2004 will be remembered for many things. History will show us that it is the year the entertainment industry went to the wall in an all-out bid to wipe out internet file sharing. It will also mark the beginning of the end for the RIAA and MPAA.
The very evil RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) has been hammering file sharers since September, 2003, and has so far sued 6,191 people. Learning from their comrades in arms, the Wall Street Journal recently reported that the equally evil MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) has just mounted its own RIAA-style sue 'em all attack.
The entertainment industry finds it highly cost effective to sue normal people (like old ladies and students) with no financial or legal resources. They have no choice but to accept the entertainment industry's offer to 'settle'. (Where is David Bois now?)
Now, instead of running separate actions, the RIAA and MPAA will merge their resources and staffs to become the World Recording and Motion Picture Industry Association (WRAMPIA, pronounced 'wrampia').
Look at iTunes and MSN Music and the newest formation of Napster. THAT is a business model. Why did the RIAA reject this business model in the late 1990s? Now they are afraid of being left out and exposed for the expensive middle men that they are.
The movies are afraid that now with broadband the same thing will happen to them. They can’t fight the technology so they decided to merge. The last act of desperation by dying industry trade organizations.
Instead of suing your customers, figure out a way to make money with file sharing. It is easy. Apple figured it out. Microsoft figured it out. Napster figured it out. But you are too greedy.
