How is a public organization gaining access to a RESTRICTED USE LAN? Only 2 explanations: Either the RIAA/MPAA is illegally tapping into these networks without the express permission of the owners -OR- Universities are allowing access to their private subnet/LANs for the express purposes of allowing their students to be subjected to potentially libelous lawsuits. Not sure what this spells out, by a lawyer might be able to help..

The real way to get back is of course to fight. but no like all these obviously useless ways that everyone here i suggesting... The answer is to go even deeper and KEEP downloading and especially to KEEP sharing. I mean everything. Even things that you would usually not share. Start learning about and using technologies that hide your actions better.

Spread that knowledge, be patient, and LET people know how to do it. How to get all this stuff "free". Show them the wonders of torrent files. Show them how to max their speed for quicker downloading of all possible content that these monstrosities may consider "illegal" (in other words 99.9% of everything).

Thats the only way to fight. The only way to put them in the poor house. Sure it might take 5 or 10 years but oh goodness will it be sooo worth it. They won't go down easy, it will be a REALLY UGLY demise, but all the more sweet when it's finally over. RIAA/MPAA do not belong on earth.

Fight BACK by sharing and downing. Thats what REALLY hurts them. I've said it a dosen times, these lawsuits are ACTS OF DESPARATION, they waited too long and now its too late. They've opened up a can of worms this time that they are beginning to see, cannot possibly be closed. So yes, this WILL be ugly.

on the other hand it would be smart if someone came up with a p2p protocol with good encryption, then they couldnt see s***

Have you got a clue to what you are saying??

Lets take music for example. Do you know how much work goes into writing and recording one song. To make just one song perfect it can take a very long time.

For Example... My band decides to write an original. 1. Chord Structure has to be written.
2. lyrics has to be written
3. Guitar riffs, keyboard solos and bass riffs have to be added along with drum patterns.
4. you practice the song alot probably for weeks before you record it so you make sure you got it perfect.
5. Here comes the recording. Its not all done live as many people think. It has to be done Track for Track. Meaning one track for vocals, one for harmonies, one for keyboards, one for guitars, one for bass, and probably four or five maybe six tracks for drums, then you got your vocals. So you gotta organize all that stuff. Set the levels and do a proper mix.

6. final product is done but remember in all the work you did trying to get this done you do not get paid one penny.

7. Then your on tour for about two months with most days no contact from any friends or family.

Being a musician is a full time job, Alot of people think just get up and play. Doesn't work like that. you ahve to practice and practice and practice until you have it perfect before you get up on stage.

We expect to be paid just like everyone else and we deserve to get paid.

Thats from a Musicians point of view.

Lets take software....
Now we are argue all day over this one. I know that Microsoft has a tendacy to overprice their product quite a bit, but they have to make their revenue somewhere. If people would stop downloading so much they might even consider to drop their prices on their software. Software has a lot of work involved. Alot of headaches and code and then comes testing. So really if you think about it downloading this content your really screwing over the industry big time.

I think you know where im going with this. I don't believe in the RIAA invading personal privacy but they have some rights here as well.
Downloading software, music, movies is the same as a person going to a store and robbing it.

Thanks for reading.

MoRpHeUs2003

private lans are what they are for privacy
What are the riaa/mpaa gonna do, go to university make out that they are there to do whatever and then capture people listening to non drm downloaded music, what is the world comming to.

legally they can't, because the networks ARE private. the riaa/mpaa are private companies with no more rights than you and i have. they can't just bust down the door of some kid's dorm and take his computer and look at it. that can only be done through a warrant by law enforcement.

Except for the waiver each student probably signed when they enrolled for classes.

Let's get a case in court NOW. I am tired of hearing the suits are coming, but not ONE case has made it, yet. Why's that? Yes, it is illegal since the congress (both dems and reps btw) passed this, but this has NOT been challenged in the Supreme Court, the RIAA does not want that to happen. Strongarm works better for them (which is a form of intimidation and is against the law, btw).

Now, lets get our buts off the computer and march like Illegals to DC :)

Um, don't speak too soon. There have already be over 38,000 people brought to court over these issues. 21% of them were students. Most were parent's of children who were engagine in file sharing.

If you want to stop what is happenning to us here in the U.S., you have to work collectively instead of just posting here. You have to get the "whole" of America to come forward and take action against it. This is what is wrong with America at this time, they're too $#()*&#$ lazy to get off their bums and take actions against this happening. The same would go for Oil as well ... Trust me ... you get the whole of the U.S> to stop buying petroleum products and see how fast the prices come down. Same with this "DRM" chip and the RIAA and MPAA "Crackin" down .. they aren't crackin down in the name of goodness, they're crackin down because it's self interest involved ... they'd rather take home 100 million a year instead of 75 million ... They're turning the US into a communistic state just to "protect" themselves ... they aren't protecting us the people ... nor are they protecting the artist ... they're protecting purely themselves. WHile I am not for people stealing, I am also not for the RIAA and MPAA "policing" the networks either on the net, nor in our schools!! Just call them Hitler!!!!!!!!

