be some hell raising going on!

Hell no!

It is my right to use P2P networks any way that I see fit. Anybody that attempts to interfere with said right will be dealt with any way I see fit, up to and including physical assault and use of deadly force.

No. And if they do, watch the Boycott against RIAA music grow.

For the sake of you, my American cousins, I sincerely hope not!! I vote NO!!

No. If the Supreme Court is interested in justice at all, they should destroy the RIAA.