Reactions to story from Guardian

• 

  links for 2008-07-24

  http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/digitalcontent/2008/07/links_for...
  131 days ago in PDA: The Digital Content Blog | guardian.co.uk · Authority: 793

  links for 2008-07-24 Jemima Kiss / Newsbucket 08:30pm Illegal downloaders to get government warning letter >> Guardian Guardian hires former Washington Post digital chief >> Guardian ARGs can solve real-world problems >> Guardian
• 

  Shound bands sue record labels over threat to ban fans?

  http://fasterfuture.blogspot.com/2008/07/shound-bands-sue-re...
  131 days ago in Faster Future: Publishing possibilities now and beyond · Authority: 106

  This is such typical centralised, broadcast thinking. Just exactly what do they think they can control? The record industry has struck a deal with the the six major UK ISPs and the Government to 'deal with' people who illegally share music*. Deluded
• 

  ISPs and government clamp down on illegal downloading

  http://www.product-reviews.net/2008/07/24/isps-and-governmen...
  131 days ago in Product Reviews Net · Authority: 654

  Internet service providers have been working hard and have now worked out a deal with the government, as well as the music industry so that they can clamp down on illegal downloading. The new deal that will be announced some time today will include a
• 

  Brit Artists Form Coalition "to have a strong collective voice"

  http://www.tresser.com/blog/2008/10/brit-artists-form-coalit...
  41 days ago in Politics of Creativity : Tom Tresser, Creativity Champion. Imagination precedes implementation. · No authority yet

  A new organization, the Featured Artists’ Coalition launched last week in Manchester, UK to campaign for the protection of performers’ and musicians’ rights. Formed by some of the best-known names in music, the Coalition will give artists the voice they need to argue for greater control over their music. Brian Message, co-manager of Radiohead and Kate Nash said: “It is time for artists to have a strong collective voice to stand up for their interests. The digital landscape is changing fast and new deals are being struck all the time, but all too often without reference to the people who actually make the music. Just look at the recent print MoU (Memo of Understanding) on file-sharing between labels, government and the Internet Service Providers. Artists were not involved. The Featured Artists’ Coalition will help all artists, young and old, well-known or not, drive overdue change through the industry in their interests and those of fans.”
• 

  The New Music Industry - An Introduction

  http://www.writersbloc.co.uk/?p=526
  88 days ago in Writersbloc.co.uk · Authority: 5

  The music industry fascinates me, because it seems to me to be (mostly) run by people who don’t understand the internet.  There are so many different bands, commentators and industry heads that are convinced that the music industry is dead.  They’re wrong.  It’s not dead, it’s just different. Everybody knows it’s different because of two things: the digitisation of music and the internet.  The first one is important because it changes the fundamental premise that the music industry as we know it was built upon.  There was no industry until someone figured out how to turn a song (or a collection of songs) from an intangible thing that you can only experience, to something you can hold in your hand, something tangible that you can touch and (most importantly) pay money for.  Making music digital has allowed a song to get back to that intagible state from whence it started, and it’s a lot harder to get someone to pay for a product that they can’t hold in their hand - especially when they can get it for free somewhere else, which is where the internet comes in. Everybody downloads music.  Everybody. To suggest that it’s any different is at best naive, and at worst hopelessly out of touch with reality.  When Radiohead can offer for an album for download for free and more people download it illegally than download it from the official site, then I think you can safely say that the anti-piracy lobby is fighting a losing battle.  Now, let me be clear - I am in now way condoning illegal activity, or saying that I participate in any illegal downloading activity, but my humble opinion is that those in charge of the music industry are bolting the stable door after the horse has already bolted, met a female horsey and had lots of foals.  It’s like the American government fighting illegal immigration over the mexican border by building a wall.  If you give someone a choice between paying for something or getting it for free, the vast majority of people are going to get it for free.  Unless everyone that downloads music is fined or thrown in jail or gets their Internets taken away from them, the smart move is to simply accept that it’s happening, and it’s not going to change.  It’s the difference between trying to beat the system, or trying to work the system.  The smart thing for the music industry to do would just be to accept that this is the way things are now, and figure out a way to work within the constraints that the internet brings.  Of course, they’re going the other way. As I’ve said before, it’s not that the music industry is dead - more people are engaged in a wider range of music then ever before, and more artists are able to find a market than ever before - it’s just that people aren’t making as much money as they used to.  For a primer on the way the music industry works, check out this article for a primer by David Byrne.  Somewhere along the way, music changed into a way of making money, rather than being about artistic merit and creative expression.  The fact is that more bands are getting their songs heard by a greater audience than ever before, and yet, they’re pissed off. As y’all know, I’m all about marketing and strategy, so for the next few posts I’m going to be talking about what the smart bands and promoters are doing to try and get the power of the internets to work for them, rather than against them, and I’ll hopefully be able to suggest some ways that bands should be looking to survive in the new music industry. If you liked this post, you might like these too:Morons of the day: Kiss edition The beauty of the interweb Peter Katz and the Curious Why the old rules just don’t apply anymore. Jon discovers Google Reader, is welcomed to 2002
• 

