The record labels' sue 'em all campaign is having a noticeable impact on file sharing.

That's what RIAA president Cary-Sue Sherman and his team of fact realignment specialists would have you, and the world at large, believe.

However, a visit to any network will instantly prove the reality is very different and as Slyck's Tom Mennecke states it here:

"Although the RIAA's holy war had some initial success, current network losses tend to be slight, or non-existent."

FastTrack is/was the focal point of the RIAA's assault and more than a month since the first shots were fired, the FastTrack network remains steady, he says. "At the time of this writing [August 1] the FastTrack network had 3.9 million users sharing 6.03 Terabytes of information. Despite the relentless onslaught of the RIAA, comparatively few have been frightened by their Gestapo tactics.

"Why? It seems many members of the file-sharing community have been encouraged by the harsh criticism the RIAA has received. While many critics, journalists, developers, politicians and even musicians have rallied against their sleazy tactics, the most important and influential rejection has come from the consumers themselves - the very people being sued.

"Limited cooperation from ISP's and Universities has also given hope to the file- sharing community. Yesterday, Pacific Bell Internet Services declined to invade the privacy of its users, and returned their subpoena with a lawsuit. In addition, organizations such as the EFF have assisting those who face RIAA action by organizing legal counsel. Slowly but surely, strong momentum is building against the RIAA."

But FastTrack isn't alone. Other P2P networks have either maintained or increased their populations and in particular, the ManolitoP2P (Blubster, Piolet) network continues to make its presence known online by surpassing 200,000 users, Mennecke states.

"At last check, this powerful community had 230,000 users contributing 221,962 Gigs of information. This is an actual increase since June 27, when only 175,525 individuals were sharing 172,037 Gigs if data.

"Gnutella continues to enjoy its resurgence. This long running P2P network was all but down for the count just late last year. A rift involving the Gnutella2 movement nearly destroyed this open-source community. However, this part of their history is now water under the bridge. Massive improvements to clients such as BearShare and LimeWire have allowed this network to see some of its highest numbers since October of 2002. Despite a small dip after the RIAA announced it campaign, Gnutella at last check had approximately 115,000 users, around 20,000 more than April of this year.

"We could continue about every network; however the general trend remains constant among all parties. We also understand that the numbers represented are not exact, however give an accurate enough trend that demonstrates usage over a period of time. If these numbers hold, the recent statement that it would take over 2,000 years to sue everyone may hold true ; )"

I believe this article does not contain the information i have seen in relation to kazaa and its user base. I have seen Kazaa's user base FALL Considerably, from 4.7 million to almost 4 million at peaks of the day. Atleast to me, the RIAA is pushing ppl away from kazaa regardless what this article is saying.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a mole here. And the name is 'directive'.

The media anti-RIAA backlash continues... In a post on the "flying close to the sun" there's a link to an excellent article posted on the BBC news website.

My letter to the editor (a copy of the open letter to my congressmen) to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch was not published; however, an article critical of the RIAA made the front page of the business section today. So at least this newspaper got the message we're all trying to get out: the RIAA is going overboard.

Link to: http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/entertainment/stories.nsf/Entertainment/Music/876148B2C7AA78CE86256D78003D8EE5?OpenDocument&Headline=It's+war+between+record+labels+and+downloading+fans

It also may be that KaZaA users are starting to find that KaZaA isn't the best anymore and are moving to use Gnutella, and other p2p networks. The RIAA hasn't scared me off. me and my 220GB system. In fact I'm sharing more than ever since they started the threts. 11.413+ gigs of files.

A jihad will never work, never ever, ever! mainly because a bunch of rich corrupt lawers have no power over us. We are the ones that will deside the fate of the evil RIAA.

Gnutella For Ever! ----- RIAA NEVER!

ps. RIAA ppl.........
Go crawl in a hole and die you dispicable intolerant, raceist, sexist, homophobic, neonatzis. I will make sure you all die a horrable death, in the new internet order.
~gramps~
-mtekk

Directive, who gives two shits about Kazaa? So what if it's losing people. It sucks. It's likely that the losses in Kazaa are other P2P's gain. Why? Because it seems like the RIAA is only going after Kazaa users (not to mention it just really sucks, as I've pointed out already).

