Re: [tlug] copyright and theft [was: unicode font with czech ...]

["Josh Glover" <jmglov@example.com>]

On 18/08/07, burlingk@example.com <burlingk@example.com> wrote:

> Enter the problem.  People try to delude themselves into thinking
> that the same applies to making copies of commercial DVD's and
> cassetes.  Odds are as long as they just use them for personal use,
> no one is going to notice, and they won't get caught.  However,
> if a thousand people do this, it starts to cut into proffits.

It is well known by the record companies that the cassette tape
copying generated *much* more revenue than it lost them from missed
sales.

Digital media is slightly different because you can make lossless
copies, and as you mentioned, the Internet is a good distribution
network, so copying a CD for a friend or two has turned into copying a
CD for a friend or two... million.

But this *could* be a net win for the labels and film companies if
they made their product available. I hate DRM, but I would accept it
if I could buy an appliance that let me simply watch any film from any
studio, any time I wanted, for a small fee. Then, when someone sends
me a copy of "Wings of Desire", instead of watching the pirated copy
that Hans sent me, I will probably just fire up my appliance and watch
the movie as God intended, on my widescreen, flat panel TV and the
Dolby Surround Sound processor and speakers with chest-rattling lows
and dog aggravating highs. And the movie studios get my 99 yen.

Piracy is a great marketing device, and certain companies know how to
use it, cf.

http://tlug.jp/articles/Windows_Is_Free

-- 
Cheers,
Josh