Canada's Music Lobby Buys Government Access
,----[ Quote ]
| "Copyfighting law professor Michael Geist, who previously uncovered
| financial links between recording industry lobbyists and Canada's
| Minister of Canadian Heritage Bev Oda (who is responsible for
| copyright policy), has now identified what big cash donations
| will get you. He reports that Oda met with the President of the
| Canadian Recording Industry Association on a monthly basis last
| year just as the government was preparing copyright reform
| legislation and Canadian artists were calling for an end to
| P2P lawsuits. Is it any wonder that Canadians seem likely to
| lose their fair use rights?"
`----
http://politics.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/01/25/1556204&from=rss
This relates to Microsoft's recent secret meetings with the RIAA (reference
included).
Change of law through lobbying with money exchange. DRM mess helps Microsoft
establish a lockin that could hurt competition (see lawsuits at bottom).
Related:
Music industry meeting could change the Zune
,----[ Quote ]
| Bryan Lee, corporate vice present for Microsoft's entertainment
| business, told me today that the meeting was set up as part of the
| deal struck between Microsoft and music business honchos, who are
| always wary of piracy... The meeting was supposed to take place "some
| time after the holidays," he said. It also talks about the future
| of the zune.
`----
http://blogs.chron.com/techblog/archives/2007/01/music_industry_meeting_could_change_the_zune.html
http://tinyurl.com/y7z5wl
Microsoft may pay Zune tax twice
,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft's private deal with Universal Music to pay the record
| label a voluntary royalty of $1 for every Zune player it sells
| has raised eyebrows across both the technology and music
| industries. But it might not be the last payment Redmond owes
| from Zune, we've discovered.
`----
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/12/14/microsoft_zune_royalties/
Universal to seek money for each iPod sold
,----[ Quote ]
| "It would be a nice idea. We have a negotiation coming up not too
| far. I don't see why we wouldn't do that... but maybe not in the
| same way," Morris said. His "same way" comment is a reference tot
| he Zune, which Universal already gets $1 from after signing a deal
| with Microsoft.
`----
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20061128-8309.html
A Legitimate Reason to Hate the Zune (And Microsoft Too)
,----[ Quote ]
| Here's the situation: Microsoft has agreed to pay a portion of
| the profits from the sales of the Zune to a record company
| (Universal) because the Zune will undoubtedly be used to
| store unpurchased songs.
|
| [...]
|
| Here it is important to remember a few simple things. The
| money goes to the Universal, not to the artists.
|
| [...]
|
| Microsoft's move sets a bad precedent and turns all consumers into
| thieves without evidence.
`----
http://www.applematters.com/index.php/section/comments/a-legitimate-reason-to-hate-the-zune-and-microsoft-too/
The Longest Suicide Note in History
,----[ Quote ]
| Gutmann: The genie's out of the bottle before the operating system has even
| been released! But that doesn't mean Vista users in particular - and
| the computer community at large - won't end up paying for Microsoft's
| DRM folly. At the risk of repeating myself repeating myself, yet
| another reason to move to Linux.
`---- ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
http://blogs.pcworld.co.nz/pcworld/tux-love/2007/01/the_longest_suicide_note_in_hi.html
Apple DRM illegal in Norway: Ombudsman
,----[ Quote ]
| Apple's digital rights management lock on its iPod device and iTunes
| software is illegal, the Consumer Ombudsman in Norway has ruled. The
| blow follows the news that Germany and France are joining Norway's
| action against Apple.
`----
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/01/24/apple_drm_illegal_in_norway/
Record labels rethink digital rights management at Midem
,----[ Quote ]
| Now that even digital music revenue growth is faltering amid
| rampant file-sharing by consumers, the major record labels are
| closer than ever to releasing music on the Internet with no
| copying restrictions -- a step they once vowed never
| to take.
`----
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/01/21/yourmoney/music.php
--
List of candidate Microsoft astroturfers (directly or indirectly paid by
Microsoft to post in this newsgroup):
flatfish+++
Damian O'Leary (AKA Hadron Quark)
Erik Funkenbusch
Larry Qualig (former Microsoft employee)
Scott Nudds (AKA Vistaking)
Nedd Ludd
Tim Smith
OK
DFS
Terry
Take everything posted by the individuals above with a barrel of salt.
|
|