What the heck is up with Kazaa?

Sherardp

Real quick because I'm very unaware of the situation, but why is it that so many people are being fined thousands or even millions of dollars as fees for downloading songs? I thought Kazaa was peer to peer sharing like limewire and bearshare. Now people are being caught up and taken to court with insane amounts of money owed for 20/30 songs. Someone enlighten me on the subject por favor. TG I never used that crap, wow.

http://www.cepro.com/article/grad_student_ordered_to_pay_675k_for_illegal_downloads/

tcrossma

Probably because it's illegal to steal?

The amounts are crazy, but they are obviously trying to make an example of people so that it stops.

kawizx9r

Sherardp wrote: »

Real quick because I'm very unaware of the situation, but why is it that so many people are being fined thousands or even millions of dollars as fees for downloading songs? I thought Kazaa was peer to peer sharing like limewire and bearshare. Now people are being caught up and taken to court with insane amounts of money owed for 20/30 songs. Someone enlighten me on the subject por favor. TG I never used that crap, wow.

http://www.cepro.com/article/grad_student_ordered_to_pay_675k_for_illegal_downloads/

Same goes for cd-burning/etc. Even more importantly copying dvds/video games and more! The whole use behind that is so you can burn several copies for your OWN use (given you've legally purchased it for your own use) such as one in the car, one at home, one on a trip etc. But once you start distributing copies, whether for free or selling it, its illegal.

bobman1235

Sherardp wrote: »

Real quick because I'm very unaware of the situation, but why is it that so many people are being fined thousands or even millions of dollars as fees for downloading songs? I thought Kazaa was peer to peer sharing like limewire and bearshare. Now people are being caught up and taken to court with insane amounts of money owed for 20/30 songs. Someone enlighten me on the subject por favor. TG I never used that crap, wow.

As others have said, it's copyright infringement, plain and simple. It is exactly peer-to-peer sharing. If you have a song, and you "share" it with a thousand other people, you have distributed something you did not have the rights to distribute, and can be fined some ridiculous amount.

JohnLocke88

kawizx9r wrote: »

Same goes for cd-burning/etc. Even more importantly copying dvds/video games and more! The whole use behind that is so you can burn several copies for your OWN use (given you've legally purchased it for your own use) such as one in the car, one at home, one on a trip etc. But once you start distributing copies, whether for free or selling it, its illegal.

Nope. You are legally allowed to make ONE (1) copy of an original, provided you still maintain possession of the original, even if non-operative. Not multiple copies. If you get rid of the original, even if non operative, then you are just as guilty of copyright infringement. That is just as illegal as downloading 1,000 songs off the internet.

While I agree behind the general premise of the RIAA and MPAA, I think their **** Gestapo tactics aren't working, as evidenced by the 1,000,000s of people that download illegally online.

"The more you tighten your grip Tarkin, the more our star systems will slip through your fingers..."

kawizx9r

Ok then, I stand corrected. But you know what I meant

Marty913

One added note Sherardp, you're staring to see more of it (the huge fines) lately because of a couple things. Last year the RIAA (mostly) and MPAA secured agreements with some broadband sellers and several colleges to report suspected downloaders or at a minimum investigate high bandwidth users further. The second reason is that although thousands have been sued, most have settled out of court. The settlement number I hear most is between $3000 & $6000. The really big numbers have come from those who chose to fight it out in court and lose.

JohnLocke88

kawizx9r wrote: »

Ok then, I stand corrected. But you know what I meant

No intent to sound snoody, just trying to illustrate the obsurdity of the tactics used by the MPAA and RIAA.

All it comes down to, there are many other ways that are impossible to track, cleaner (less risky to your computer) and better quality then downloading .mp3s off Kazaa, Limewire, BearShare, etc.

All this kinda crap does is alienate people to the record/movie industry and give people who are hard core pirates even MORE incentive to use the other untraceable methods... it even gives them justification in a strange twist of irony...

kawizx9r

I prefer bit torrents anyway

JohnLocke88

kawizx9r wrote: »

I prefer bit torrents anyway

Surprisingly, more and more torrent users are getting notices...while they are usually 'safer' than Peer-2-Peer, they are by no means completely safe. I lived on campus last year, and the wireless network was open (no encryption)... I knew dozens of people that torrented, and it was obvious when they were, as the whole network slowed down around 1am to 5 am in the morning (when I was up gaming...)

If you OWN your IP address, or care about the person that does, torrenting is NOT the way to go...

obieone

Those programs are so FULL of spyware, they're not worth the headache. On top of the legal ramifications.