Feisar & Kneo,
I never said anything about how great kazaa is, just that according to the numbers that i saw, kazaa has dropped about 700,000 members or so in the last 2 weeks, and i see it getting lower. I saw less than 2.9 million members on last night around midnight, which means when this article says:"At the time of this writing [August 1] the FastTrack network had 3.9 million users sharing 6.03 Terabytes of information. Despite the relentless onslaught of the RIAA, comparatively few have been frightened by their Gestapo tactics" it is not fully painting the picture of what the number used to be. In the middle of the day, i used to see 4.7 million members or so, and now i barely see 4.1.
Am i the only one who sees a huge drop in kazaa? Lastly, i am not one to think kazaa is the only P2P software, just reporting the numbers i see, and they aren't what this article portrays in relation to kazaa.

I asked Tom if he wanted to add anything and:

"FastTrack has declined, but I'm not overly impressed with the loss," he said. "After one month, FastTrack has settled around 3.4 - 4.0 million - not bad considering the volume of subpeonas.

"The point is that file-sharing remains strong. Of course, I could be proved wrong in a few months, but from the general feeling I have from the community at this moment, I feel correct in what I said in the article..."

Cheers! Jon

I wouldn't characterize a 13% drop in the network most targeted by the RIAA as "huge". Seems pretty modest to me. However, we need to see if it continues to drop. On the other hand, if people just switch to other networks, it's no big deal. It sounds like a game of cat and mouse. Is there a site where the weekly usage of the various P2P programs is available? It would be interesting to monitor this.

Jon,
Your conclusions as a whole may be correct, but your conclusions about kazaa are not accurate atleast to me. I am not trying to be mean or ruthless or whatever, i saw the decline in the last month and want to make sure that i express my Opinion and let ppl know what i think.
Keep the articles coming

Who says that network traffic is illegal files. I don't like trading that c--- they call music. The legal side of Kazaa is much better than trading Madonna, or Spears.

Hail Mp3!!!

I can see that my once popular notion of turning the RIAA off, (not downloading, not sharing) is trailing by the wayside.

I wonder if anyone in this thread has looked at current debate in the house of representatives.

It is a fact that "Author, Consumer, and Computer Owner Protection and Security (ACCOPS)" HR2752 is getting a large and immediate cosponsorship from other representatives in both parties. It is also a fact that the "Piracy Deterrence and Education Act of 2003" HR2517 is getting very notable acceptance and cosponsorship in the house of representative in both parties.

I don't think sharing files or downloading files of RIAA "owned" material is a good idea until it is once again legal. I don't think running full speed at fast moving train is a good idea either.

We have the heavy task of making all forms of internet communication legal, and private. I am boycotting the RIAA, right down to the last stinking dime, because the money they stole from artist, and gathered from a population is being spent on congresspersons in ways that are erasing the word "Private" from the dictionary that is used in congress, and replacing it with the word "Pirate".

I'm also a current file sharer. When I am logged onto a P2P client, many great speeches and news reports are available at the drop of a hat. Even a few paticuarlly funny videos, and commercials. One commercial in paticular from "Toyota" has a song "Poetry in Motion" as a theme of the commercial, and I'm itching to see what happens when the RIAA terrorist take me to trial for sharing an advertisement.

know what>? I don't care if Kazaa has a drop, or Grokster has a drop, or Gnutella or ES5 does...I'm not uploading, I'm not downloading...I'm actively boycotting these F'ing MuthaF'ers and writing intelligent, friendly letters to congress people asking for their help against these RIAA terrorists, and asking that a congressional investigation of this bunch be initiated, and that their links to BayTSP and the rest are started...I want their books auditied, their IRS returns audited, and in total, all these bastards to be put in jail if they are found to have broken the law. I have a life too, but at the edge of my conscious mind is the slow, almost silent, subliminal message...
BOYCOTT THESE BASTARDS OUT OF EXISTENCE!
-bulkeraser
Making blanks from 1s and zeros

To directive,
I apologize for the misunderstanding. I just wouldn't be surprised if one of the RIAA idiots were here to discourage us.

Bo prob, no offense taken.

No prob, no offense taken.

It's ridiculous to compare numbers of users and terrabyte's shared during summer. People are too busy enjoying the weather and the summer activities, than to be logged on the p2p networks. And, it's a slow period for album releases. Come fall and winter, and I bet we will see that the number of users will increase again.

