WTO Sanctioned Piracy

[MichaeltheGreat]

First of all, he hasn't even tried to change this.

Because, in the grand scale of things, who gives a ****?

[Felch]

Well, that antipathy is what Antigua is trying to change. They're setting the IP lobby against the gambling lobby, and I think it'll serve them well.

[MichaeltheGreat]

It's Antigua. The issue is worth $21 million. In the grand scheme of things, that's a gnat fart in a hurricane.

[Krill]

A year, and they originally wanted to sell 3.4 billion. OK, that might have been a bit much, but...

[snoopy369]

I'm wondering if authors really do. On balance how many downloaders just wouldn't have bothered to buy it or gone to the library? How many fewer people would ever have heard of the authors work much less sought it out? Where as because one of their friends downloaded it the book & author got good word of mouth and thus there was actually a net increase in sales when all was said and done. It might turn out that a cheaper online download might actually increase the books exposure, number of fans, AND increase actual paper book purchases. In fact, I'm willing to bet that frequently IS the case.

Perhaps true, perhaps not; but it seems like the content producers ought to be able to choose the price, no? I think the arguments against DRM are very different from arguments for permissive piracy. Non-DRM files are much easier to use for _purchasers_, and don't really stop piracy anyway; so DRM is silly. However, arguments for permitting piracy explicitly (as opposed to just accepting it as a cost of doing business) are... dumb. Producers or retailers should always be able to choose price points based on the market. Suggesting they should have to lower their price because you think they might make more money is idiotic.

[Dinner]

I'm still hoping for $0.10 of video games.

[DinoDoc]

I'm still hoping for $0.10 of video games.

They call those phone apps.

[Dr Strangelove]

Uh, you do know that the reason this was accepted by the WTO was because the USA ****ed over Antiuguan businesses illegally?



http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-21193634

It's illegal for a nation to regulate gambling? I didn't know that.

[Krill]

It's illegal to regulate it in another country...or at least, the WTO says it is.

But remember that the US actually settled with the other countries after it attempted to do so and Antigua refused the offer. All this is, is just another attempt to strong arm the US government into accepting a different deal. They might not even set up the retail website (though TBH I wonder what the would happen if the US government refused and kept on calling it piracy...it'd be like a toddler spitting out a dummy).

[regexcellent]

We should invade Antigua if they do it. It would take about three hours and they would never **** with us again.

[MRT144]

I'll care about copyright/trademark/patents when the US government starts taking it seriously themselves.

[self biased]

ITT: I learn that guynemer, a poster whom i adore, hates libraries.

[DaShi]

Har Har

During a meeting in Geneva today the World Trade organization (WTO) authorized Antigua’s request to suspend U.S. copyrights. The decision confirmed the preliminary authorization the Caribbean island received in 2007, and means that the local authorities can move forward with their plan to start a download portal which offers movies, music and software without compensating the American companies that make them.

Hope they provide a good service, something like a good library catalogue by year, actor/artist, genre and sales would be nice for starters, the rest of the world will be grateful.

And by how long until the first bit of nudity.

[Ben Kenobi]

Hint: Congress has to pass a new law to change the old law. Care to guess which party filibustered 98% of bills including their own last year?

That would be Harry Reid in the Senate. They blocked everything the last 6 years.

[Guynemer]

ITT: I learn that guynemer, a poster whom i adore, hates libraries.

Doesn't track on two levels--libraries lend, and also you pay for libraries with your tax dollars.