vknight775
join:2001-12-08
Etobicoke, ON
|  No F-ing way!
I can't believe this! RIAA/MPAA is using the ISPs to strong-arm it's own broadband customers?
My guess is the Empire threatened to sue Cox itself if they didn't take this action. What surprises me is Cox is monitoring every file you send/receive, and has given this information to the Empire. That has to violate at least one privacy law.
Looks like ISP snooping is the new front on the war against file trading. If this keeps up, my cable modem is going to be for sale on eBay. I don't need this headache. It's going to get to the point where having broadband access isn't worth the trouble.
What's next? I'm going to have my access terminated because I use an ad-blocker to keep from getting 1000 pop-ups at a time?
It's a good thing I'm no longer a Cox customer. Their service sucked anyway. This just adds more fuel to the argument.
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"Look at the fruit on the tree." |
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cbs228
Geeks Of The World, Unite
join:2000-09-04
Saint Louis, MO
|  This can't work.
There is absolutely no way that organizations such as the MPAA or the RIAA can pursue legal action against everyone trading every file, especially if trading approaches what their inflated statistics claim that it does.
They are using the fear factor, fear of legal action which cannot be easily fought, to go after file traders.
This is customer alienation in extremis. The RIAA can expect another dramatic sales drop right about now.
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If you stare too long into the abyss the abyss stares back at you. -Nietzsche |
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BrianDamage
We Are The Hounds From Hell
Premium
join:2001-08-14
Rowlett, TX
clubs: 
| The Redcoats are coming
After having read this stuff, I can only think that all of these folks (RIAA, MPAA) have legitimate gripes, but the way they are going about trying to rectify these events are frightening.
I noticed this from the one letter:
Index Size Name
> ----- ------ ---------------------------------------------------
> 11 259 MB (smr)harry_potter-ts(1of2).avi
> 12 196 MB (smr)jay_and_silent_bob_strike_back-wp(2of2).avi
> 13 137 MB ctp - windtalkers - svcd to divx (1of2).avi
> 14 42 MB South park - 603 - Asspen(DivX).avi
> 15 43 MB Southpark_-_504_Super_best_friends(DivX).avi
> 16 52 MB Southpark_-_505_Terrance_and_Garfunkel(DivX).avi
> 17 53 MB South_Park_0413-Trapper_Keeper_(DivX).avi
> 18 94 MB The Simpsons - Crayon Brain (Divx).avi
> -end-
Looking at file sizes, I would tend to believe that none of these are the full movies or shows, but snippets, like trailers and stuff.
Correct me if I'm wrong.
The way I see it, it's like free advertising for the studios and moviehouses that show the movies, plus retailers who would carry DVD and VHS stock of the stuff.
I could understand the frustration if these are full-length, first-run movies out there.
I also don't see the difference between getting a Simpsons episode in this way and simply recording it from the tube when it's on TV, to videotape.
The way I understand the consumer protection laws, that scenario is perfectly legal.
Why is this any different? It's just a different medium.
Maybe, just maybe, the DMCA is just a little overzealous in scope.
I feel that there needs to be some major revisions and clarifications of laws on the books and a need to reexamine consumer protection laws in relation to them, instead of just letting these corporate big dogs run amuck with consumers.
Some lines need to be drawn, on both sides.
All of this is getting way out of hand.
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The only human truth is that we live and we die. Everything in between those events is open to interpretation. |
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Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02 | I believe those are the full shows....yes...
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Palpatine for Senate |
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cookem
join:2002-01-24
Maple Heights, OH | No those are not full shows.....movies are not that small...learn what you are talking about b4 u post |
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Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02 | LOL. Yeah ok guy. That's just a 50 meg southpark commercial.
(nods)
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Palpatine for Senate |
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rgoulet
join:2000-10-27
Pittsburgh, PA
| Here is how to stop the madness
Stop buy cds. Stop visiting Blockbuster. Stop going to the theatre. Stop watching baseball and buying the stuff (okay a little off topic but this whole all-star game is just another symptom of the same greedy-neo-soviet-corporate arrogance).