Keep the faith!

Regardless of the numbers right now, i believe you have a point.

yeah, wait til college kids get back in their dorms and start trying 2 d/l. Either you'll see a surge of users or, if their schools block p2p, then more people preparing to boycott. August is here, but September is nigh, my friends.

Its about noon here in Cali, and kazaa numbers are not even at 4 million. Not to sound prideful, but around the end of June or so, there were 4.5-4.7 million members on.

good article to read r0dr0ddy, thanks for pointing it out!

didnt the RIAA state that they will stop the investigation on like august 10th-11th? i mean, i wanna get back onto kazaa soon.... its been 1 whole frikken month since i downloaded anything at all!!!!

directive, i agree about the kazaa numbers. i'm on kazaa everyday and the users keep getting less & less. at least we are only losing u.s. filesharers... the rest of the world don't give 2 shits about the riaa terrorist network! 'cept spain

"Gnutella continues to enjoy its resurgence. This long running P2P network was all but down for the count just late last year. A rift involving the Gnutella2 movement nearly destroyed this open-source community. However, this part of their history is now water under the bridge. Massive improvements to clients such as BearShare and LimeWire have allowed this network to see some of its highest numbers since October of 2002. Despite a small dip after the RIAA announced it campaign, Gnutella at last check had approximately 115,000 users, around 20,000 more than April of this year."

Interesting, where did these numbers come from? I was a Gnutela user for a mighty long time, until recently when my machine died and now am on a laptop. The last I was on there was about 2 months ago and the only thing being shared was porn and garbadge files. Those numbers are a tad bit bogus. They are not sharing but freeloading....

Hermit, you and I are in complete agreement on this. Our words are falling on deaf ears, but we need to keep saying it.

If ppl only come to this website because they are ticked off about not being able to share copyrighted works with impunity, then this will never work.

To say that one is in favor of a boycott of RIAA goods, but to keep on downloading, is downright stupid. It nullifies the meaning of a boycott, and it just gives the RIAA more ammo to use against file sharing.

What part of that is hard to understand?

If this website is going to become all about filesharing come hell or high water, then it won't have my support much longer.

Go ahead, keep sharing, you will get what you ask for.

People can flame me all they want, but all I'm reading right now is file sharing, and not much about a boycott.

I am supportive of paid file-sharing. I am split on the issue of downloading copyrighted works. It is a form of theft, but then again, the service is not available for pay, so what are you gonna do?

What I think we need to do is this. Cut off all connections to the RIAA. Do not go to concerts. Do no buy CDs. Do not even steal their stuff. We have to show them that if they want to keep their piece of sh*t music locked up so tight, then we don't want it.

In the meantime, write your congressman, senators, and newspapers. Better yet, record your views in a document or a sound file and distribute it via file sharing.

Let the world know that the customer is always right!

da-gimp:

If I understand correctly, what you are saying is that if we boycott CDS, we also have to stop downloading music files at the same time, otherwise it will just give the RIAA more ammunition to argue that file sharing is killing their sales. This would be used to justify their jihad against file sharers.

I sympathize with your argument and I've pretty much stopped downloading myself. However, I think file sharing is a tidal wave that just can't be stopped. They can make it illegal, sue people, etc., but people continue to download. Even Kazaa has only seen a relatively modest decrease in users.

I just don't believe that Americans will continue to let the RIAA sue (and possibly prosecute) college students indefinitely. I think that as time goes by public pressure will be such that the RIAA will just have to compromise. As I've argued in the past, the record companies could probably charge less than a penny per song and, with the huge numbers of files being downloaded everyday, they could make a nice profit. If the difference in cost between legal and illegal services becomes neglible, who's going to risk using the illegal services? The RIAA could clean up! Sooner or later they've got realize this. In the meantime, how many people will be hurt, how many families bankrupted?

The boycott is very important as it adds a lot of pressure on the RIAA to allow online downloading. Do you think the RIAA would have ever allowed even the cheesy legal downloading services now available had it not been for the rapid growth in file sharing? They are being dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century. A boycott on CDs is essential in order to keep the pressure on. As for filesharing, each person has to make up his/her own mind, but I would advise caution. Personally, I don't want to be a casualty.

