Song Swappers Flock to Invitation-Only Internet (Recording Industry is

SAN JOSE, California (AP) -- Just as Prohibition drove drinkers underground in the roaring '20s, the music industry's crackdown is pushing many song swappers away from the open Internet and into what amount to cyberspace speakeasies.

These high-tech Cotton Clubs usually require users to be trusted or at least know someone inside. The files being traded, instead of out in the open, are encrypted -- the 21st century equivalent of hiding bathtub gin under a fake floorboard.

Now if I'd been head of the RIAA, I would've said something like this:

"Gentlemen, the times, they are a'changing. We've got new technology here, and it's giving rise to new ways of doing things. We've got to be the first on this band wagon. We've got to find a way to take advantage of this internet thing. We're going to find a way to give our loyal customers what they want, and we'll charge 'em a reasonable price for it."

Instead, what we got was:

"All right, men. There's a new technology in town. Let's see what we can do to shut this thing down, pronto. What's that? Provide a means for people to buy music cheap over the internet? What the hell are you thinking?! No, damn the customers. Who gives a rat's *** what they want?

We're the RIAA, by God, and we're not going to stand for anything that might possibly cut into our profits. We're going to shut these people down, I don't care if there are 60 million of them. No, I don't care if there are other means of doing file-sharing, either. We'll just sue the bastards. In fact, we'll sue as many of 'em as we have to. That'll show them.

If they want music, they'll come crawling to US, by God."

Don't Let Liberals Get Your Goat

Do your part for the Best Conservative Site on the Web

Or mail checks to
FreeRepublic , LLC
PO BOX 9771
FRESNO, CA 93794

or you can use

PayPal at Jimrob@psnw.com

STOP BY AND BUMP THE FUNDRAISER THREAD-
It is in the breaking news sidebar!

What it won't do is legalize what 60 million people are up to and it won't ... pay any artists.

Uh...yeah...the producers are concerned with the ARTISTS' income. (coughbullshit) When did they receive that epiphany? They never cared for 50 years. If they're so concerned, maybe they could live with 1 or 2% less profits and the artists would be just fine.

Well, I believe this to be a necessary step for those who choose to take it against the RIAA. Unfortunately what the RIAA has overlooked is that us kids, are damn smart, technology evolves exponentially, and the authoritative demand by an unfit supremicy will almost always fail. I see this as a reform to the class system of those so called artists that charge billions for their lewd and unsavory pieces of 'art.' While their contribution to society is entertaining, it is hardly worth what they demand, and now the people they entertain actually have weight in the matter.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.