RIAA just decided to sue LimeWire, heavily leaning on the super-idiotic Grokster ruling. If you don’t remember what the Grokster thing was all about, let me remind you.
Remember that one time we were all pissed off, because a bunch of senile, technology illiterate lusers (known as the US Supreme Court) said that if your software encourages infringment, then you are liable.
RIAA is using that stupid decision now to destroy a useful file transfer technology that has absolutely nothing to do with piracy. Sure, you can use it to distribute illegal stuff. You can also distribute illegal stuff via HTTP, FTP, BitTorrent and Bob’s new spiffy DVD Burner. LimeWire is definitely not advertising copyright infringement. I looked on their website, and there is no mention of free RIAA tunes, warez or any other stuff like that. In fact, their website clearly states the following:
LimeWire is legal software, but it is illegal for you to use LimeWire to share copyrighted files without permission. Purchasing LimeWire PRO does not constitute a license for obtaining or distributing unauthorized files. When you download LimeWire software from www.limewire.com, you agree to refrain from using LimeWire for the purpose of copyright infringement.
I think this notification is really clear. LimeWire does not condone piracy.
But RIAA collectively suffer from that rare condition called “lack of touch with reality” and so they are not bothered by things like facts, details and laws. They are claiming that LW is actively facilitating copyright infringement by not filtering and censoring the network traffic generated by their software. That is quite an interesting use of the term active.
Using that logic, since I’m not buying RIAA crap I’m actually actively taking the money out of their pockets. Sweet! Take that RIAA! I just made you loose another $40 buy not caring about your newest pop-music CD!
This lawsuit should be kicked out of court for the sake of technological progress. But it wont. And if RIAA wins this case, it will give them complete freedom to kill any technology they do not like. They will ruthlessly set ablaze any budding software project that could even remotely threaten their precious business model.
If your existence is dependent on business plan that resembles a house of cards, you are every right to be afraid of even the smallest draft, or wind gust that could upset it’s delicate balance. But this is no reason to ban doors and windows, and make sue the makers of oscillating fans. All you achieve this way is to delay the inevitable. Sooner or later, someone in the room is going to sneeze and the whole thing is going to crumble down leaving you with nothing.
Technological progress just stop for RIAA. Either get on with it, or get out. Just stop holding us back damn it!
[tags]riaa, limewire, lime wire, lawsuits, p2p, file sharing, copyright, piracy[/tags]
A buisness’s primary goal is to make a profit short term and to overlook the long term consiquences.
take a look at thedocumentry – the corporation. you’ll learn what you need to know.