File sharing is part of the reason to boycott. Yes, they've been screwing artists out of hard earned money for years - and that in itself is a good reason to boycott - if you're an artist. But now with the war on filesharing, they're also trying to screw normal people too. You can say all you want about it being copyright infringement - but it's no worse than taping a movie off of HBO or taping a song off the radio - just a larger scale. By shutting down filesharing, they would be taking away one of the best tools EVER for finding out about new music. I say that's just as good of a reason to boycott. I dont know about you, but I think we have the right to know what music is out there and to make our own choices about what to buy - not to be told by radio what we should listen to. I feel bad for the smaller bands on RIAA labels who are never going to make it big in the current system because their own labels won't promote them. I dont feel bad for Madonna because her new album isn't selling as many millions of copies as the label thought it would.

Don't give up on a boycott just because of the filesharing aspect. Boycotting on behalf of the artists who are getting screwed is a noble cause - but it's also not one that the general public is going to follow. People dont see the band that's been making music for 15 years, have released 10 albums and still haven't had a single one go gold and are forced to work other jobs when not touring because they can't make enough money making the music they love. People see the pop stars and the boybands and the rappers living it up in their million dollar houses and multiple cars and all the celebrity treatment. It's kinda hard to argue that artists are getting screwed when you can turn on MTV and go on a tour of Puff Daddy's newest house.

I've made up MY mind on the issue. I have stopped downloading for some months now, and I haven't purchased a CD, shirt, poster, bumpersticker or ANYTHING for quite a while. I'm in total agreement with Da-Gimp in that people should stop d/l's, purchases, everything. That will give the RIAA no scapegoat, no money, and NO momentum.

Today boycott the Riaa does not only mean stop buying tee shirts and cds. Rather it means boycott everything that has to do with the 5 companies. I am not sure of the companies makeup but if an associated company in the conglomorate owns hotels, airlines, sells booze, or whatever you need to stop purchasing that item. Look at the whole elephant not just the trunk! That will take some digging!

Wow, I'm surprised that the ST. Louis Post-Dispatch picked up on this story, do you guys know how much that just helped our cause?

One thing to note, is it just me or does this

>>And, he adds, "It's gonna reshape the industry."

Downloading has already reshaped the music industry; the problem is that no one knows what the new shape will be quite yet -- just that the current shape is bad.

it missed the rest of my post.

look like it was taken off this website? I think I remember someone saying the exact same thing a while ago.

A QUESTION FOR EVERYONE!!!

If you, representatives of the RIAA, representatives of Indie labels, Members of Imusic and the like, and members of Kazaa and the like were locked in a room until you reached a consensis.

What would you stand firm on, and what would you be willing to compromise on? What would you tell the other groups?

One more thing, where are these highly public trials going on? The only thing I have heard is that Pac-Bell & MIT are quashing the subpoenas. Also Where is the head bi*ch of Kazaa Nikki Hemming? You would think she would provide some support...

surfside6, I'd stand fast on my ability to do whatever the hell I want with MY equipment and MY properties (i.e. make copies of MY DVDs so the originals don't get scratched to hell), that my ISP doesn't have to do a DAMN thing for them without proof that I commited a crime.

I'd also likely be forced to take a stand on the issue of certain people locked in that room leaving alive, but that's another story.

Good point EyeMWing, when you buy a Toyota car, you can do with it as you wish. Tag Taguchi (Toyota Ceo) is not standing on the side asking for money each time you do something to it.

Where is the head bi*ch of Kazaa, Nikki Hemming?

Yeah, now we have the gist of it. This is all about credibility.

We want to give the RIAA as little credibility as we possibly can. If we want to hurt their numbers the most, we need to stop downloading at the same time we stop buying.

If we continue to download while we tank their sales, they really do have a good case to say our downloading has hurt their pockets. Any resonable individual would logically come to that conclusion.

If sales tank, AND downloading stops, where can they point the blame? They can blame anything they want, but it will have far less credibility.

And IFeelFree has a good point. Do what you want, but if you become a casualty of the filesharing subpoenas, your message means nothing. You will be nothing but a criminal in the public's eyes, and they won't listen to a word you have to say.

This is going to take a long time, and the average citizen doesn't know squat about any of this. And they believe what they see on the media more than anything else.

Stay the course, don't give the bastards another penny, and don't give them propaganda they can use against us. And filesharing is mighty strong propaganda right now.

