"You're in good company."

That's the message on the EFF's campaign page zeroing in on the RIAA's latest attempt to use file sharing as an excuse to continue retarding the natural growth of online music 'distribution' in the interests of maintaining the Big Five labels' offline profits.

"File-sharing has enabled music fans from around the world to build the largest library of recorded music in history,' says the EFF. "While this should be cause for celebration, large record labels have spent the last three years attacking peer-to-peer (P2P) technology and the people who use it. But neither user-empowering technologies nor consumers' desire for easy access to digital music are evil. Targeting technologists and users is not addressing the real problem."

The EFF is also running a great ad which among other things states, "... the record labels are bullying ISPs and hunting down college kids in an effort to shut down file-sharing."

But the RIAA, too, has thoughts on the subject.

On its re-designed hack-proof site, "Music is the world's universal form of communication," it states, going on,

"It touches every person of every culture on the globe ..."

What? Has the RIAA finally realised where it's at?

Not a chance.

The full sentence reads, "It touches every person of every culture on the globe" ... "to the tune of $40 billion annually, and the US recording industry accounts for fully one-third of that world market."

Rumours that the RIAA changed the look of its webpage so it wouldn't resemble boycott-riaa are, of course, true.

Looks like it's time for this place to steal another one of the RIAA's looks.

Nah, keep it. Redesigning now would be a waste of time and energy.

Besides, I'm willing to bet boycott-riaa gets 10 times as much traffic as riaa.com does... not including DOS attacks.

-- Funksaw

The RIAA's claims are all too typical of those who equate value with money, and consider those two words mutually exclusive of one another. Never mind that the word value has so many meanings and contexts.

Something tells me that if those who run the RIAA were around in the 1930's, they would've been so enamored of the rise of totalitarian fascism in Europe (i.e. Hitler, Mussolini), and those dictatorships' ways of dealing with certain "problems" of the time, that they would've taken certain points and methods in use by the respective regimes and adapted such M.O.'s for their own use in their $elfi$h que$t for profit$$$ at the expen$e of all else. Not unlike what we actually see in today's context (see my other points in the past).

They have already taken those points. About the only thing the RIAA doesn't do is kill people......that we know of.

Actually now that I think about it they are almost committing murder because they sue people and destroy their life financially. Being sued shows up in your credit record and is a really nasty black mark. Then there's the obvious fact that you now have no money. If you try to fight and lose then you have to probably give up your job to attend the court hearings. No money means essentially no life. You have to start over from the bottom except now you have 40 to 50 more tons of garbage on your back. So that said I wouldn't be surprised at all if Cary "Thinks He's World Ruler" Sherman, Hilary "What I Say Goes" Rosen and anyone else you can add to the list were direct descendants of the murdering dictators.

Well, goddamn, the RIAA site is down right now. Guess it's not as hack-proof as they thought. Hope one of those hackers made it a target in that contest they were having...

Bill.. you HAVE to change the layout of boycott-riaa.com to be a parody of riaa.com again, it's just so great that they hate you do it. haha! thats so funny. anyway, yea, just wanted to make that suggestion

Litheon: Although "murder" in a literal sense might be appropriate.

I'm under the conspiracy theory that Biggie Smalls killed -or ordered killed- Tupac Shakur because Shakur did not want to produce more records.

-- Funksaw

so much for "hack proof"
635am est 7/7/03

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

D:\Documents and Settings\seraphiel>ping www.riaa.com

Pinging www.riaa.com [146.82.174.10] with 32 bytes of data:

Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.

Ping statistics for 146.82.174.10:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 0, Lost = 4 (100% loss),

D:\Documents and Settings\seraphiel>ping www.riaa.org

Pinging www.riaa.org [68.163.90.12] with 32 bytes of data:

Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.

Ping statistics for 68.163.90.12:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 0, Lost = 4 (100% loss),

D:\Documents and Settings\seraphiel>

I'm curious about some of the technology that's out these days, specifically Satellite Radio. Does anyone have that? Not too long ago, someone posted about how the RIAA might make everyone go back to taping songs off of the radio. Thus it is that I'm thinking about recording off of satellite radio, directly onto my computer. I don't imagine it would be difficult what with the sound cards that are available today. Other pluses would be better quality, no DJ talking during the song (hopefully), and a format that would easily convert to either CD or MP3. Anyone have any comments on this?

What the Fuck. RIAA has NOTHING to bitch about!