  The New Music Industry - An Introduction

  http://www.writersbloc.co.uk/?p=526
  88 days ago in Writersbloc.co.uk · Authority: 5

  The music industry fascinates me, because it seems to me to be (mostly) run by people who don’t understand the internet.  There are so many different bands, commentators and industry heads that are convinced that the music industry is dead.  They’re wrong.  It’s not dead, it’s just different. Everybody knows it’s different because of two things: the digitisation of music and the internet.  The first one is important because it changes the fundamental premise that the music industry as we know it was built upon.  There was no industry until someone figured out how to turn a song (or a collection of songs) from an intangible thing that you can only experience, to something you can hold in your hand, something tangible that you can touch and (most importantly) pay money for.  Making music digital has allowed a song to get back to that intagible state from whence it started, and it’s a lot harder to get someone to pay for a product that they can’t hold in their hand - especially when they can get it for free somewhere else, which is where the internet comes in. Everybody downloads music.  Everybody. To suggest that it’s any different is at best naive, and at worst hopelessly out of touch with reality.  When Radiohead can offer for an album for download for free and more people download it illegally than download it from the official site, then I think you can safely say that the anti-piracy lobby is fighting a losing battle.  Now, let me be clear - I am in now way condoning illegal activity, or saying that I participate in any illegal downloading activity, but my humble opinion is that those in charge of the music industry are bolting the stable door after the horse has already bolted, met a female horsey and had lots of foals.  It’s like the American government fighting illegal immigration over the mexican border by building a wall.  If you give someone a choice between paying for something or getting it for free, the vast majority of people are going to get it for free.  Unless everyone that downloads music is fined or thrown in jail or gets their Internets taken away from them, the smart move is to simply accept that it’s happening, and it’s not going to change.  It’s the difference between trying to beat the system, or trying to work the system.  The smart thing for the music industry to do would just be to accept that this is the way things are now, and figure out a way to work within the constraints that the internet brings.  Of course, they’re going the other way. As I’ve said before, it’s not that the music industry is dead - more people are engaged in a wider range of music then ever before, and more artists are able to find a market than ever before - it’s just that people aren’t making as much money as they used to.  For a primer on the way the music industry works, check out this article for a primer by David Byrne.  Somewhere along the way, music changed into a way of making money, rather than being about artistic merit and creative expression.  The fact is that more bands are getting their songs heard by a greater audience than ever before, and yet, they’re pissed off. As y’all know, I’m all about marketing and strategy, so for the next few posts I’m going to be talking about what the smart bands and promoters are doing to try and get the power of the internets to work for them, rather than against them, and I’ll hopefully be able to suggest some ways that bands should be looking to survive in the new music industry. If you liked this post, you might like these too:Morons of the day: Kiss edition The beauty of the interweb Peter Katz and the Curious Why the old rules just don’t apply anymore. Jon discovers Google Reader, is welcomed to 2002
• 