"They're turning the US into a communistic state just to "protect" themselves"

Shhh, look up words before you use them. A "communistic" state would allow file sharing. RIAA and MPAA would hate a communist state. Its a TOTALITARIAN state that breaks down doors to seize computers.

I stand corrected as you are right! I should have looked it up first =)

This I can understand. Bust people committing the crimes. Whether or not you believe "illegal file swapping" should be legal or not--that is beside the point. RIAA and MPAA needs to round up those who break the current law, and I have no problems whatsoever with that.

The problems I have with RIAA and MPAA involve forcing companies to crackdown, forcing websites and businesses that are "capable" of being used to illegally distribute content to shut down, and making their own lawsuits against individuals and organizations. RIAA/MPAA can bust people, and even bust businesses that encourage or allow illegal distribution of copyrighted content, but let the legal system do the rest. This college LAN illegal file sharing is also a huge problem that does need addressed.

so what if music was free (not the concerts of course) like Phish's music that can be freely distributed.

Would the world collapse? No.
Would the artists stop making music? No.
Would the artists go broke? No, Phish is very succesful
Would the RIAA/MPAA stop making huge profits and expoiting the artists? Lets hope so!

You missed my point. RIAA and MPAA are entilted UNDER THE CURRENT LAW to do exactly what they are doing, and they need to do it. You are objecting with the ethical issue but the issue is about law and not personal preference, opinion, or what should happen. In this specific case, there is 100% legal justification supporting the RIAA and MPAA. They do what any company or group would do in their shoes--protect their interests under the law. To answer your question, if music were free, any chance of having new artists coming along will be out of the picture, and most if not all current recording artists will either quit altogether or record strictly for personal listening. Studio musicians will go bye-bye, talented musicians will go by the way side, and nobody will put any effort in making popular music unless they can perform. The music online will be crummy and full of mistakes because nobody will care. Concerts will charge megabucks because of the millions of dollars of equipment costs and such.

You are living in a dream world, man. Sure, the world will not collapse, but the economy would. Phish is one example you give, but 90% of the rest would absolutely stop recording music. Truth is that most of the greatest artists are in it for the money. Thank God for Phish and the rest of them, but the world is full of greedy fools, and you're plan implies that all studio musicians and all music artists are good moral people. They aren't.

I totally agree-- it goes to back to my omnipresent rant that we're becoming the former USSR:
We're being turned into a nation of collaborator spies by riia/sofware alliance/religious zealots/feds- for everything: in order to catch a small proportion of file copiers, potential money launderers, drug dealers, porno watchers, molesters, terrorists, undocumented immigrants--it seems everyone's getting deputized: isp's, search providers, telcos, employers(work documents), banks/securities/credit grantors, retailers/jewelers/auctioneers/dealers of all types, legal gambling establishments....
Besides the little person / individual, this is also stifling business-- particularly small business, entrepeneurs, innovators...
Big / established business makes things worse because they jump in and back crazy laws where it suits them to stifle competition...resulting in high prices that rise even more to support out of control lobbying & illegal contributions in order to preserve & maintain legal numerous exemptions re anti-trust, accounting shenanigans & tax loopholes.

We better wise up and take back our nation before we sink too low to be able to climb back.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA your response made my day! LOL

post somthing else hilariously off base bourgeoisdude

in a simple word. NO

so you respond childishly to getting proved wrong. real mature. way to go. we all respect your opinion all the more now....

(that was sarcasm, which is when you say something the opposite of what you mean to gain a dramatic effect, in case your little mind couldn't grasp that.)

and i think bourgeoisdude is correct on this one.

Awww, poor little MPAA/RIAA, they cant exploit the artists as much as they have been so they are getting angry.

Go home and suk on your bottle.

Enabled by the republican congress, RIAA/MPAA want to set up and legislate a system whereby you pay every time you even listen to a song or watch a movie. It's headed that way folks, brought to you by your crazy republican congress and white house.

Ooh. Another of zirdling's anti-republican political tirades. I'm shoked.

I hate to break it to you, but them Dems are just as guilty of caving to corporate lobbying. They just put a different spin on it.

The government of the US, in case yuou hadn't noticed, is not longer the ~2 party system most still think it is. It's still 2 party, mind you, just not dem/rep. It's now Corporate/Special Interest. The "people" don't matter one whit, nor do their rights or freedoms.

if its not one its the other. Stock your media libraries before the RIAA takes over the world.

...you conveniently forget to mention that Republicans have thier hands so deep in the coprorate kickback pockets that they cant run the government anymore.

At least we had 8 years of peace and prosperity with Clinton. Not to mention gas was 89 cents!

Why is this a political discussion, people? This is about the Recording Industry Association of America and the Motion Picture Association of America--these are not political parties. Republicans may have formed them, Democrats may have, I could care less. Should I blame Democratic Party for the actions of the environmentalists, or for the actions of Planned Parenthood, or CNN? These organisations may be "liberal" or whatever, but I can't blame CNN's mistakes on Clinton! Saying that RIAA and MPAA represent Republicans or any other party is utterly ridiculous!

"At least we had 8 years of peace and prosperity with Clinton. Not to mention gas was 89 cents!"

Actually gas prices went up past $1.29 a gallon while he was in office, I recall. Seriously, now Bush is responsible for the price of oil sold overseas by foreign companies too? Clinton could not stop it, Bush could not stop it, Jimmy Carter certainly didn't stop it--Bush isn't King--he's President. Take Government class and learn the difference. Sure, taxes on gasoline could be helped, and hopefully it is lowered, but the tax isn't the problem as much as our dependence on other nations for our oil is the problem.

This has become way off-topic--but the point is that Bush, Republicans, Clinton, Democrats--they have nothing to do with the issue discussed here.

"went up past $1.29 a gallon while he was in office"

HOLY SH*T thats expensive! LOL

Seriously, do you follow the news?
LOL

Yeah, pre 9/11.

You don't think the RIAA/MPAA et. al. would be filling the dems pockets if they were in office? (Hell, they *aren't* in office and it's still happening)

What color is the sky in your world?

No, actually.

The issue is one and the same.

The parties are negligable. They're now both completely under the influence of Corporations. They serve no public interest.

So when talking about RIAA, the MPAA, Exxon, Microsoft, etc., and countless corporate sponsored "special interest groups", the guys actually making public policy and the laws in this country, we *are* in fact having a politcal debate.

This is not off topic, but in fact, dead-on.

The problem with RIAA isn't the labels, or the artists, or the prices, or the lawsuits.

It is their level of influence within the US government.

From where it started at under $1.

From where it started when the reps entered office, the increase ain't much different. They just carried the torch lit by the previous administration. (In other words, the corporations remained in control regardless of the meat-puppets currently holding office.)

Well, I could have mentioned that the price went up from the 29 cent per gallon range to the 89 cent per gallon range under Jimmy Carter...OOPS! I just did (DOH!)

I think PC_Tool makes valid points, and I'm afraid he is probably right. If so...this still isn't Democrats vs. Republicans, but rather the People vs. the United States (government).

*sigh* The end is in sight...this country is becoming the very thing the Founding Fathers feared. Government arguably has the same if not more power now than Great Britian had in the 17th and 18th centuries. We left tyrrany only to be in it's grip once more, just 230 years later...

Okay, NOW I'm off topic :O

Blue.

Obveously not pink like your fantasy world.

HAHAHAHAHAHA go kiss a republican...

sure, a 300% increase is insignificant and small

....smoke more crack

(deleted) Sorry...that was immature of me. Sometimes criticism with no merit hacks me off, and then I retaliate in the same stupid way. This time I'll try to be the better person.

lmao.

I got news for ya:

I was a Dem until I decided to stop allying with either party. I consider the Rep vs. Dem debate pretty damn pointless nowadays.

Always fun to see folks getting all uppity about it though.

Thanks!

Thanks

Oh, quite.

That was good.

Your parents must be so proud. Not only is your reading comprehension deplorable, you must have been part of that "New Math" wave that swept the country not long ago.

Pity... such potential wasted.

I agree, both parties are corrupt and absolutely worthless in representing Americans (look at teh immigration issue). I just wish more Americans would realize campaign finance reform really means "two party enforcement").

But, to the subject. This law has not been challenged in the high court. There have been no cases brought to a court. The minute one does, it will be challenged, and the RIAA does'nt want that to happen.

ROFL!

Thank you!

I feel the exact same way. I hate it when people ask me what party I am. The whole debate is unbelievably closed-minded.

Why not make it like the music industry like telethons used to be? All music is free, but if you want your favorite artist to make a new album, they set a price, and when donations reach that level, the new album will be released.

Don't thank Clinton for that. Economies are driven by the market, not the President. President's can only help with the 'buffers' that stabilize our economies. Gas prices being low has nothing to do with the President, but a lot to do with consumer's unwillingness to stand up together against oil monopolies in the FAR EAST. We have the technology, but we like using gas because it's convenient. Gas was $0.89 long before Clinton, and actually, it was less. President's do not have direct control over gas prices. Please quit your diatribes concerning conspiracy theories and those 'evil Republicans'. I'm Independent, and I could really care less. I'd rather a President who openly confesses that he utilizes his personal beliefs in deciding courses of action rather than a President who would lie about his actions just to obtain a purple heart.

Amen.

Amen, again.

Watch those lines. Both parties contain *members* that are "corrupt and absolutely worthless in representing Americans". There are many people in BOTH parties that are very deserving of our support and that would love to speak up, but they need more bolstering from the American people so that we can overthrow those that should obviously *not* be in office.

im for the all-night party...

then new artists would be in a world of trouble...

cause we all know this is gasprices.com and not betanews.com where we discuss pointless gas price to president charts instead of riaa/mpaa not liking file sharing

Works for me. :)