Alt-BEAM Archive

Message #04529



To: beam@sgiblab.sgi.com
From: Peter Low peterlow@fletcherspaght.com
Date: Tue, 15 Jun 1999 20:50:21 -0400
Subject: [alt-beam] Re: Tilden on TV...


I was planning on keeping out of this discussion. Really. However...

VCRs have record buttons so that you can record something for your own use.
You can probably loan a copy to a friend without violating copyright.
However, you cannot make hundreds of copies of the tape and distribute them
without violating copyright.

Converting the video to digital form and posting it to a Web page is akin
to making hundreds of copies of a videotape--many people can take a copy of
the video and keep it. Even emailing the file to select individuals is
making multiple copies of the video.

This is why MP3s are illegal (if they are distributed without permission
from the copyright holder). It also explains why record companies are so
concerned about MP3s -- it's not that it's easier to make MP3s than to copy
to a tape, it's that it's easy to make infinite copies and distribute them
to anyone.

That said, I'm not saying that I haven't enjoyed watching South Park on my
computer or enjoyed listening to a few tunes or even copied pages from a
copyrighted book. I think that it's kind of like speeding--everyone knows
it's illegal, but everyone does it anyway (okay, don't flame me because I
said everyone and you claim not to).


At 08:05 PM 6/15/99 -0400, you wrote:
>Simply having nobel intent does not justify disrespecting someone's property
>rights.
>
>Thats saying the ends justify the means, and thats simply wrong.
>
>Its not up to you to decide that your intentions are good enough to take
>property thats
>not yours for the taking. There is a copyright after all. Why do you think
>they bothered
>with that? If its there property, they can distribute it according to their
>intentions.
>
>If I produced a BEAM video, would you feel that you could freely copy it, just
>becuse
>its to the advantage of something you find value in? So maybe this is some
>huge company,
>but its still there property.
>
>If you cannot be bothered to ask for permission, and you do copy it, I hope
>they
>sue.
>Apparently a lesson or two needs to be taught here.
>
>Just because its about BEAM does not give anyone the right to copy and
>distribute
>clearly copywritten material.
>
>And its not your responsibility, nor right to distriute their property to
>people
>who dont
>have cable or other access to the material.
>
>Burning books is not a factor here, you see, someone paid for each and every
>book, so printed
>matter is very different than electronic media.
>
>Lets say you pirate the video, and someone else finds in on the web years
>later,
>and includes it
>into a CD-ROM or something, then wham, they get sued becuase you violated a
>copyright.
>
>Or do you intent to put a copy warning on your illeagal copy?
>
>I just dont beleive people cannot understand when something does not belong to
>them, its
>not theirs to use.
>
>"Feser, Jason" wrote:
>
>> Lookey here pal. I'm not doing this to profit, I'm not doing this to make
>> myself 'cool' or 'rad' or anything. I'm simply doing this so people who
>> won't have the chance to see it on cable will still be able to see Tilden do
>> his thing, see his robots, learn from him, possibly gain some fresh ideas
>> etc. I'm not trying to take the credit or money from whoever made it -
>> indeed, I'm trying to get more people exposed to it. I guess you feel this
>> should be exclusive to the people who are lucky enough to afford cable or
>> happen to live in a wired area?
>>
>> Geez, you want to burn some books while were at it?
>>
>> Sheesh.
>
>It should be exclusive to the people who own it Jason, not who you see fit to
>have it. Simply put, its not yours to give away, for any reason. No reason
>gives
>you that right to anothers property.
>
>Is that so hard to understand?


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