Comments
by Bob Brandon....
...And
Nobody Knows Your Name
It
had to happen. Anytime a concept is successful, along come the imitators.
Witness those pale pretenders to the GetDetails glory and journalistic
reputation.
But
now let's consider Peer-to-Peer distribution systems. Specifically
Napster. Again in court, they've been allowed to continue while the
judges rethink this whole copyright idea. With over 30 million users,
Napster is an incredible success. It's founder is a close-cropped
19 year old who's got the Recording industry by the testicles.
30,000,000
people is a powerful argument, and so it's really no surprise that dozens
of similar sites have been cropping up lately.
One
of the more useful is called Snatchster. Thanks to the internet,
highly placed operatives can make sensitive government documents available
to any 13 year old with a Snachster connection. CEO and co-founder
Wen Ho Lee Moley bristles when asked if his system could possibly bring
about a collapse of democracy throughout the world. "What our users
do with the material is none of our concern. We're here to provide
a public service. Thanks to Snachster, people all over the world
can spit on America, Pigs. Lock me up will ya??"
And
then there's RApeSteR. This is a new inner-city initiative
that may have gone awry. Homies in the hood use terminals at the
public library to share pictures, addresses, personal information,
and other sensitive information on hot babes who are just asking for it.
Users are completely anonymous, and therefore even though RApeSteR often
features Live streaming video of rapes-in-progress, along with an extensive
library of offenses from Child molestation to kidnapping and snuff movies
where the victim is murdered onscreen. It's all there, but no one
is responsible. Oh yeah, there's the crime tips chatrooms where seasoned
rapists and other perpetrators pass on the tricks of the trade to an eager
audience of young punks.
From
the Cayman Islands, WhiteCollarDollar.com allows you to trade Wall
Street insider secrets and actually tap into the NY Stock Exchange and
Nasdaq to place orders without having to pay. Oh sure someone pays,
but not you, and since it's not you, why even worry. Just logon, steal
a few tips, press the "Embezzle" button and presto, you've got a major
portfolio, and it's all legal, since it's off shore, and nobody knows your
name.
There
are dozens more being conjured up even as I write this...including Softster,
which will allow transfer of the new MS ME, along with copies of Adobe
Paint Shop, and any other software worth stealing, they're working on a
system to share other copyrighted material, as soon as they find it, they'll
make it available under the fair use provisions....
FlyBoy
allows users to hack into inflight onboard airliner computers. Using
their simple interface you can actually land one of those babies, complete
with a full load of passengers anywhere you feel like. Rushhour freeway,
no sweat!! It's great fun...especially when you and your friends
go online together and stage jumbo jet dogfights over Chicago!!
Peer
to peer sharing is too big to stop. Who gives a rat's ass that it
encourages average citizens to flaunt the law. Who needs copyrights
anyway? Just think, soon anyone can copy and distribute any intellectual
property for free. Who needs to pay for something when you can steal
it for free? I'm sure all the authors who make money off their novels
really don't need the cash. The publishers are actually in business
to lose money anyway, so what the hell, post anything and everything, and
don't think twice.
Napster
boasts that it has several bands that endorse their service. You
know why? It's strategy. With 30 million plus users, these
dumbasses get a lot of free publicity. Anyone in the music business
with half a brain knows this system is stealing. Just like walking
into WalMart and walking out with a free load of the latest CDs.
No one was compensated for the time and efforts of dozens if not hundreds
of people who created the work the thief is enjoying. It is stealing.
Why
not just go down to the nearest Toyota dealership and pick whichever model
you want. It's your's free. Why not? It's the same concept.
Except for some reason, many people don't consider a work made for entertainment
to be of value, or at least worth paying for.
Napster
knows the end of free for all copyright theft is coming. They've
proposed several deals including charging a flat fee of $4.95 a month...kind
of like the all you can steal buffet. The industry has rebuffed their
offers so far, but it won't matter. Stealing is too much fun.
Let's face it. |
