"Is this guy for real????"

That's what ron77 asked when he posted the url to The Critical Battles Ahead from Reuters/Billboard by Billboard editor-in-chief Keith Girard.

"The Recording Industry Assn. of America got everything it could have wished for and more out of its decision to sue 261 individuals who have allegedly downloaded music illegally through file-sharing services," says Girard. "The organization took a high-risk public relations gamble and won. But that's all this really amounts to - a great public relations play."

Won what? And how is using a piece of junk like Clean Slate to trick people into revealing incriminating information about themselves a great PR play?

We'll quote the rest of his article in full because you need to see it.

The RIAA was able to push what had been largely a backwater music industry story into mainstream American consciousness. Suddenly it became what it should have been all along, a morality play about right and wrong," Girard goes on.

It could very easily have gone the other way. It's hard to think badly about gray-haired grandmothers and enterprising honor students like the ones named in the RIAA suits. But fortunately society still disdains a thief.

That's no small thing, but let's not make this out to be more than it is. Even if a thousand lawsuits are filed, downloading will continue. In fact, programmers are already designing software to take the business underground."

The real value out of all this is a tremendous boost in public awareness about piracy. So, now that the industry finally has the public's attention -- and at least for the moment, its sympathy - the question becomes how to best capitalize on it.

The more important battles still lie ahead to tame, if not slay, this beast. As we've said all along, the industry needs a market solution and a legal/legislative solution to this crisis.

On the legal/legislative front, the industry got a significant boost from U.S. Register of Copyrights' Marybeth Peters.

At a Senate hearing Sept. 8, she delivered the strongest statement yet in support of the RIAA's efforts. If it's safe to assume that she speaks for the Bush administration - and she likely does - then her remarks suggest that the administration will support legislation to curb illegal file-sharing.

As we all know, Congress follows; it rarely leads. So hopefully such expressions of support from the public and Peters will finally convince lawmakers that requiring file-sharing services to police content is in the public interest.

Such a law would help level the playing field, but the critical battle, of course, will be fought where it should be, in the marketplace. There's good news on that front, as well.

Apple is likely to roll out its iTunes service for Windows computers as early as next month to catch the Christmas buying season. Universal Music Group's move on music prices and co-op advertising sets the stage for a much-needed realignment of the industry's business model.

Another promising sign is the continued development of new formats, such as Super Audio CD and DVD-Audio. That will give the industry a premium product worthy of an $18.95 price to go along with CDs priced at $9.99.

The point is to give consumers what they want at a reasonable price. Do that,and rest assured, they'll beat a path to your door.

Yes, ron77. Girard is indeed for real.

Who ever this Keith Girard is he's just a paid puppet of the RIAA soon to be out of a job.

Heh, Keith has to stroke the egos of the RIAA in order to keep getting those "great" interviews from all those American Idol wanna bes and pop stars. He's got to have something to fill his magazine, especially with subscription numbers going down. In fact, I think, I'll write him a note and let him know that .

The Riaa has won nothing other than resentment, and with the law suits started and the judges in the verizon case are studying the Constitution rights infringement by the DMCA, and I am sure they will find them. As well
Washington is starting to turn a little and question the tactics, as along as we stand together and stand strong. Write your people in office register to vote, and make sure you vote we will be heard.

Heh, I was going to write a note and send it directly to Billboard. Looks like someone already beat me to it and um...took matters into their own hands. I can't log into their site.

What do you expect from BILLBOARD's Editor-in-Chief? My problem is that Reuters, a very well-respected journalistic organization is passing this dribble off as "news".

great post ron77!
I had read the comments of the Register of Copyrights as a part of all the people who testified at the
Orrin Hatch led hearing. We are each and all, fighting big money and big business. Dollars can help to make lies appear, and can help to make sure those lies get into the Congressional Record, on the news, and in major media.

But, they are lies, and lies are just imitation truths. Lies are to truth, as tin foil is to pure silver...Lies are to truth, as pyrite is to 24 karat gold...
Truth is beauty, and beauty is truth.
Lies are ugly, insubstantial, and ultimately, will be shown for the counterfeits they are.

And, Billboard's editor-in-chief Keith GiRIA(A)rd is just a cheap shill for his corporate masters. LOL..billboard is like a giant ad for the MPAA and RIAA after all. Useful idiots, nothing more and nothing less.