  On aurait pu gagner plus…

  http://yann.leroux.free.fr/?p=335
  109 days ago in ePsychologie · Authority: 19

  On aurait pu gagner plus… Aug 13th, 2008 by Yann Leroux Entendu à la radio cette semaine, un producteur de cinéma qui se plaignait du téléchargement illégal. Il n’avait jamais pris conscience, disait-il, du “marché” que représentait le téléchargement. Il aura fallut qu’on lui montre que son film était aussi téléchargé qu’il avait fait d’entrée. Pourtant, disait il, le film avait “bien marché, très bien même” et le ration nombre de place de cinéma / nombre de DVD vendus était excellent. Seulement, voilà, tous ces téléchargement… Le producteur ne l’a jamais dit, mais on pouvait l’entendre penser : tous ces téléchargement, ce sont des ventes qui se perdent. D’ou la conclusion inévitable : il faut une loi, la plus répressive possible, pour mettre fin à ces téléchargement - entendez : ces ventes avortées. C’est bien là un des maux de l’époque : ne jamais se satisfaire de ce que l’on a et toujours tenter de gagner plus. Qu’importe les bénéfices. Pourquoi ne pas gagner encore plus en délocalisant ? Ou en licenciant ? On par n’importe quel autre moyen. De toute façon, il sera bon si l’on réussit à gagner plus. Pour ce qui est de l’industrie du disque et du cinéma, rien ne dit qu’un téléchargement empêche une vente ou la facilite. Que sait on, finalement, du téléchargement illégal ? Comment se décompose t il ? Une minorité de gros téléchargeur et une myriade de personnes qui téléchargent à l’occasion. Et quels usages sont faits des fichiers téléchargés ? Tout ce qui est téléchargé est il écouté ? Visualisé ? En France, sous couvert de protéger la culture, on se prépare a passer une loi qui réponde aux voeux du producteur. La France n’est pas un cas isolé. En Grande Bretagne, les Fournisseurs d’Accès Internet, le gouvernement et les majors se sont déjà mis d’accord. Les internautes téléchargeant un contenu illégalement recevront un courier d’avertissement et subiront des sanctions en cas de récidive. Doc Doctorow est un auteur de science fiction et un des réacteurs de boing-boing. Il s’intéresse aux dérives que permettent les mondes numériques - voir par exemple Scroogle ou Little Brother - et le commentaire qu’il fait de ces nouvelles dispositions légales me semble tout à fait juste La loi est remplacée par un douillet accord inter-industriel. Là ou auparavant, quiconque voulait que votre FAI espionne votre connexion internet devait en apporter la preuve a un juge et optenir une décision de justice, maintenant n’importe quel plaisantin affirmant être un ayant droit lésé peut le faire [...] Les nouvelles dispositions permettent aux FAI et a leurs camarade de l’industrie de secouer votre connexion comme une boule de neige et faire tomber un ou plusieurs de vos service - que vous utilisiez votre téléphone VoIP pour parler a votre grand-mère mourante en Australie ou que vous téléchargiez le dernier hit du type qui a fait “Crazy Frog” Cory Doctorow  the rule of law is replaced by a cosy inter-industry deal. Whereas before, anyone who wanted your ISP to spy on your internet connection would have had to show evidence to a judge and get a court order, now any joker who claims to be an aggrieved copyright holder can do so. [...] the new scheme allows ISPs and their pals in the record industry to randomly shake up your connection like a snow-globe, dropping some or all of your services – whether you’re using your VoIP phone to speak to your dying granny in Australia or downloading the latest hit single from the guy who did the “Crazy Frog Song”.  Cory Doctorow Les serment main-sur-le-coeur affirmant que la loi sera respectée ne le rassure pas. Doc Doctorow rappelle qu’outre-manche, les cartes de transport Oyster devaient aider à mieux gérer les transports en commun mais la puce RFID a servit à surveiller les londoniens. L’effet le plus immédiat de cette loi est que les systèmes Peer-to-Peer vont s’enfoncer dans le “deep internet” ou encore migrer vers des party hors ligne. Nous sommes a la croisée des chemins. Les mondes numériques sont porteurs de nouveaux usages. L’internaute, de l’adolescent au père de famille, trouve normal de trouver des ressources sur le réseau, qu’il s’agisse d’images, de films, ou de sons. Et il trouve tout aussi normal de partager avec d’autres ces ressources ou les modifier. On peut appeller cela une violation des droits d’auteurs. On peut aussi en prendre la mesure et se dire qu’il faut inventer autre chose que les droits d’auteurs. Peut être est ce que l’on pourrait se rappeler l’élan extraodinaire qui a été celui de la France en 1793, et ancrer ainsi la révolution numériques aux logiques anciennes : « Tous ces objets précieux qu’on tenait loin du peuple, ou qu’on ne lui montrait que pour le frapper d’étonnement et de respect, toutes ces richesses lui appartiennent. » Circulaire du Comité de l’instruction publique de la Convention nationale, Instruction sur la manière d’inventorier et de conserver, dans toute l’étendue de la République, tous les objets qui peuvent servir aux arts, aux sciences et à l’enseignement, 1793. D’évidence, le législateur, qu’il soit anglais ou français, est en retard sur les usages.  Pire, il préfère protéger des industries plutôt que ses propres citoyens. Alors que ce que nous avons à gagner ne se compte pas seulement en euros…     Share This (Fr - Psycho) Posted in Mondes Numériques
• 

