“What there was was a complete lack of was a peer-to-peer dialog about illegally downloading music and why it was wrong.” No peer-to-peer dialog. None.
music
DRM-Free Music in “One to Two Years”?
By 1.23.07
The New York Times has an article today detailing the MIDEM music industry conference, and are reporting that at least 4 major record companies “could move toward the sale of unrestricted digital files in the MP3 format within months.”
Bill Gates: Don’t Buy DRM Music
By 12.15.06
- Gates said that no one is satisfied with the current state of DRM, which “causes too much pain for legitimate buyers” while trying to distinguish between legal and illegal uses. He says no one has done it right, yet. There are “huge problems” with DRM, he says, and “we need more flexible models, such as the ability to “buy an artist out for life” (not sure what he means). He also criticized DRM schemes that try to install intelligence in each copy so that it is device specific.
eBay Thinks Sandra Bernhard Is A Pirate!
By 9.21.06
How does eBay tell if you’re a pirate? Your peg-legged swagger? Your use of arghs as punctuation? The foul-mouthed parrot crapping on your shoulder?
MPA Hates Sharing Guitarists
By 8.21.06
The MPA has a new public enemy: guitar players. Yes, those scurrilous knaves who share how to play popular songs through secret code, called “tablature.” These heinous n’er do wells notate songs or copy them from song books and share them online. For free. Shudder.
HOWTO: Disco
By 7.14.06
If there’s one thing that’s not being consumed enough these days, it’s dirty, dirty, disco dancing.
iTunes Makes Weird Al Broke
By 6.20.06
If Chinese sweatshops or locking yourself into an anti-competitive DRM format aren’t enough reasons to stop you from buying songs from iTunes, at least take pity on polka’s favorite rockin’ freak: Weird Al Yankovic says he makes a lot less money if you buy a song from iTunes than if you buy one of his CDs.
Guitar Center Sucks
By 6.19.06
Our lil sister going into the 6th grade wants to be a mix-master. We decide to help her out, and entered a month-long battle with Guitar Center.
In Soviet Russia, AllofMp3.com Is Legal!
By 6.8.06
AllofMp3.com is one of those brilliant sites that I perpetually feel guilty for using, since it really is just too great a value to be legal. Nevertheless, it’s hard to resist buying music by the digital equivalent of the kilo: 99 cents per song feels like a reaming after paying a penny per meg.
Other Music Through the Exploding Looking Glass
By 5.23.06
If you’ve never been to Other Music in New York you may not appreciate this as much but OM is an awesome lil music store at East 4th and Lafayette. Contrary to what this video might have you believe, the people are actually super friendly and helpful. There is a certain elitist air but that’s because they know their shit and they know they know it.
You Don’t Own Anything With DRM
By 5.15.06
One problem with DRM in general is that it is an industry concept that takes-as-read the consumerist fallacy that you don’t actually own things you buy, you just license them. Perhaps this is the natural evolution of consumerism now that products like media are, if not less tangible, at least a bit more ethereal. Still, DRM gives all the power to the companies… and companies prove time and time again that they can’t be trusted.
Canada Flees The CRIA
By 4.19.06
We wish this analogy worked better: “Like a loathsome foreign body forcibly ejected from its host…” Then we’d follow the aposiopesis with the news that six Canadian music corporations have left the CRIA largely due to its policies towards copyright and DRM. Unfortunately, CRIA stands for “Canadian Recording Industry Association,” so when six of Canada’s largest record companies forcibly eject from the body, it only leaves the virus in control of the host.
Bush’s iPod Houses “Illegal” Songs
By 4.17.06
The RIAA and the DRM Nazis could have a new target besides small families, single mothers and MIT students. How about the President of the United States? From BoingBoing:
RIAA Claims Sales At Six Year Low
By 4.6.06
Speaking of the RIAA, you may have seen on Friday that they released their 2005 sales figures on Friday, claiming that this was the worst year on record for the music industry. While gleefully bragging that their measures to sue elderly grandmothers and eleven year old girls has “held piracy” in check, the RIAA was quick to warn that little punks like Cassi Hunt were the real villains who had prevented the execs from trading up their Ferraris this year; “the distribution of music through internal networks on college campuses, remained ‘major factors’ in the industry’s declining sales.”
Daily Freeload
By 4.3.06
Here’s your free stuff o’ the day, thanks to Dewan, you frickin’ cheapskates.
Save 0%, Amazon.com Proudly Announces
By 3.29.06
Reader Julie received a perplexing pre-order notice:
