Comments on: Canada: Unsafe for US musicians

By: Reader's Write

Reader's Write — Wed, 27 Dec 2006 01:06:43 +0000

It’s pretty unlikely that the net will be safe one day. If you expect that you better tear off that blue cable from your modem right away. Stopping file sharing will never get the internet safer. Not having child porn on the net doesn’t mean that these people won’t be in chat rooms trying to hook up with kids. The problem is not the file they share but the guy behind the screen. Being safe online doesn’t mean being safe in the real world. Besides, Big 4 should focus on how to get their customers back. It’s too bad that in USA nowadays suing is the national sport instead of football…. I totally support file sharing. These companies are attacking their own customers because they cannot find another way to solve their problems I guess they’re too lazy to really get into it and just wanna sit on their ass….

By: Reader's Write

Reader's Write — Wed, 07 Apr 2004 05:34:15 +0000

Hiawatha Bray needs a bullshit filter….this guy just doesn’t get it.

By: Reader's Write

Reader's Write — Wed, 07 Apr 2004 03:53:10 +0000

Kazaa? Never touch it. It’s bad for the system.

By: Reader's Write

Reader's Write — Wed, 07 Apr 2004 03:35:43 +0000

“I’m a musician and here is my product, now please sell it to the masses in a form that is very easy to duplicate.”

Yeah, I’d be pissed too… but at the real pirates; the Recording Industry. Is there anyone really looking out for the artists here? (Smoke and mirrors)

Oh, and to the author of this article… you can turn off your Kazaa now.

-Canadian Scapegoat-

By: Reader's Write

Reader's Write — Wed, 07 Apr 2004 02:24:04 +0000

I have read the actual decision, which can be found on the Federal Court website here: http://www.fct-cf.gc.ca/bulletins/whatsnew/whatsnew_e.shtml

As a lawyer and musician with published recordings, I can tell you that Canada’s copyright law specifically permits making a recording of copyrighted audio works for personal use without copyright infringement. There is a mandatory royalty in Canada on every piece of recording media sold, designed explicitly to collect royalties for performers whose works might be recorded for personal collections, and distributed in the same percentages as radio royalties. The judge’s decision was quite rational and based on the law. The music industry did not present evidence of harm that would justify infringing privacy legislation, nor did they present evidence that the identites they wanted had even performed the activity they claimed. Given that the recent studies show that downloading does not harm music sales, it will be a difficult fight for the music industry in Canada. I am personally surprised that Americans are so quick to abandon personal privacy in favour of corporate rights, which are necssarily amoral and concerned only with the pursuit of money.

By: Reader's Write

Reader's Write — Wed, 07 Apr 2004 00:19:19 +0000

Let me get one thing straight, there are many people out there who are downloading music because it is free, and then there are those, like myself, who do it because I am a poor student who ill afford to eat half the time, let alone spend extra money on music. If I could afford to buy CDs I would. Hell, everyone likes to have CDs, they are typically more convenient than having them all stored on you computer… sure you can burn them, but th quality just is not the same.

Tell me, how is downloading and storing music any different than lending a friend the purchased CD to copy? The only difference other than the mode of transport, is that we don’t know the person who is downloading the music. The music industry whines and complains about how they are hurting, I doubt there are THAT many people not buying CDs that there is no money for their pockets.

As for downloading movies, I see absolutely NOTHING wrong with this, American property or not. The movie industry also claims they are hurting as a result of people downloading movies. Hell they would not be hurting so bloody much if the actors were not raking in so damn much. There is NO need for someone to be making over 1 million dollars per epsiode or 20 million dollars per movie. What is that ONE person going to do with all that money? If they pay greedy actors less, and themselves a little less, and charge less to get into a movie theatre, perhaps they would not be hurting so much. What pity I have for the people who make more than 90% of Canadians… keeping in mind there are not even that many of them. And if these actors like their jobs so much, they will not mind doing it for less money.

In addition, CDs are not cheap. If you want to buy a CD you have to be rich. 15 to 25 dollars for a CD depending on the artist and the label… frig, I can’t afford that.

When you look at the likes of Kazaa and other programs, there are an awful lot of people sharing their files, I HIGHLY doubt that none of them are Americans, I wouldn’t be surprised if most of them ARE in fact just that.

Our laws are our laws. Deal with it. At least our Prime Minister didn’t decide to take over a country that didn’t agree with his ways. Bush is an idiot.

By: Reader's Write

Reader's Write — Wed, 07 Apr 2004 00:07:01 +0000

we can do anything we like…. we’re Canadian…

Don’t want to buy our softwood lumber?.. we’ll crop out Marijuana instead..
Don’t want to live in the closet and being discovered as a homosexual? …

We’ll change the laws so gay marriages are legal.

Don’t want to have to pay for the UMPTEENTH time for Yellow Rose of TEXAS ?? Down load here for free…

Come on by and spent your $1.38 dollar on our exports that USA doesn’t want or need…

Oh yeah except for the POT ..

By: Reader's Write

Reader's Write — Tue, 06 Apr 2004 23:38:50 +0000

Don’t lose your time with the scared Yanks… DOWLOAD!!!! Check this BT site: http://www.suprnova.org B.C. Canada

By: Reader's Write

Reader's Write — Tue, 06 Apr 2004 23:30:33 +0000

Finckenstein only interpreted the law as it is, not what he thinks it should be, just as judge is supposed to do.
This Bray guy seems to be a real nut, as most of you are on this board.
I’ll stop now and let the shoouting of insults and oddities to continue

By: Reader's Write

Reader's Write — Tue, 06 Apr 2004 22:27:41 +0000

Don’t you have to PROVE damages in Canada to be able to sue anyone?

Where is the proof that file sharing hurts album sales? According to the recent Harvard Business study, file sharing may HELP increase sales of albums. I think CRIA needs to go back to the books to reposition their arguement.

This is not US where you can slap a lawsuit on anyone who looks at you funny. =P

By: Reader's Write

Reader's Write — Tue, 06 Apr 2004 22:02:45 +0000

It is people with ignorant uniformed views on just about everything that are the problem. You should study some history before concluding that we “owe” so much to the americans, or that they protect us from dictators by murdering innocent people (and a few guilty ones). The US created the problem by their greed driven foreign policy, and then make it worse by foolish decisions about the use of force. They then justify these decisions with weak and irrational arguments that play on people’s fears, and people like yourself fall for these arguments and supply them with the votes they need to proceed.

“buy their stuff as we ought too” baa haa haa haa, that’s the dumbest thing i’ve ever read. We are the consumers that created and drive their industry, we shouldn’t oughta
do nothin, much less agree to be ripped off by a rampantly greedy music industry.

If you want to protect your children, don’t let them download stuff.

By: Reader's Write

Reader's Write — Tue, 06 Apr 2004 21:41:08 +0000

Let’s not forget the US’s stealing Canadian water.
Did you even know that?

By: Reader's Write

Reader's Write — Tue, 06 Apr 2004 20:12:56 +0000

I think you missed the point. It should be the responsibility of the CRIA to actually prove that these people are illeagally distibuting song before it waltzes into court and demands free reign to violate our privacy (innocent until proven guilty). The CRIA should have won this case hands down — videotron was even backing the CRIA,s request. Videotron,is a high-speed cable provider that — unlike its four peers —was openly in favour of the lawsuits and more than willing to hand over the identity of any suspected subscriber. It seems that MR. Bray feels its acceptable for CRIA to pull names from hat with no proof walk into court and set a precident that would affect all Canadians. It’s typical of big business to try and hit a home run when all it need was a sac-fly to win the game.

By: Reader's Write

Reader's Write — Tue, 06 Apr 2004 19:35:49 +0000

Mr. Bray,

Say it again please.. Blame Canada! Blame Canada.. Your interpretation on this situation is not efficient it prooves onces again that US is a society that like’s to create news and scandales. Be happy this morning Mr. Bray you made many people waste their time.

I would not comment any further since other ppl did already.

By: Reader's Write

Reader's Write — Tue, 06 Apr 2004 18:54:18 +0000

No, there was no “Ruling” on the legality of file sharing here. Somehow people seems to keep missing the point. The case dealt more with privacy and the requirement of evidence than file sharing. In Canada courts require proof to order the disclosure of private information. This requirement was not met in this case. Canadians value their privacy and are not as willing to give up their freedoms as Americans seem to be. The tactics used in American courts and by various American government authorities don’t fly up here.

By: Reader's Write

Reader's Write — Tue, 06 Apr 2004 14:28:38 +0000

First of all, I think this journalist is a joke, but all the reasons have been stated already, so on to the real point. Also, I hoe we can put the America bashing aside too for a minute. Yeah I’m Canadian, and while I do have som issues with US politics, I would never assume that your average American is an ass, just the rich mofo’s up top (same as they’re asses in Canada btw).

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I had never shared a single song over the internet until some of th major labels started sueing people in the states. Since then though I haven’t bought a single CD from any of those labels, instead simply downloading what I want from their collections.

A proper protest against these labels I suppose would be to just stop listening to anything they produce, but I’m just a typical immature consumer who can’t help himself.

So wake the *$#% up guys! Declaring war on your consumers is just going to piss us off. Not in a million years will you be able to stop file sharing through legal means, or technological means. In fact, the longer you take to adapt, the heavier your losses will be. Personally, I love that alternate and cheap and simple distribution methods are now available to artists. Our perhaps “immoral” use of this technology is simply increasing the popularity (and therefore focus) of some really great tech which is pushing media distribution methods in what IMHO is a good direction.

As an example of techincal attempts to limit file sharing, LWDRM isn’t going to do the trick either guys. Not only has it been proven crackable (and well documented), but there’s no way you’ll be able to hold one consumer resposible for his/her file getting shared thousands upon thousands of times.

By: Reader's Write

Reader's Write — Tue, 06 Apr 2004 12:29:21 +0000

How come there isn’t that much talk about radio stations. When I was a kid I couldn’t afford to buy an album or tape of a favorite artist. I would sit at the kitchen table, and while doing my homework, I would record songs that I liked from the local radio station. The only diffence today is that you can search and download a song that you know the name of. Or maybe even find out what other songs an artist has performed. I went out to buy a Diana Kraul cd the other day and found that she is one of the most expensive artist to listen to. She is CANADIAN. We are already told by the CRTC what we can watch on TV. I can get free American channels but I have to pay for CANADIAN channels from my local cable provider. We are constantly told by our governments and the media as to what they think we should know. It always comes down to the almighty buck. Tell me how the mainstream artist today is suffering from P2P. They don’t look poor to me. They just look greedy.

By: Reader's Write

Reader's Write — Tue, 06 Apr 2004 11:53:47 +0000

Hey Concerned Canadian Mother … you managed to kiss the ass of the U.S. and roll over at the same time … nice move. Did you also say “nice try” to them when they just couldn’t find the WMD?

Do I support file sharing, sure do. Do I partake in it, nope, not interested. I also do not buy cd’s … I have no interest in supporting the RIAA and its partners. Do I care if people are getting music for free? Nope. To some extend I think they should.

Why hasn’t anyone mentioned the extra taxes that Canadians pay when buying blank media? This was put in place to help compensate the likes of the record/movie/etc. industries.

“As far as file sharing goes, I am 100 percent behind stopping it, if ONLY it be to help prevent the perverts from “sharing” some very disturbing material!”

I think we should ban roads too. Someone might use a road to drive really fast and hurt other people using the same road. Come on. In order to stop the disturbing material you need to educate “the people” and target the ones distributing it. Don’t start mixing the issues.

“People, we need to stop fighting over what our rights are or not” … I just love this line. Mind if I scratch your belly while you roll onto your back?

“then it should be the right for your kids to be safe on the street! and on the net!” When does it become your responsibility to teach the kids the rights & wrongs on the Internet? Have you ever talked to your kids about things to watch out for when they’re outside or did you just put them outside and rely on other people to make sure they were safe?

Having your kids be safe on the Internet starts with you. If you don’t know the things to watch out for then read some books, take a course, ask your friends.

By: Reader's Write

Reader's Write — Tue, 06 Apr 2004 11:07:55 +0000

No he’s actually right, a judge just ruled that uploading in and of itself of music is legal with the current reading of the law, the government has already come out to say its changing the law. But for now uploading is legal in canada.

By: Reader's Write

Reader's Write — Tue, 06 Apr 2004 10:39:24 +0000

How could you get so far off the topic? Let’s not waste time fighting for our rights???? Ya, filesharing music has something to do with your kids’ safety and re-offenders getting out of jail ever??? Anyway, I say we never move backward with technology, so the music industry should wake up and figure out what the customers want. I’ve downloaded a few songs, NONE of which were even available in any store.