As for Kazaa, they probably feel lucky to get out with their skin intact. Probably no stomach for any more of this.

PacBell and the schools are gonna slug it out, but I have no idea how it's going to turn out. We will see. Wait until college resumes in the fall, and the students get back into the swing of it. I've already told my daughter she has to assume full responsibility if she gets popped, so act intelligently.

Another thing to think about, how much are we willing to pay for legal downloads, especially if we feel that over a dollar a track is too much now?

If it all turns tomorrow(not bloody likely), we need some answers handy, think about it.

Directive:
Maybe you can change the name of this website to Boycott-RIAA and Where is the head bi*ch of Kazaa, Nikki Hemming?

Sorry about the rant but I have just read alot about her and I feel she is no better than the RIAA.

I didn't come to this site because I want to share copyrighted works with impunity. Those into file sharing simply to steal as much music as their hard drive can handle are no help to the cause. However, to try and seperate file sharing from an RIAA boycott is ridiculous. This whole mess got started because the RIAA hasn't bothered to come up with a viable, profitable alternative. They've had years to come up with an encrypted network that would both protect their interests and provide music in a user-friendly format. Instead, they decide to spend a fortune on suing people who probably have no way of paying the huge fines. I realize the RIAA doesn't give a damn, viewing these people as felons (they hope, they hope), but forcing people into bankruptcy seems rather extreme.

I got into file sharing to try and find obscure, out of print music. I've been a collector for 30 years and the RIAA has made a small mint off me during that time. But nowadays, I find myself shopping at used CD and vinyl stores, upstart independents, and other outlets not beholden to the RIAA. I'm just tired of shelling out money for overpriced "product" designed to rip me off. Let's say I support an artist for 10 years. Bought every album. How do I get repaid? The artist releases a greatest hits album with one new song added as bait. So I'm expected to pay 20 bucks for that one stinking song. And they never release it as a single. If I'm lucky, maybe England or Japan put it out and I can pick up an import for a mere 10 dollars. Now tell me, honestly... Can you see why people start to look at downloading less as a crime as a form of retaliation? The RIAA knowingly sponsor, hype and release product they know sucks, save for maybe three songs. By not allowing the public a chance to find that out beforehand, or offer those three songs in a more economical package, I feel the RIAA is committing extortion. They are telling the consumer, "Hey, do you like that song on the radio? Well, you can own it and 15 more for only 20 bucks. What? Are the other songs any good? C'mon, what do you think? Would we charge you that much money if they weren't? And besides, no matter what you think, what alternative do you have? We're the RIAA. Either put up the money or F-you."

If we could somehow rally the 4 million-plus file sharers together, then this boycott could really amount to something. Granted, many sharers are from other countries (that seem to allow more privacy than we do here), but even if the homegrown number amounts to a million, that's a sizable constituency. The RIAA can throw money around, but votes are what ultimately put people in office. As others have posted, we need to make the cause heard loudly. Yes, we may be running head first toward an oncoming train, but blood on the tracks will call attention to our cause and perhaps turn the tide. If not, some fringe boycott trying to simply ignore a history of RIAA-sponsored music will never succeed.

fdextro:
The RIAA wants you to buy the artists songs until 70 years after the death of the author or 120 years after the song is written on a collaboration. Which now means the author died in 1933 or 1883 on a collaborated song.

i think the whole sue 'em all campaign is nothing but smoke up our asses. why? because when i turn ont he media and i have followed the media to a T since the sue em all campaign broke, and i have not seen any major coverage period. and that goes for the cable networks, talk radio, the alphabet channels, news websites. for a campaign this major, i mean come on, thousands of people are being socalled sued and its not a major story leads me to believe its nothing but bullshit.

da-gimp: thanx to you i now know i am nothing more than a pirate, and you mister protest...(oh wait you didn't protest anything!)are telling us why we come to this site? well, thank jesus himself for sending us a mind reader...... so now we know what we are doing here. by the way, does anybody know how i can share files and get away with it? i thought that's why we came to this site? don't worry this is my last post......LATER!

the-question...i am sorry i missed saying bye...you seemed to be an ok guy. take care bro...keep the boycott rolling!
-bulk

surfside6 has the right idea. to really hurt these bastards...boycott more than just their friggin' CDs...CodeWarrior had an idea I liked the other day about developing a friends and enemies list including companies, politicians,musicians,labels,etc.

