Michael Jackson wins kids' hearts and minds by slamming anti-piracy legislation

[Sava]

why do you hate paedophiles?

uhmmm DUH!

[Agathon]

buymusic.com has basically opened a copycat of the itunes store, offering songs for 79 cents each.

On closer inspection it doesn't seem such a good deal though. Don't these twits ever learn. Here's what's wrong.

1. You have to use IE and Windows Media Player. Other browsers are prohibited. There's no mac version (as if we care; we have the iTMS).

2. While some songs are 79 cents far more are 99 cents and some go up to $1.49.

3. The DRM is terrible. You can download your music on to one computer only, and when that computer goes, so does your music (the iTMS allows you to have your music on three computers and you can transfer it to new ones by deauthorizing the old ones). This is completely objectionable since people change computers every two to three years.

4. The DRM varies from song to song. Some allow unlimited burns and transfers to players, others have limited burns and transfers (in the iTMS all burns and transfers to players are unlimited). Keeping track of all these will be a nightmare.

5. The web based interface is completely stupid (what's wrong with one music management app that does it all).

6. On the bright side it works with a few different players (including Asher's favourite) whereas the iTMS only works with the ipod.

7. They call it "buymusic" but you don't you merely license it, and they hold all the cards.

Why on earth these people couldn't have swung the same deal as Apple is beyond me. I guess these people trust Jobs more since he owns a major content provider (Pixar).

[Kuciwalker]

I don't think that it should be a felony offense. The government should stay out of this. However, it is completely OK to sue people for distributing files illegally. The thing is, you don't actually buy the music, you buy a license to listen to the music. The license allows you to do certain things (such as transfer it), but not others (such as reproduce it and give it to another person). Thus, if you do something forbidden by the license, it's contract violation.

[Dis]

did I mention I love Michael Jackson

He just increased his reputation by me. I will ingnore the baby dangling and the sleepig with children.

[mrmitchell]

Maybe he'll put his money where his mouth and start offering up his music for cheap.

I don't think artists have any control over prices. That's sleazy big boss RIAA territory, IIRC.

Michael might be smart, but this isn't going to help his pedophile rapist image.

[ixnay]

I don't think artists have any control over prices. That's sleazy big boss RIAA territory, IIRC.

Reminds me of a few years ago, when the Offspring decided they were going to release their new album as a free download on their website. Sony (their label) objected and sued the band to stop this. The Offspring countersued, and things got messy. This threatened to delay the release date for the album, so both sides eventually settled and the Offspring offered just the 1st single for download on their site.

[Drake Tungsten]

The guy to ask is Drake Tungsten who has bought quite a bit of stuff from the Apple Store. He seems to think it's OK.

I don't know if two songs counts as "quite a bit of stuff", but I was quite happy with how the system worked on my purchase. Very simple, very professional, very cool.

[Giancarlo]

Michael Jackson is a freak and he will win nobody's heart or mind no matter what he says.

Agathon is dumb.

Case closed.

[mrmitchell]

Fez, couldn't you have stood up in support for your fellow gay instead?

[Giancarlo]

Originally posted by mrmitchell
Fez, couldn't you have stood up in support for your fellow gay instead?

I don't support people who have a resemblence to apes from Planet of the Apes. And I don't support pedophiles either... they should be taken to prison and shot.

[mrmitchell]

Nah, shooting is so inhumane. Helecopter ejection is much better,

[Giancarlo]

Originally posted by mrmitchell
Nah, shooting is so inhumane. Helecopter ejection is much better,

Too bloody expensive. Gas isn't worth it. Besides this is one of the few things I agree with the Chinese on.