Every thing we buy from these people provides them with the cash they use to beat us down a little further. Buy nothing from them. Watch them throw their little tantrums. Continue to buy nothing from them. Watch them slowly fall from their high-rises to the street.
This whole issue is not about piracy. The only value the members of the RIAA/MPAA provide customers is their distribution method. We consumer are telling them that with broadband their distribution method is outdated and provides no value to us. So we switch to an alternative (the only alternative) that does provide us value.
In a true free market this is exactly what is supposed to happen to keep the whole system healthy. But armed with lawyers, billions of dollars and a few bought-and-paid-for politicos, the RIAA/MPAA is perverting and distorting the very system that allows everything to work in the first place.
Well the system does still work, and if we stop buying from them they won't have the resources to continue these kinds of fascist programs. |
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cbs228
Geeks Of The World, Unite
join:2000-09-04
Saint Louis, MO
| reply to BrianDamage
just a little overzealous
Overzealous might be a bit of an understatement.
The DMCA allows the labels to silence those who say things that they find objectionable without going through the proper court procedure.
To that extent, the DMCA prohibits the distribution of anything (be it an idea, a program, or what have you) that disables or otherwise bypasses content protection. Call me crazy, but I think that's skittering dangerously close to violating our precious First Amendment. It has never been illegal to distribute information on how to commit a crime, otherwise I would not be able to get information on how to pick a lock (which I needed strictly for legal reasons, I might add).
In addition, the industry is trying to ram DRM related software down everyone's throats and hard drives. And yes, it's probably illegal to distribute information on how to bypass said DRM as well. In fact regulations may soon force all electronic devices manufactured, from this Mac to my wristwatch, to have extensive media copying protection built in!
The very idea that DVDs can only be played on industry approved players disgusts me. If I wanted to (and knew how) to manufacture a standard VCR, I don't think I would have to have industry approval to do so (although the FCC would be unhappy if the device caused radio interference). By controlling the manufacturing of DVD players, the MPAA can effectively control how we watch our paid for content, and their region system and the complete control a player must give to a DVD disk skitters pretty darn close to infringing on fair use.
Let's not forget our old friend, internet radio. The DMCA establishes rates based solely on a medium's ability to replace/promote phono record sales. Do you not agree that fair compensation would be based on the ability of said medium to generate revenue for the broadcaster? After all, business class DSL service and commercial software licenses charge more because that product is being used to make money.
And quit waiting for the government to bail us out of this nonsense. They will do nothing of the kind as long as the RIAA keeps lining their wallets.
The industry is roaring, "We own you!" not only to the artists behind them but also the consumer. I must make it abundantly clear that they will stop at nothing that is within their power to do to achieve this end. They will not stop until someone gives them a firm slap on the face to make them wake up and 'face the music' of the 21st century.
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If you stare too long into the abyss the abyss stares back at you. -Nietzsche |
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BrianDamage
We Are The Hounds From Hell
Premium
join:2001-08-14
Rowlett, TX
clubs:
| "The industry is roaring, "We own you!" not only to the artists behind them but also the consumer. I must make it abundantly clear that they will stop at nothing that is within their power to do to achieve this end. They will not stop until someone gives them a firm slap on the face to make them wake up and 'face the music' of the 21st century."
I agree. The madness has got to end.
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The only human truth is that we live and we die. Everything in between those events is open to interpretation. |
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BroadbandWef
join:2002-06-07
Evanston, IL
| Blah
259 MB (smr)harry_potter-ts(1of2).avi
That IS a full version of the movie. It's compressed into a little box on your computer screen. Not too much fun, especially for special effects.
There's a big VCD trading scene out there. One hour of VCD fits on a CD that you can burn and watch on a standard DVD player hooked to an actual television.