  Internet providers toughen up on illegal downloading

  http://blog.consumerchoices.co.uk/2008/08/01/internet-provid...
  123 days ago in ConsumerChoices Blog · Authority: 6

  Internet providers toughen up on illegal downloading Becca Talbot August 1st, 2008 1 Comment »  “How many times have I told you?”   In an attempt to cut illegal downloading by eighty per cent, an initiative involving music industry trade body, the BPI, the film industry and the government, has drawn up legislation that will potentially see the UK’s six largest internet service providers (ISPs) send out around 1,000 letters a week as a warning to those who use their bandwidth to illegally download, or worse, upload and share music and films.   The deal, ostensibly labelled as a Memorandum of Understanding, has been drawn up by the Department For Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) and signed by ISPs BT, Virgin, Orange, Tiscali, BSkyB and Carphone Warehouse.   Working alongside the ailing British music industry, which blames illegal downloading as the soul cause of its problems, the ISPs will soon be taking illegal downloading a lot more seriously. As a way of curbing the number of illegal downloaders in the UK, of which there is an estimated guilty 6.5 million, they will be sending threatening letters to the homes of anyone caught downloading or uploading files illegally.   If these warning letters aren’t a big enough deterrent, then naughty internet users could find certain sites blocked by their ISP, or even worse, have their connection speed slowed, making it impossible to download such content. There is also talk of cutting connections altogether if people refuse to stop downloading illegally – the ultimate punishment.   The “carry on doing this and we’ll cut off your broadband” warning letters are expected to have an immediate and long lasting effect, but critiques are sceptical. Consumer groups and music lovers, both legal and illegal, believe the onus is on the industry to modernise and keep pace with the evolving technology.   Even the artist’s themselves are accepting that illegal downloads are the way of the future. Welsh warbler Duffy is currently No 2 on illegal download site MP3 Fiesta’s chart, and she doesn’t seem that bothered. Speaking in ShortList magazine, she asked: “Downloading is amazing. It basically gives people access, where’s the harm in that?”   Continuing, she explains: “Illegal downloading can go two ways. Some people think it creates illegal access, but I think the big wheel is round, y’know?” Well no Duffy, I don’t really know. However, I do know that, according to BMR, the average teenagers iPod will blast out over 800 illegally copied songs, perhaps indicating that free downloading is a cheap alternative for music lovers who don’t want to pay £12 for an album from which they’ll only recognise one song…   The new deal between the ISPs and the government has caused a stir amongst internet users who want to keep their private lives private. The issue of monitoring internet usage is proving to be a controversial one, with many people complaining the UK is rapidly becoming a Big Brother nation, always under the watchful eye of the law.   To all those people who aren’t happy, if you’re not doing anything wrong then you’ll have nothing to worry about. What does it matter that MI6 are keeping tabs on the sites you visit and the links you click?   Personally, if the scheme does prove successful I don’t think music industry officials should expect the illegal downloaders to suddenly start forming a queue at HMV. I’m sure there are many other online time-consuming activities they can amuse themselves with. And while I don’t condone illegal file-sharing, and have never downloaded any music myself, I know plenty of people that have. Obviously not naming any names, I certainly wouldn’t want them to have their broadband cut off – who would I chat to on Facebook?     Tags: BPI, BSkyB, BT, Carphone Warehouse, Duffy, illegal download, iPod, ISPs, music, music industry, Orange, tiscali, Virgin Posted in Broadband
• 

