Small Victory in Copyright War

Subject: Small Victory in Copyright War
From: SeanM
Date: 26 Feb 02 - 03:09 PM

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/zd/20020224/tc_zd/5103674

For those disinclined to open, this is a decision stating (taken from the banner headline) "Makers of a recording by country-pop singer Charley Pride have agreed to stop tracking most listener habits and to warn consumers that the CD is not compatible with MP3 and other players, according to attorneys for a woman who sued the companies."

This is not a Napster issue or suchlike, though that is an offshoot. This is a decision that seems (to me) to simultaneously bolster privacy rights and re-affirm the public's rights under copyright law.

As a purchaser of a recording, part of my rights are to make archival copies (so that the original may be kept relatively pristine) for personal use. The law doesn't make provision stating "copies so long as they aren't digital" or "copies so long as they only are on magnetic audio tape" or "copies so long as they can only be played by being inserted up your dog's ass".

Nice to see that this may be explicitly stated. Again.

M

Subject: Small Victory?
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 26 Feb 02 - 03:25 PM

So, what? Now they have to put a warning on the CD case that it's unplayable in CD-Rom, DVD, and MP3 players?

1) Who'd bother buying it then?

2) Just sitting here, I can already think of at least 3 ways to 'rip' it and reburn it that I could set up in about 5 minutes... so where's the victory?

I don't get it...

;-)

Subject: RE: Small Victory in Copyright War
From: Rollo
Date: 26 Feb 02 - 05:29 PM

Yeagh, who would listen to charley pride anyway? *GGG*

Subject: RE: Small Victory in Copyright War
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 26 Feb 02 - 05:41 PM

Who's Charley Pride?

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Small Victory in Copyright War
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 26 Feb 02 - 05:59 PM

If anybody sells a CD that cannot be played by the CD drive in a PC and fails to tell the purchaser, surely that cannot be legal. Like selling a car and not telling people it uses Diesel and not petrol.

Subject: RE: Small Victory in Copyright War
From: artbrooks
Date: 26 Feb 02 - 06:16 PM

...copy onto a cassette...copy that into the PC...

...if you really want a Charley Pride MP3.

Subject: RE: Small Victory in Copyright War
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 10:35 AM

Or have a link from a CD player to your PC line-in.

I can't see ths kind of sharp practice by CD makers taking off. If it does I imagine it would be easy enough to have an extra exclusively CD Drive installed in the computer to take care of business. Easy enough, but a drag.

Subject: RE: Small Victory in Copyright War
From: Mrrzy
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 12:25 PM

How does it protect copyright if it can't be PLAYED?

Subject: RE: Small Victory in Copyright War
From: MMario
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 12:39 PM

the theory is if you can't play it you can't duplicate it.

Subject: RE: Small Victory in Copyright War
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 12:48 PM

Dave O, Charley Pride is a mainstream country singer, one of the few who could never be described as a redneck.

Murray

Subject: RE: Small Victory in Copyright War
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 12:53 PM

Mrrxy: "how does it protect copyright if it can't be played?" Perfectly

Subject: RE: Small Victory in Copyright War
From: SeanM
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 01:30 PM

And the point isn't that the 'protection' can be defeated. The point is that the protection was installed without notifying the consumer. As pointed out above - it's not likely you'd buy a car if you found out it couldn't use fuel from 90% of the filling stations in the country.

Any protection can and will eventually be circumvented by 'interested parties' with sufficient knowledge, time and equipment. Unfortunately, that means very little to the average consumer.

M

Subject: RE: Small Victory in Copyright War
From: Mrrzy
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 01:39 PM

Very funny, Nigel! But what's the point of making music that can't be played just so it can't be copied? I guess I don't have the right priorities... sounds like throwing out the baby with the bathwater, or cutting off one's nose to spite one's face, or some such cliche...

Subject: RE: Small Victory in Copyright War
From: SeanM
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 01:45 PM

The 'point' that I've heard argued by the music industry is that the CDs were meant to be played on CD players, and that they were not originally to be played on CD drives or the like.

I do not buy it, personally. In my view it's a quite blatant attack on consumer rights.

M

Subject: RE: Small Victory in Copyright War
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 01:50 PM

"consumer rights"

What kind of bollox is that???

caveat emptor!!!!!

Subject: RE: Small Victory in Copyright War
From: GUEST,eoin
Date: 28 Feb 02 - 04:32 AM

Maybe Charlie Pride didn't sing on the CD and it's a blank one, then nobody would know the difference. HEY! I WANT MY MONEY BACK!!

Subject: RE: Small Victory in Copyright War
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 28 Feb 02 - 07:44 AM

It's a bit more comprehensive than "caveat emptor bollox". There are some limits on how far we can be ripped off by crooks in suits.

Consumers Rights, USA, and Consumer Rights UK

Subject: RE: Small Victory in Copyright War
From: greg stephens
Date: 28 Feb 02 - 08:30 AM

Anyone explain in words of one syllable what this is about? I make CD's and people buy them, but I haven't a clue whether they can be played on computers or not. How do you tell? Does it matter?

Subject: RE: Small Victory in Copyright War
From: GUEST,Charley's Mother
Date: 28 Feb 02 - 12:32 PM

<< Maybe Charlie Pride didn't sing on the CD and it's a blank one, then nobody would know the difference. HEY! I WANT MY MONEY BACK!! >>

You forgot to read the fine print on the label:

Pride playble only on registered dog-ass players.

Subject: RE: Small Victory in Copyright War
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 28 Feb 02 - 12:38 PM

"There are some limits on how far we can be ripped off by crooks in suits."

You can think that, but they win hands down all the time...