When "I" boycott, "I" boycott everything. I've stopped sharing. No longer will I dl or share RIAA crap music. Nope. I've gone cold turkey, too bad othrs don't do this. Burning and downloading is "NOT boycotting in my opinion. GO INDIE! There's lots of cool music on the web to listen to all day long. I refuse to do anymore P2P. I AM BOYCOTTING THE RIAA MUSIC PERIOD.

And, I think fellow P2P users should do the same.

Time to put your money where your mouth is and stop supporting RIAA bands!

We're not making any headway if people don't "BOYCOTT" and mean it.

I'm with you SinisterX...you can't be a little bit pregnant, and you can't do a half assed boycott...it's all or nothing...with you all the way Sinister!

Hey, you guys be nice to directive. He's definitely on our side and is fighting just as hard as anyone. Sometimes you have to take a realistic look at what's going on to remain objective. It's summertime. Everyone is out playing tourist and having summer vacations, partying at the beach. It's only natural that file sharing subsides a little.

No one used to watch it so close. It may have always been doing that.

I haven't used p2p in 3 months , cold turkey , I feel that if we're boycotting we must go all the way .
WABBITMAN

We've got to somehow get the word out about the boycott. The media is of little help.

keep it simple,

lets work together of outline a plan

Lets form some leadership.

Lets find out all of the tricky intricate ways that the RIAA is using to gather funds.

Lets work together to actually start a boycott of the RIAA.

Money is the ammunition being used agains the war on "Piracy". The RIAA are spending that money to buy the laws passed by House Representatives, and Senators. Unfortunately they have saved up billions of dollars for this purpose. Even more unfortunately they are still recieving money from the boycotters in this thread.

Did you see a movie this summer?

Did you upgrade your hard drive, cd burner, or by some blank cd's?

Do you reguarly rent movies?

Do you really want your right to privacy, freedom of expression? If you answer yes to this question, you have to take one tiny baby step and stop giving the tyrants money. Maybe your right to privacy and freedom of expression is important to you, and you can find time in your busy schedule to do something that converts a congressperson, or senator, or next door neighbor, to start seeing the boycott of the RIAA as a civic duty.

Lets just start by investigating the money we spend. Lets find out how the RIAA gets paid. And just boycott that.

If the RIAA is using file sharer numbers to gauge their "success" then they are very wrong. The buzz around these parts is that yes many people have stopped downloading files for fear of losing everything, but those very same people have also silently and some, not so silently engaged in a total boycott of the industry. It is lose lose for the industry since adopting the "kill em all" policy. No metallica pun intended. I have contacted my local senators on this issue. I urge you my fellow Americans to do the same. It is important to note that these days, there seems to be a widening gap between rich and poor with a middle class being edged out. When you don't have much to lose. Losing everything isn't that bad.

Well, directive I must give you props since you were one of the few people that actually got out and demonstrated against the RIAA on this issue.

On the subject of Kazaa. The last time I had that installed, my system was so badly infected with spyware I nearly had to reformat the darn thing. This stupid purple icon kept "phoning home" and I had to edit registry files to kill it. I don't miss Kazaa AT ALL.

Whoever coined the New Internet Order Phrase - I like it.

George,
Thanks for your support, How are things IA? Let us know.
Thanks

Before we embrace 'legal' downloading let's think a minute about what is available now..and whether it will be 'portable'.

Downloading files legally for me is not an option if I can't burn it to play in my car or at work. I want to use my preferred program to download, not something that locks up the music and prevents it from being burned or moved.

After all if I 'pay' for it I want it to be 'mine'. Mine means I can move it, burn it put it on a cd for the car, perhaps another one for work. Just like I do the ones I bought in the past.

I am not buying CD's. I am not downloading files. I am writing letters and have posted a Boycott RIAA page on my website.

I think this business about filetrading is just the beginning of an assault on how we use the internet and what equipment and software we use. I think the logical outcome of this if they win is control over what we see, read and listen to on the internet. Controlled by our computers with Fritz chips, by Palladium, perhaps even by our ISP's. Think I'm being paranoid? Read some of the other articles on this site.

For my two cents I have a new burner on the shelf that will work as I want it to, and I will refuse to buy any computer or OS or software that 'phones home'. It pays to read folks, and be vigilant. These folk are sneaky and underhanded and work behind the scenes and under the cover of darkness as much as possible. We have to watch them as closely as if they were casing our homes, because they are.