  Check to see if your ISP is trying to prevent you from sharing files

  http://ralpress.org/2008/08/05/check-to-see-if-your-isp-is-t...
  119 days ago in ralpress.org · Authority: 3

  Check to see if your ISP is trying to prevent you from sharing files August 5th, 2008 Following the discovery that Comcast has been interferring with its customers’ ability to download torrents over its network, the Electronic Frontier Foundation has released the Switzerland packet testing tool to enable you to check to see if your ISP appears to be forging packets with the intent of interferring with your ability to share files. I’ve been running Switzerland this afternoon (the client, not the country), and after exchanging many thousands of packets with other clients on the Switzerland network, the EFF server found no evidence of foul play (well, three malformed packets, but Switzerland reported that these were most likely re-written by my NAT router). The major UK ISPs have only recently signed their memorandum of understanding with the BPI and the government, and it is not yet clear whether or not they will be attempting Comcast-style interferrence. BT has been contacting us like crazy recently trying to persuade us to move to a different broadband deal, something which will no doubt include a new contract and terms and conditions. It might be interesting to see how those T&Cs differ from our existing set, perhaps containing some kind of opt-out or loopholes to tacitly allow traffic monitoring and bandwidth restriction. Next time they phone, I’ll ask to see a copy before I’ll be prepared to discuss any change to our existing contract with their sales-people. I will be running tests with Switzerland on a regular basis to keep a check on BT. STOP THE PRESS! In the light of the following article, this is probably all irrelevant:- BT slams bandwidth brakes on all subscribers. BT don’t need to re-write packets, they simply block the packets they don’t like. This probably explains why my torrent download speeds were around eight to nine times slower than those of HTTP the other night. Zen Internet seems to be getting a good press. I’ve seen user reports claiming that it has no Phorm nonsense, doesn’t discriminate against non-HTTP and non-email traffic, and has good tech support. Sounds like a real Internet Service Provider to me. They do have monthly bandwidth caps, but they’re completely open about them and as far as I’m concerned, caps are a pratical matter, not an ethical one. As things stand now, I’m looking to move to Zen, unless I can find an even better deal. PS. In addition to core Python, you’ll need python-scapy and psycop, plus a running NTP daemon (all just a Synaptic away on Ubuntu) or Switzerland will moan. You’ll need to sudo mkdir /var/log/switzerland-pcaps You’ll need to ensure your firewall doesn’t interfere with the testing I had to re-start Switzerland several times before it was happy that my computer’s time settings were in accordance with those of my timeserver (but hey, this is version 0.0). Additional links: EFF “Switzerland” packet monitor tool looks for ISP meddling Tags: filesharing, Internet, ISPs, net neutrality, privacy
• 

  La crociata dei cantanti

  http://vitadigitale.corriere.it/2008/08/la_crociata_dei_cant...
  119 days ago in Blog Vita Digitale di Federico Cella. Corriere Della Sera · Authority: 142

  La crociata dei cantanti Scritto da: Federico Cella alle 13:03 Il "movimento" è ancora piccolo - Nine Inch Nails, Joss Stone, ora la gallese Duffy - però di cantanti giovani, ma già affermati a livello mondiale, che si schierano a favore della condivisione dei file musicali ogni giorno ce ne sono sempre di più. Forse non c'è una strategia comune, ma certo un po' di pressione sulle major la mettono. Perché probabilmente un modello di business che comprenda in sé anche la possibilità di far circolare - più o meno - liberamente la musica in digitale esiste. I Radiohead qualcosa insegnano in tal senso. E così il recente accordo in Gran Bretagna tra gli Internet provider e l'industria musicale ha già il sapore di vecchio. E fa arricciare il naso allo scrittore inglese Doctorow che a mio parere giustamente lo vede come un ulteriore atto del processo di lento suicidio messo in atto dalle case discografiche.

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