RIAA Yearly Statistics (in millions):
1996: 12,533.80
1997: 12,236.80 (-297)
1998: 13,723.50 (+1486.7) (Year Napster was introduced)
1999: 14,584.50 (+861)
2000: 14,323.00 (-261.5) (Height of Anti-Napster actions, economy enters recession)
2001: 13,740.89 (-582.11)(Sept 11th spoils x-mas shopping season, economy plunges)
2002: 12,614.21 (-1126.6(Economy still going down)
Net Change since music sharing introduced: +377.41

Conclusion: File sharing is a scape-goat. The "decrease" in sales can be attributed to: RIAA negative public image, The Economy!, The smaller play lists on radio, Poor choices in types of music to promote (Rock leads the demand according to RIAA statistics, yet no rock is played on MTV), and various other reasons. If anything file sharing helped the industry! The RIAA is going to kill itself off, and music will again become part of the culture, rather then just another tool to get money.

those are $ figures

Faded -- No matter how you look at the real numbers, the file sharing/piracy story is a flat-out lie.

Anyone that believes the RIAA is either a moron or ... a total brainless idiot.

It's all bullshit. All of it.

As for the hack-proof web site -- good job to everyone who immediately has removed the disgrace from the Net. Take them down and keep them down forever.

Frankly, all this "controversy" is the labels/RIAA's need to control what we listen to. Do they care that Napster, et al have introduced me to at least 50 new artists in the last 3 years that I would purchase if the price were actually reasonable?

Nope, they want to force-feed a bunch of worthless shit down my throat and not allow me to purchase CDs by artists that are no longer "popular".

The "piracy" myth is there because people are no longer satisfied with that approach.

Your righ George. I was just so shocked by the fact that the drop in sales could be accounted for by the state of the ecconomy as a whole.

On the price of CDs. The RIAA website has a portion in it that claims to explain the high price of CDs. In which it explains that were actualy lucky, because they think they should be charging $34 per CD, but are infact only charging $20!

The RIAA is actually trying to JUSTIFY the $15-$20 for CD'S? Is that a JOKE? When they came out, it was because of "cutting-edge" technology. 20 years later, same technology, distribution costs are down, exports are to more countries then EVER, so logic would dictate: CD's for $10 or less and MORE money would be made on the sheer QUANTITY sold. But what do I know? I've only crunched numbers with my ACCOUNTANT wife.

I, for one, am TOTALLY SICK AND TIRED of the FUCKING RIAA pulling this $HIT on US...the INNOCENT Internet users!!

Who do THEY think THEY are?!?!?

They think they're RIGHT, and everyone else is WRONG!!...that THEIR WAY is the RIGHT way, and everyone else's way is the wrong way!!!

I personally think that their PAC has infested the Congress with their BULL$HIT talk about how file-trading "pirates" are "hurting" the music industry and the artists who produce music!!

I believe that this is TOTAL BULL$HIT!!

I will stop using KaZaA...for now.

But I expect Congress to hold hearings on P2P file-trading!!

The REAL problem is getting artists paid for what they do!!

If there were any REAL justice in this world, the artists would get a MUCH, MUCH BIGGER CUT in the profits of their music!!

Not NO!! Instead, they're given a PITTANCE!! And much of that gets squirreled away by lawyers' fees, promotion expenses, video shoot expenses, and let's not forget taxes too!!

The artists who back up the BULLSHIT the RIAA is calling their latest attempt to curb online "piracy", have SOLD OUT BIG-TIME!!!

They're just "towing the COMPANY LINE", and spurring on their OUTRIGHT LIES to the American public!!

It's ABOUT GOD-DAMNED TIME that the American Public and ALL Internet Users should REALLY WAKE UP, and see the RIAA's BULL$HIT "smoke-screen" for what it REALLY IS...a LIE!!!

I suggest to all of you that you keep CLOSE WATCH on how your Congressperson and Senators vote in the coming weeks/months regarding this IMPORTANT issue!!

And if things DON'T go our way...GO TO THE POLLS on Election Day 2004 and VOTE THOSE PEOPLE OUT OF OFFICE!!!

DeanSB2000

Hey,dean...let's all go to the polls and vote 'em out ANYWAY!! The damage done is only gonna get worse until the voters are heard. What if everyone who "illegally" downloaded music went to the polls and VOTED?!! That sh*t would end OVERNIGHT!!

looks like the DoS attack stoped long enough for me to grab the CD price paragraph:

"Clearly there are many costs associated with producing a CD, and despite these costs the price of recorded music to consumers has fallen dramatically since CDs were first introduced in 1983. Between 1983 and 1996, the average price of a CD fell by more than 40%. Over this same period of time, consumer prices (measured by the Consumer Price Index, or CPI) rose nearly 60%. If CD prices had risen at the same rate as consumer prices over this period, the average retail price of a CD in 1996 would have been $33.86 instead of $12.75. While the price of CDs has fallen, the amount of music provided on a typical CD has increased substantially, along with higher quality in terms of fidelity, durability, ease of use, and range of choices, including multi-media material, such as music videos, interviews and discographies. Content of this type often requires considerable production expense and adds a whole new dimension that goes beyond conventional audio."