Hang tough..... Don't buy anything from any member of RIAA, be it music, dvd, poster or a bumper sticker.

My apologies to the list. I've been so busy thinking about this boycott that I let my copy of "Nostradamus Gold" mindreading software expire.

Jesus wants me to pay to update it. Does anybody know where I can download a freeware patch for this thing?

I have version 6.0, I need to upgrade to 6.5.2.

It's never easy going "cold turky" but I instantly got hooked on underground music and bands. Screw The RIAA I will not share a single RIAA file or burn one for as long as I live. I listen to web radio, commercial free and, it's by far some of the best music out there today. RIAA owned bands are off my list.

I could write a lot more of an articulate comment... but at this point i think all i'll say is ooooh, i'm scared of the RIAA.. they can sue 1000 or 100,000 people.. it's not going to stop the 200 million worldwide users (if not more) from downloading.. I think i'd have a better chance of being struck by lightning than getting sued...

jihad means struggle.

seriously quit hijacking the arabic language. not cool.

and the tampa bay lightning has a better chance of winning the stanley cup than the riaa stopping the millions of people including grandpa smith and litle suze from downloading music.

i read in the newspaper that some p2p sites are working on our protection so the riaa cant tell who we are.

hey, myxmastaz, hijacking the arabic language isn't even close to hijacking our planes and flying them into buildings.

At least our use of the word 'jihad' hasn't killed anybody yet.

Good grief. Boycott the RIAA but don't download! Funny, you people seem to think most of the file sharers also actually spend ANY money on cds period. All the people I know download exclusively. I think you are sadly mistaken if you think this "movement" is going to work when we get alot of file sharers that are naturally for a boycott. What we need is to convince everyone else. P2P users? Bah, big deal. If this is your hope, I've been boycotting the RIAA for 7 years now. Now stop lying, some of you, in that you're going to make SUCH a difference when you stop buying the cds you stopped buying years ago. And as for getting people to stop their downloading... LOL, why else did the RIAA resort to this strong armed, distasteful tact? Perhaps they realized next to nothing will stop us from downloading? Mmm, yep! Good luck... Cat and Mouse game it is. Napster was utterly destroyed? Ohhh, look, here is Kazaa and an assortment of other P2P software and good ole IRC. They put a quick end to Napster, but what happened? Sharing increased 10 fold. Certainly, this is going to scare ALOT of people. Yet many more will obviously just switch networks. Even the most clueless people I know that download music know that they are targeting Uploaders, not downloaders. They also understand the sheer numbers, most of them. 56 million music pirates? It isn't pratical to stop them all. At best they will slow things down for a time. I don't know how many times I've seen a particular IRC network with warez rooms have said rooms killed, in which case people move to other networks only to come back several months later to fully renewed warez room on the old network. Technology was pratically forced into our laps by industry that made the act of pirating so easy it's essentially like finding a $20 bill while going for a walk. Now for people to stop doing this would be like cutting off their balls. Ultimately the RIAA is going to take heavy losses and we the MP3 nuts are going to take some losses in different ways, but things will change. Either hardware will prevent us from doing this, or the industry will evolve into the technological age. But rallying pirates to boycott people we've been boycotting for ages anyway is kind of lame. And don't tell me most of you are legit buyers. The people most interested in these headlines on OUR side are the very people ripping off the RIAA, MPAA, etc. By continuing to download you may be feeding their propoganda, but you are also making a statement. Being we aren't going to stop just because you ruin even several thousand peoples lives. By NOT downloading and getting these pirates that come here (Angered that they takes greater risks in downloading now) to stop downloading as well, you are giving the RIAA the idea that their Jihad is working. Even if they lose some money in the deal. OH NO if we the piraters boycott! Wow, from a great many of us they weren't making money in the first place period! Why would they care? I don't see the point of that at all. Unless we manage to seriously convince the paying percentage to boycott as well.

Greyslayer76:

So, spell it out in plain terms. Your post is kinda schizophrenic.

What is it you are really trying to say?

Give us a game plan, this is not intended to be a flame.

Grey, would it make any difference if YOU were one of the ones slapped with a multi-thousand dollar settlement?

Can you afford to settle out of court for, say, 20k?

