'I have a bad feeling about this'
Linked by Thom Holwerda on Fri 10th Feb 2012 00:13 UTC
In the News "Like any space opera, the story of information technology is a very simple one. It is played out in a myriad of different ways by a revolving cast of characters, but it always has its loveable heroes, its predictably nefarious villains, innocent civilians to be saved, and bumbling bureaucrats that aren't inherently evil, but begin every story aiding the forces of darkness out of a misplaced belief they are preserving law and order in their corner of the galaxy." He might use Star Wars as an analogy (I strongly dislike Star Wars - Trekkie here), but it sums up very well how I feel about computing today.
E-mail Print r 2   28 Comment(s) http://osne.ws/jr4
Thread beginning with comment 506560
To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
A little over-dramatic
by WorknMan on Fri 10th Feb 2012 01:15 UTC
WorknMan
Member since:
2005-11-13

When I look at the battlefield, I see on one side an industry who is doing anything and everything they can to hold on to a dying business model. On the other side, I see a bunch of people who just want to be able to download as much free shit as they can. As a casual observer, I don't see one as being better or worse than the other - just a conflict of interest. If one side ends up beating the other, we'll either end up with a broken internet, or the death of the entire content industry.

If the pirates win out, when all the dust has settled, and the realization sets in that trying to fight piracy is a lost cause, I wonder how many people out there will still be creating content, when they know it's going to be passed around freely, like candy. Of course, the people who are currently doing it for free will continue to do so, but people who made a living off of it will probably find themselves needing a new career. I suppose that's not entirely bad... I mean, instead of going to a movie theater, you'd probably just go to a play instead. I think we'll get by ;)

Reply Score: 1

RE: A little over-dramatic
by Valhalla on Fri 10th Feb 2012 02:28 in reply to "A little over-dramatic"
Valhalla Member since:
2006-01-24

or the death of the entire content industry.

I assume you mean the death of huge companies
who charge artists the lionshare of the profits in order to distribute the artists work through means of artificial scarcity. I say YES please!

If these behemoths die from piracy my prediction is that artists/content creators will make more money by going directly to the audience. We see this now with a huge boom in the indie sectors, with gaming perhaps being the strongest example.

when they know it's going to be passed around freely, like candy.

Free candy!

but people who made a living off of it will probably find themselves needing a new career.

I disagree, there will always be people who find content worth paying for if the price is within their means, and with the internet as your market place not only do you have practically zero-cost distribution but also the ability to reach potential customers on a fully global scale.

And when the need for the middlemen disappears so does the inflated prices which in turn leads to less incentive for people to pirate.

From everything I've read concerning the profits which eventually trickle down to the actual artists through the old model of middlemen, they will make much more money per copy selling their works for $0.99 online directly to the customer then they would through aforementioned middlemen unless they are established superstars and thereby have been able to negotiate a much better deal.

In my opinion internet is the great 'leveler' of our society, and I think/hope this is something not only the big content barons will learn the hard way.

Reply Parent Score: 8

RE[2]: A little over-dramatic
by WorknMan on Fri 10th Feb 2012 03:15 in reply to "RE: A little over-dramatic"
WorknMan Member since:
2005-11-13

I disagree, there will always be people who find content worth paying for if the price is within their means


Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaah... we'll have to agree to disagree on that. Once the entertainment industry dies and there's nobody to put the smackdown on people pirating, how many 'honest' people out there do you think will be willing to pay for content? Maybe there will be enough to keep the artists/directors/writers/etc afloat, but I have my doubts. Hell, people in the US (who don't have ANY excuses) are pirating $1 Android and iOS apps, so what does that tell you?

Of course, you can point out some success stories like Louis CK, but that's kind of a novelty right now, and once that kind of thing becomes commonplace (where content creators are begging for cash every time you turn around), it's going to get very old, very fast. I suppose you could ask open source developers and others who have a 'donate' button on their site how much cash they get from their users. That might be a good indicator. Do they make enough to survive on? And would it be worth doing it full time, if all you're getting is chump change?

All I'm saying is that once these 'robber barons' go away and content creators are left at the mercy of the kindness of people's hearts, it may end up where people just stop trying to make money creating content because of the rampant piracy, unless they can come up with a way to force people to pay. This is a very real possibility.

As for Spotify and its ilk, check this out:
http://www.nme.com/news/architects/58551

Reply Parent Score: 1

Read more of this thread... >
RE: A little over-dramatic
by Neolander on Fri 10th Feb 2012 06:41 in reply to "A little over-dramatic"
Neolander Member since:
2010-03-08

I wish there was such a thing as a "+1 Most balanced opinion you have posted on those matters so far"

Reply Parent Score: 2