10 points to the person who can point out all the incorrect/misleading information in that paragraph

1. Clearly there are many costs associated with producing a CD, and despite these costs the price of recorded music to consumers has fallen dramatically since CDs were first introduced in 1983.

These costs are substantially lower than the costs of produceing a vinyl record or casette tape.

2. Between 1983 and 1996, the average price of a CD fell by more than 40%

CDs would of course have been expensive at first, as production facilities were set up, but the price should have kept falling. Once the transition was complete the price started steadly riseing.

3. Over this same period of time, consumer prices (measured by the Consumer Price Index, or CPI) rose nearly 60%.

I wont argue if the statistic is valid, but is it relevent?

4. If CD prices had risen at the same rate as consumer prices over this period, the average retail price of a CD in 1996 would have been $33.86 instead of $12.75.

See. Cant assume that the CPI affects the price of everything equally.

5. While the price of CDs has fallen, the amount of music provided on a typical CD has increased substantially, along with

No arguement there. Now er get 20 tracks of rubbish, most of which are just different mixes of one track.

6. higher quality in terms of fidelity

44.1KHz, 16 bits, PCM sound just as always.

7. durability

Erm...No. Technology hasn't changed there.

8. ease of use

Put in, press play. Ive done that pl players from the early 80's, ive done it on modern players. Seems just the same to me.

9. and range of choices, including multi-media material, such as music videos, interviews and discographies

Only if you have a windows PC, and even then this isn't actually content produced for the CD. Its content that happened to be lying around the office that someone put on as an afterthought.

10. Content of this type often requires considerable production expense and adds a whole new dimension that goes beyond conventional audio.

But they dont produce conventional audio, every major audio release is accomponied by a high-budget video version for MTV. Compared with the cost of makeing that, typeing the lyrics into a text file and makeing a two-session CD is practicly free.




Hows that?

Well the RIAA site is there, but it takes 3 minutes to load. I'm on 1.5/256 DSL too. Hack proof maybe congestion and lag proof no.

At first blush, I would agree with
Jazzmary2U, but, here is the problem. Not to be political, but the majority of voters in the last presidential election did NOT vote for the declared winner...they voted against him. The fact is that MONEY votes louder than constituents. The key to winning is to avoid letting the record labels have our money. Follow the money...it leaves your hand..the music store gets a cut, the record label gets a cut, and then, the record label pays the RIAA...so, the money to sue consumers comes from...you guessed it..the same people who are being sued.

To further show that both parties are bastards in this matter..look who signed the DMCA into law...Bill Clinton, an alleged liberal democrat with close ties to HollyWeird.

In the past I've dealt with politicians, they care about power and money...and when power and money conflict..they usually go with the money!

Follow the money...BOYCOTT THE BASTARDS!

CodeWarrior...

I couldn't have said it better myself!

We need (and I mean NEED!!) NEW BLOOD in Congress!!

We need REAL CAMPAIGN-FINANCE REFORM!!

My remedy?

Simple.

Take the money OUT of the election campaigns!!

How?

Simply REQUIRE ALL MEDIA OUTLETS...TV, Radio, Newspapers, Magazines, and Internet...to provide FREE advertising time to ALL political candidates THROUGHOUT the election year!!

This would allow ALL political candidates EQUAL TIME to be heard...and that would mean the END of "two-party politics"!!

DeanSB2000

I agree DeanSB2000...right on target!

Yeah, you guys. Good arguments all, and I would concede, but...Overall, this was the lowest turnout for a vote for President..in actually less than 30% of registered voters bothered to vote at all. And besides, those that think only the presidental election is important is sadly mistaken. You can vote every two years for a member of congress...There have always been Fresh Blood Candidates out there, but it takes us getting off our duffs, getting into election volunteering, assisting with our causes. So to conclude, most of is simply did not vote. And when you don't vote...and vote wisely...the DMCA garbage is what you get. I say again...next time we should rally so that all those who downloaded songs or whatever do vote. The change would be dramatic and the money be damned. THAT, my friends, is true power.

One of the first things you learn in econ or business classes is..
Supply _CREATES_ it's own demand.
Simply put, the more of something you HAVE to sell (that people want), the more you WILL sell.
An example I got in college seems to hold true (in an analogous way) to the current RIAA crap.,
You own a theater. Tickets are 10bux each for every show and you only show movies that have been out for three weeks or more. You find out that you're only selling half the available seats for two or three of the five movies you show. Result: You aren't making any money, so you look into lowering your prices AND showing more, different movies.
Lo and Behold! TA DAAA!!.
More movies + Lower ticket prices and guess what? You're selling all your seats every night, and raking in the cash.
Any questions?
ttmmm