These huge files (600-800MB) are not hosted on Gnutella... Most are served from campus dorm rooms with high speed ethernet connections on the pirate IRC servers. |
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payurbills
join:2002-01-18
Springfield, VA | I guess dynamic IPs are the way to goooo
I guess dynamic IPs are the way to goooo
Go COVAD |
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TheWickerMan
join:2002-04-09
Enola, PA
| reply to Karl Bode
Re: The Redcoats are coming
said by Leviathan:
LOL. Yeah ok guy. That's just a 50 meg southpark commercial.
50 meg isn't very big for a video file. The original South Park "Spirit of Christmas" is about that size, and it's only about 5 minutes long. |
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BrianDamage
We Are The Hounds From Hell
Premium
join:2001-08-14
Rowlett, TX
clubs: | That's why I posed the question.
50 megs doesn't seem like much video to me. |
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Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02
Host:
Road Runner
PC gaming GAMES
PC gaming Tech
| reply to TheWickerMan
Well you trim commercials...then cut the intro and outro....and you're looking at 18 minutes or less worth of actual show, with degraded quality and size to save space....
As for the films, it says right there the harry potter is file 1of2....
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Palpatine for Senate |
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cbs228
Geeks Of The World, Unite
join:2000-09-04
Saint Louis, MO
| reply to payurbills
Re: I guess dynamic IPs are the way to goooo
Whether or not you have a dynamic IP address has little effect on your ISPs monitoring capabilities. They can still track you because you must authenticate with a username to get your IP address.
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If you stare too long into the abyss the abyss stares back at you. -Nietzsche |
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BrianDamage
We Are The Hounds From Hell
Premium
join:2001-08-14
Rowlett, TX
clubs:
| reply to Karl Bode
Re: The Redcoats are coming
Even so, at 259 mb, is it large enough to be even half of the movie?
I ask because even though I have voiced my opinions in this argument quite often, I am not an avid or even regular downloader of movies and such. As a matter of fact, the only movie I have EVER downloaded was an indie film put out in DivX, and it was only like 20 minutes long.
Just the occasional MP3 and not much else.
[text was edited by author 2002-07-11 10:51:30] |
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ken512m
@157.254.x.x
| reply to cbs228
Re: I guess dynamic IPs are the way to goooo
I have a dynamic IP with Comcast which changes every 4-8 hours, and I don't put in my user name anywhere. But on the flip side I'm sure that the RIAA could come to comcast and say who was using IP blah.blah.blah.blah at such and such a time, and Comcast could look that up and see that it was my Cable modem. |
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Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02
Host:
Road Runner
PC gaming GAMES
PC gaming Tech
| reply to BrianDamage
Re: The Redcoats are coming
Yeah...that would clock the total film in at around 600-700 megs once you merged the file, and that's about right.
With the TV shows, like I said, they edit the commercials and use garbage size and resolution to get those small footprints.
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Palpatine for Senate |
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BrianDamage
We Are The Hounds From Hell
Premium
join:2001-08-14
Rowlett, TX
clubs:
| In that case, I have another thought.
I can understand Hollywood's frustration then in seeing first run movies essentially bootlegged via the internet prior to VHS od DVD release.
However, once a title makes it to that stage, then dissemination over the internet is no different than renting a copy of it at Blockbuster and then making a copy of it.
To do so is perfectly within a consumer's right, as far as I can tell, provided that the consumer who copies it only does so for personal use and does not offer it for resale.
Having said that, making a title available via one's computer over a P2P network like Gnutella for free does not violate any resale clauses, or even the basic definition of copyright infringement, which requires resale without compensation to the owners of the intellectual property, and without their consent.
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The only human truth is that we live and we die. Everything in between those events is open to interpretation. |
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pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
 ·Comcast
| reply to vknight775
Re: No F-ing way!
Cox most likely isn't monitoring every file you send/receive. What is more likely is that the MPAA has its own computers running Gnutella looking for this stuff. The MPAA would then get your IP Address when their computers found what they were looking for on yours. They could then determine your ISP based on your IP address. Recall from the article it was the MPAA that yelled at Cox, and then Cox which yelled at the customer.
Considering the volume of traffic that passes through your average ISP, its highly doubtful that they are monitoring every single packet that goes into and out of your system. |
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