Kyodylee, I agree. It's shotty on Reuter's part. Their editors should have categorized this as an op-ed piece and nothing more.

Is any one can tell me are we going to hire a 10 best big shot attorney in the US.and fry the RIAA?
I suppose the 65 million of us would have to pay 50/c and those guys will be getting a great pay for nothing.
Just an idea

good idea carrera..but we still have a few million to convince..though we are getting there, one person at a time

MerylStryfe - You're right. I just fired off an email to them.

editor@reuters.com

sounds to me like this guy and that idiot from lip buzzcut are sharing a smoke from the forbidden bag of ganja. dude, just say whoaaa {^

"The point is to give consumers what they want at a reasonable price. Do that,and rest assured, they'll beat a path to your door."

Yes, that's why I haven't bought any of RIAA's crap for months (even before I decided to boycott it). That article was one of the most humorous payoff-inspired pieces of fiction I've read in a while. Anyway, yes Mr. Girard, society does disdain a thief. Why do you think more people are choosing to boycott the RIAA?

Thanks Code,
I had to reread that several times, I just couldn't believe anyone would think the riaa had won at this point. I wonder if he will feel the same when new sales reports come out. As a side note I sent an email to Sony telling them about all the products I have bought from in the past, and how they would never get another nickel from me. So far the only response has been an automated email response thanking me for writing them. If I hear anything else will let you all know. I had figured I spent over $ 30,000 in Sony products in my life.

R

I think Jon is wrong Code,
I enjoy reading your posts and have learned a lot from them.
Ron

QUOTE FROM THE TEXT:


It's a LIE. AUDIOPHILES have tested Super Audio CD and DVD-A on ABX tests (scientific double blind testing and the conclusion is that:
1) DVD Audio's sampling rate (192kHz) is absolute OVERKILL. Anything above 48000Hz is a waste; the highest frequency instrument (cymbals) can reach up to 23kHz, which 48kHz can handle.
2) Super Audio CD is actually WORSE than CD-Audio. By using DSD technology@2'8MHz sampling rate, as it's 1 bit per sample, it has horrible time resolution, which can't handle transients at time, thus resulting in pre-echo artifacts.
3) What they will do, and they are doing actually, is to use low quality mastering on the CD-Audio (so loud that it clips out of the 96dB SNR, just use a wave editor and in most modern CDs you'll see a solid brick instead of a waveform) and better mastering on the SACD and DVD Audio, with the only purpose of pushing those DRM-supporting formats into the market, and at a higher price! and fooling the misinformed consumer.

fuckit jon deleted code's final message. jon sucks im never posting on this site again.

Jon Newton - You are wrong. Just plain wrong.

Hmm....Jon, why bother with code?
We're a community. All together. There are many, many more illeterate people than code on this board. Code is amongst the best contributors. We need him. Why get mad? Have you no decency, have you no shame?

Oh, when I say there's many more illeterate people than code, I should have perhaps expressed it the other way. Code is in no way illiterate! (correct that typo in my above post, too).

Just because somebody contributes a lot isn't a good reason to get mad at them....it's very, very silly.....Bill, you need to talk to Jon....we need people like Code, if we will be successful. Don't try to throw him out for what boils down (probably) to petty personal issues. Many people like his posts.

Mr. Newton sir, have you no deceny, have you no shame?

Is it time to boycott the boycott?
_________________________

Newjon - Have you no decency, have you no shame?

I can no long help this board. The only reason I have stay here is because of CodeWarrior and if he is not here I am not here either.

Hmm. We're already beginning to fight amongst ourselves, which definitely isn't good.

Beansprout said it best when he/she? said we're all a community. We need each other on this board. We can't afford to lose a single soul in this battle against the RIAA. If we begin to fight amongst ourselves, this will only lead to the dissolution of the community as it is right now.. United we stand, divided we fall, no?

