• Stallman: End The File Sharing War

               
      by
      Project-Buckfast
      Published on 09-23-2010 06:47 AM
      2 Comments Comments
      Stallman: Lets End The File Sharing WarRichard Stallman, an American freedom activist who founded the Free Software Foundation and pioneered the concept of copyleft has thrashed anti piracy outfits and said it’s time to give file sharers a break and put the problem to bed.

      Stallman, who has long been involved with openness and is the main author of the most widely, used software license (GNU General Public License), hit out at anti piracy outfits and called for an end to the file sharing war. He even came up with some advice on how he thinks the problem could be solved for all involved.

      He suggests that governments introduce a new tax scheme that would help support artists work. The government would then distribute resources to artists depending on how popular they are. In essence “fairly successful” artists would be supported adequately. According to IT News, he also said that artists are “not entitled” to compensation from listeners.

      Stallman went on to say that artists could also earn more cash by using a donate type button where fans could pay what they wanted for the music.

      "A lot of people will push that button because it feels good to support the artist," he said.

      This concept proved successful for Radiohead a few years ago when they released the album In Rainbows. They simply let users pay what they thought the album was worth. There was no middle man, no label and no distributor. The album was made available exclusively on radiohead.com

      Stallman recently spoke at the World Computer Congress in Brisbane and told how our digital society needed to be "free" in order to be beneficial.

      SO, would you be interested in paying an extra tax to download how and when you want to or is this just a wacky idea? Whacky or not, the entertainment industry have showed us on numerous occasions that they have no interest in a resolution to the problem if it means a change in their business model.

      Let us knows your thoughts on a taxable file sharing world!
      Comments 2 Comments
      1. Thomas Tvivlaren's Avatar
        Thomas Tvivlaren - 09-23-2010, 07:57 AM
        At first glance the idea is a simple and good solution. This has been proposed by established politicians in Sweden quite a few years ago.

        Pondering about it a bit more results in the following obstacles towards it implementation:

        1) It is practically impossible to define "successful", i.e. hence portioning out money from the tax-funds renders futile. The reason why is that it requires one particular solution for measuring popularity or "success". In the past we had radio and tv broadcasts and then it was plausible with such a solution. Today our listening habits or - rather - music experiencing habits are nigh impossible to track. We stream, download, net radio broadcast, share with friends etc.

        2) We tend to forget that the musical industry (or any industry) is not permanent and without change and adaption. Hence, what defines the music industry of yesteryear is not necessarily the same as the industry of today nor the future. Industries evolve...or at least they should to flourish. That brings us to the 3rd point.

        3) Last but not least, a system like the one proposed will permanent the importance and influence of the big corporations while they are part of the problem as well as the past. It simply makes no sense. Before refrigerators became common goods ages ago the biggest company in Stockholm was Stockholm Ice. They delivered ice to households and restaurants. Imagine if we at that time had been proposing legislation tampering our human rights as well as our democratic societies...in order for them to survive? Ridiculous you might say but that is exactly, EXACTLY, what is going on today when the copyright and immaterial rights lobby is clawing down the freedom and liberties that many people and countries throughout the globe are still fighting for and longing for.

        We don't need Sony and the other greedy corporations dictating the future of music or any other cultural activity or art. As a matter of fact they should not dictate anything considering they themselves are rendered obsolote in the information era.

        Let them die or have them adapt! Please remember that the music industry is as flourishing as ever before and will not be affected by the demise of the big record labels.
      1. kenan's Avatar
        kenan - 10-05-2010, 12:31 AM
        I'd just like to interject for a moment...
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