WilliamM2

obieone wrote: »

Those programs are so FULL of spyware, they're not worth the headache. On top of the legal ramifications.

Which programs? The more popular torrent software has no spyware whatsoever. It's the downloaded content you need to be careful of.

obieone

P2P programs. Ofcourse, my opinion dates back to 2003, for the brief time I was using them. I guess I should have posted 'were' instead of 'are'.

John30_30

Sherardp wrote: »

Real quick because I'm very unaware of the situation, but why is it that so many people are being fined thousands or even millions of dollars as fees for downloading songs? I thought Kazaa was peer to peer sharing like limewire and bearshare. Now people are being caught up and taken to court with insane amounts of money owed for 20/30 songs. Someone enlighten me on the subject por favor. TG I never used that crap, wow.

http://www.cepro.com/article/grad_student_ordered_to_pay_675k_for_illegal_downloads/

All peer-to-peer apps are sniffable by persons who want to find out who is using them. They just register and put a sniffer/scanner on and it returns I.P. addresses. Therefore, they are inherently vulnerable to tracking and legal repercussions. The more traffic an I.P. generates, the more likelihood of a letter from the RIAA or whoever.

Likewise, torrents are a legal application per se, and ingenious actually, but they are also trackable.

Safest bet: sneakernet, thuh libarry, or the legal download sites, some of which now have lossless.

Sherardp

All good information to be aware of so many thanks. Like I said I know you have to pay for this stuff just wondering why all of a sudden its been in the news so much. If it's been going on awhile, keep in mind I'm overseas and not up to date on USA news until I get back there. Thanks for shining the light on me though.

Serendipity

Is recording off XM Radio illegal? What about recording local radio stations with a tape deck?

John30_30

appadv wrote: »

Is recording off XM Radio illegal? What about recording local radio stations with a tape deck?

If those slimebags could somehow make people pay for it, they would. If they could muscle it into some sort of law, they would.

I think it all goes back to the invention of cassettes....the same companies like Sony who own the music rights also put out recordable media.

Screwem.

goingganzo

here is what you do go to your local used cd store. and buy a few dc then trade them in for others after you rip them to your computer.

90%of the money you pay for a cd dues not go to the artest

JohnLocke88

goingganzo wrote: »

here is what you do go to your local used cd store. and buy a few dc then trade them in for others after you rip them to your computer.

90%of the money you pay for a cd dues not go to the artest

Or, if you have a library card, most public libraries have relatively extensive CD collections... rip to FLAC; good to go.

Not condoning, nor justifying piracy, but gestapo tactics aren't the answer. According to the RIAA, you rip a CD to more than one of your personal computers, that's copyright infringement...

As the eloquent poster a few posts ago said... screwem...

Willow

JohnLocke88 wrote: »

Or, if you have a library card, most public libraries have relatively extensive CD collections... ..

This is what I don't get. It's ok to go get a book for free read it then return it. Also the same with music and movies from them. So how are the artists/actors and such making money. You can't tell me that people who borrow movies or music from there don't copy them as who wants to listen to a CD for only 1 month?

bobman1235

Willow wrote: »

This is what I don't get. It's ok to go get a book for free read it then return it.

But it isn't OK to photocopy that book, or even worse, make thousands of copies and distribute them for free.

You can't tell me that people who borrow movies or music from there don't copy them as who wants to listen to a CD for only 1 month?

I'm sure a lot do, but it's still not RIGHT. I'm assuming artists want their music in a library so people sample it and then want to buy it to have forever, but I don't know.

concealer404

bobman1235 wrote: »

I'm sure a lot do, but it's still not RIGHT. I'm assuming artists want their music in a library so people sample it and then want to buy it to have forever, but I don't know.

That's exactly how i would use downloading agents. You know, if i would ever.

Willow

bobman1235 wrote: »

But it isn't OK to photocopy that book, or even worse, make thousands of copies and distribute them for free.



I'm sure a lot do, but it's still not RIGHT. I'm assuming artists want their music in a library so people sample it and then want to buy it to have forever, but I don't know.

I'm just saying as long as there is temptation and easy acess it will happen.
If I read through a book or magazine and see a receipe I like I'll copy it either photo or by hand.

bobman1235

Oh no doubt. I guess the thing is before now, it's always been such small scale - copying a recipe for yourself isn't really enough for anyone to make a stink about it. But with the Internet and you being able to share that recipe (or, more to the point, CD) with millions of people from just your one trip to the library.... it's a bigger deal.