I think we need to treat each other with respect and loving-kindness. We should be tolerant of one another's differences and keep in mind that we all have different personalities and styles of communication. The last thing we should be doing to one another is what our enemies are doing to us now -- censoring our right to speak. I say this because one person's post could be the single one to change a person's mind. (Sorry, sounds like I'm prosetylizing here, trying to convert folks to God...)

someone make a boycott-jon.com site ok?

anyway im probably being sued but they charge so much for music.i been a dj for 15 years i have seen an increase in prices on vinyl and cds. they buy their stuff in massive amounts of bulk they pay about 1cent for each cd and vinyl now they want to drop prices.i quit music .it has no value anymore to me. it just shows me ive been ripped off. but its ok for them to rip us off. all these bills they have bet alot of people didnt know i didnt know about dmca 1998.copyright is supposed to be for when you make music and u sample anthing from any song that dont belong to and u make money from it then u should be sued. thanks bill clinton idiot never read dmca just signed it. the artist now the songs are horrible and they want to force us to buy it. and then blame file sharing for downfall . i dont think so . when i dj i play new songs and people dont respond .so i quit . make good music and lower the prices to $5.00 for and album then business will come. riaa says alot because there the ones that wrote dmca and clinton approved. they lost i even ripped my radio out of my car

Final message from Code.

Thank you so much. I appreciate your friendship greatly.
Please let everyone know I will miss them, and wish them all, good
luck.
John-the poster formerly known as CodeWarrior

What happened to Code? final message? Is he sick?

Beh, this has been a horrible day all around.

MerylStryfe

I say this because one person's post could be the single one to change a person's mind.

Code is the reason I spoke up at this site, and has become my freind.
He is the leaderthat I was looking for when I first came and with out him here,it will not be the same.

Like me he has been told not to post anymore. That's what they do here when they don't like what you are doing. I was posting the news with links he was helping everybody here to understand. He was even writing a bill to take to Congress. So he won't be back same for me.

By to all.

What did Code do that was such a problem?

As far as I know, when we were sperated, he joined us together. He turned it around, brought us back from the brink.

Please reconsider this act, Jon. He, like all of us, only wants what is right.

I've noticed in the last week that the media/press has really gotten skewed TOWARDS the RIAA...interesting...

i guess code "posts to much" and i don't get it for one, i thought this was a board for ALL, not for people to say "we don't like how much you post so plsease stop"

While thumbtack, leflaw and newjon have all done a wonderful thing by starting and maintaining this site, ultimately any grassroots movement is defined by it's participants, those who speak up on it's behalf, the footsoldiers if you will. At some point, codewarrior became a deputized field general.

Now, he left of his own accord, and it appears that he did have a bit of a meltdown. He has said that the boycott was eating up most of his personal time and that it was impacting his life. In a way I think he may have been sacrificing too much of his time to the issue, so when he was told to ease up, it probably came as a huge blow to him, where his sacrifice was met with a slap in the face.

Now the aforementioned admins of this site have done all they could to explain themselves, but it does little to mend the broken will of the footsoldiers over the loss of their field general.

Do you see where I'm going with this?

Boycott-RIAA is the pentagon, and the people who post here are the volunteer army who fight in their name. They have just lost their deputized leader and feel the admins have not done enough to get him back, and are leaving the movement.

The onus, as silly as it may seem to them, is on Boycott-RIAA to eat some crow and do some damage control to try to put things back together. Code may have been in the wrong, but the people here see code as their everyman and Boycott-RIAA as the corporation in this case, they're siding with the everyman.

It's a microcosm of the whole RIAA issue.

Who exactly, besides the RIAA, believes file sharing is theft?

The MPAA and BSA. But they have different solutions:

The RIAA overreacts. It sues networks, threatens users, run the sue 'em all campaign, spends millions on education campaigns and does everything possible to stop p2p, with very little success.

The MPAA prefers quieter but probably more successful measures. It quietly lobbies, gently putting pressure on the right people to pass new laws and regulations, usually without anyone realiseing until its too late. They work with secretive semi-technical groups such as the DVDCCA and CPSA to design propritary protection systems, then scheme to force people to buy them. They also put adverts in cinemas about people loseing jobs because of piracy.

The BSA, from its long experience fighting software piracy, knows that home p2p downloading cannot be stoped, and so makes only a token effot. Instead it concentrates on business users, and is particually infamous for its surprise audits. They generially keep out of the lobbying work, through one member company, Micosoft, works hard in that area for different reasons.

they killed code

Yeah I havn't seen a whole lot of sympathy for the RIAA....