Let the RIAA think what it wants when downloading drops, they'll spin it out no matter what.

Does anybody here know anybody that got a subpoena yet?

to Greyslayer76,

Please correct my argument with your statement,

I don't believe newly purchased cd sales are even a token amount of the RIAA's income. Most of thier funding, that is spent on congress to make new laws, is gathered from broad and far reaching systems, including tax laws. Although they are in a tax exempt status by promoting art, they are getting rich. And using that money to further finace themselves, for something that they are not doing, promoting art. I think I will get a hoot when I say, "Cookie cutter, cost managed, image demanded "art" is not art at all". The process of pushing what should sell to 18 year olds, is GOING TO STOP HERE, in this forum, and on this website, and on others like it!

The fact that the RIAA members have money to push around in congress irks me, since they are a charitable tax exempt orginazation.

The fact that every file sharer/down loader/P2P user has paid a 2% tax on all of his equipment to the RIAA for the purpose of getting sued for using that same equipment distresses me.

I have several other concerns about the "PATRIOT ACT", THE "DMCA", the brand new bills introduced to congress that allow FBI monitoring of P2P channels, "HR2517", and ACCOPS, "HR2752". However, I am trying to keep this post short.

Please Greyslayer76, correct my argument.

A PUBLIC APOLOGY TO EVERYONE.

I am further distressed by the fact that I am guilty of pushing the, "United States Public Law 102-563
Audio Home Recording Act of 1992".
I had the misguided notion, and faith in the legal system, and my representation in congress, that the law would balance the loss of revenue to artist. Neither the artist or the public have garnered any benefit of this law. All of this tax has lined the pockets of the leaders of the RIAA.

AverageConsumer - Funny you should say that. I'm currently taking Zyprexa (Olanzapine)

As for what I'm trying to say... I don't quite see how boycotting the RIAA entails Boycotting File Sharing, just because it's their product we are trading. In no way are we helping them by stopping the trades. Other than propaganda, which would prove their point on the other end of the spectrum. Oh, see? A slap on the wrist and they realize the crimes they are committing and the penalty they will pay for it. They are justifying our brutish actions and acknowledging our correctness in the very act that they have ceased. While downloading, despite the law and their zealous tactics, ultimately reveals that the methods they use are futile. However, it can't be that simple. The battle won't ever end if there isn't some sort of concessions on both sides. As people have stated, some kind of itunes arrangement, only much cheaper than $1 a song. I doubt it will succeed unless it's enticingly cheap. Some other good ideas I’ve read on here concerning taxing media, etc. It's all about greed really. They'll have to accept some losses as would we. The transition from tapes to compact disc paints a clear picture to me. I don't know facts, but logic would suggest that, like video game cartridges vs. compact disc/DVD media, a tape with complex moving parts should be more expensive to mass produce than a hunk of plastic, yet the price of compact discs are higher. Greed. None of those people NEED that much money. If they didn't cheat the artists it wouldn't be such a problem.

Anyway, as for me being caught and would I care? Certainly, I wouldn't like it, but I'm one of those guys that has nothing to lose. They wouldn't get any money from me, or my family. We simply cannot settle, or pay $150,000 per song. I'd spent some time in jail, and I'd make as big of a deal out of being mentally ill as I could. Try to get some exposure. Plead Insanity Hey, I’m documented as having Anxiety Disorder, Dissociative, Schizoid Personality, Depression, and Insomnia. If not, I'd, at the least, be another statistic who had his life "ruined" by juggernauts.

I should say, NOT downloading would prove their point of view. Appologies. It's long since time for bed.

Seems to me that the ones screaming the loudest are the ones who "can't" live without downloading and being a freeloader. Boycotting, means just that, boycotting, period.

YOU ARE NOT BOYCOTTING THE RIAA BY DOWNLOADING AND BURNING THEIR SHIT MUSIC.

just my humble opinion. I used to think that I was boycotting by downloading and sharing all my files but now I know better.

I don't believe in halfassed boycotts either.

"You are either with us or against us."

To coin a phrase

quote from :Feisar
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have a mole here. And the name is 'directive'. "

just because someone doesnt believe every little tid bit of information doesnt make him a mole. I'm sure you're one of those people that still hasnt come to grips with reality, and still believes downloading music is legal or moral. Get over it, people have differing opinions.