http://www.techdirt.com/ Easily digestible tech news.... http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/08324323118/trade-group-representing-many-large-companies-claims-that-exceptions-blind-would-cast-aside-copyright.shtml#c206 Mon, 20 May 2013 08:23:38 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/08324323118/trade-group-representing-many-large-companies-claims-that-exceptions-blind-would-cast-aside-copyright.shtml#c206 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/08324323118/trade-group-representing-many-large-companies-claims-that-exceptions-blind-would-cast-aside-copyright.shtml#c182 Mon, 20 May 2013 08:23:35 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/08324323118/trade-group-representing-many-large-companies-claims-that-exceptions-blind-would-cast-aside-copyright.shtml#c182
I don't think they hate the blind, but they sure do present a nice heaping spoonful of malice towards anything or anyone that may threaten their bottom line.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/09430123119/eu-commission-sued-refusing-to-reveal-trade-agreement-documents-they-shared-with-lobbyists.shtml#c241 Mon, 20 May 2013 08:23:10 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/09430123119/eu-commission-sued-refusing-to-reveal-trade-agreement-documents-they-shared-with-lobbyists.shtml#c241 Any secrecy at all at the policy making level is absurd in a democratic society.

If they were negotiating some boring trade agreement then they would have nothing to fear? Its likely something else is being negotiated and the bargaining chips seem to be the basic freedoms every individual cherishes.

It has always been my opinion that any trade agreement that citizens/firms will be held accountable for MUST be publicly debated with FULL disclosure or it would be (completely, 100%) unconstitutional. Whatever nonsense rational defending such behavior should be not only ignored but hopefully prosecuted/impeached as the dangerous tyrannical tendencies they are.

Denying even one citizen a current copy (within a few days or better yet a web page updated daily) of such a treaties converts all the efforts done by such organizations/government into 'bad faith' negotiations.

All of the trade-associations/congress/EU might profess devoutly that they were only following some boring standard policy and had the legal standing to do so. When pressed at the impossibility of such behavior by a public body they might further whine about some imaginary terrorist threat. (As if that should make any difference in an open democratic process?!)

Public Safety is as nonsensical as any idiotic reason to deny public input. It can be easily reasoned that lack of openness would be a threat to public safety. Would not any public official acting in such a non open way be terrorizing the democratic process?

Worse is the normal habit of government and trade-associations to ignore public input. Its common that treaty-negotiators or government-agencies/departments/officials will ignore tens of thousands of valid citizens letters against some idiotic treaty in favor of a few biased corporate opinions.

Have no confidence in the EU or US court system to make any unbiased ruling in regards to the unconstitutionality of any secretly generated legislation. Especially in the US... When was the last time anyone heard of ANY act or bill that was ruled unconstitutional?

Reactionary,

AC pointed out that no good will come of any order of unmasking the secrecy or openness because the public will still be omitted from the negotiation table. The problems that manifested such behavior are still present and active... Voters are still likely electing the wrong people.

Another AC said]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/08324323118/trade-group-representing-many-large-companies-claims-that-exceptions-blind-would-cast-aside-copyright.shtml#c169 Mon, 20 May 2013 08:22:12 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/08324323118/trade-group-representing-many-large-companies-claims-that-exceptions-blind-would-cast-aside-copyright.shtml#c169 For someone who claims he's yet to take a position on how to reform copyright, his articles ALWAYS argue for less of it!

Yeah, he doesn't have 100% perfect information so he is completely incapable of forming opinions about copyright policy--unless someone proposes to limit it somehow, then he knows that's the right move. Not very convincing on his part. He's obviously working backwards at all times.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/08324323118/trade-group-representing-many-large-companies-claims-that-exceptions-blind-would-cast-aside-copyright.shtml#c166 Mon, 20 May 2013 08:21:28 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/08324323118/trade-group-representing-many-large-companies-claims-that-exceptions-blind-would-cast-aside-copyright.shtml#c166
If they do not want to let others help they should be required by law to do it themselves before any release to anybody.

Remember segregation? It's the same damn thing.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/08324323118/trade-group-representing-many-large-companies-claims-that-exceptions-blind-would-cast-aside-copyright.shtml#c142 Mon, 20 May 2013 08:21:01 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/08324323118/trade-group-representing-many-large-companies-claims-that-exceptions-blind-would-cast-aside-copyright.shtml#c142
These groups, which represent a minority of people, complain about conditions that affect them, and consistently seek help from the government and other entities are now trying to deny another small group of people governmental help?

Talk about hypocritical.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/08324323118/trade-group-representing-many-large-companies-claims-that-exceptions-blind-would-cast-aside-copyright.shtml#c125 Mon, 20 May 2013 08:20:30 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/08324323118/trade-group-representing-many-large-companies-claims-that-exceptions-blind-would-cast-aside-copyright.shtml#c125 Of course, it does no such thing. All it does is provide extremely limited situations in which copyright restrictions would be limited for the sake of making it easier for vision-impaired people to access works.

I know this is just another brainless FUD piece so you can attempt to discredit these pro-copyright people by making it sound like they hate the blind, but your argument that "it does no such thing" would be much more effective if you actually quoted the text of the proposed limitations and exceptions. You could also add something productive to the conversation by telling us your proposed solution to this problem. Or are you only capable of hit pieces like this that add ABSOLUTELY NOTHING POSITIVE to the debate?

The level of freakout from these giant companies over helping the blind is really quite incredible.

Your portrayal of these people as hating the blind is what I find to be "really quite incredible," as in, completely not believable and only reflective of your own deep-seated hatred of others who don't think the same as you. Again, if you cited the text and/or told us your suggestions, that would be a lot more productive. As it is, you just come across as a whiny blogger who is only capable of publishing mindless crap in a desperate attempt to discredit others. Add something positive to the discussion for once. Take a concrete stand yourself rather than just shitting on everyone else's beliefs. Seriously, you come across as writing for disgruntled eighth graders.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/08324323118/trade-group-representing-many-large-companies-claims-that-exceptions-blind-would-cast-aside-copyright.shtml#c120 Mon, 20 May 2013 08:19:57 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/08324323118/trade-group-representing-many-large-companies-claims-that-exceptions-blind-would-cast-aside-copyright.shtml#c120 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/08324323118/trade-group-representing-many-large-companies-claims-that-exceptions-blind-would-cast-aside-copyright.shtml#c107 Mon, 20 May 2013 08:19:34 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/08324323118/trade-group-representing-many-large-companies-claims-that-exceptions-blind-would-cast-aside-copyright.shtml#c107 http://www.techdirt.com/blog/casestudies/articles/20130508/06065623001/new-hope-how-going-free-to-play-brought-redemption-to-star-wars-mmo.shtml#c383 Mon, 20 May 2013 08:19:16 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/blog/casestudies/articles/20130508/06065623001/new-hope-how-going-free-to-play-brought-redemption-to-star-wars-mmo.shtml#c383
By your logic, Craigslist doesn't work. Way more than 70% of the ads are free -- it's probably about 99%, or more. All those damn freeloaders. And yet the company makes millions off of that small group of people that pay... fancy that!]]> http://www.techdirt.com/blog/casestudies/articles/20130508/06065623001/new-hope-how-going-free-to-play-brought-redemption-to-star-wars-mmo.shtml#c371 Mon, 20 May 2013 08:17:59 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/blog/casestudies/articles/20130508/06065623001/new-hope-how-going-free-to-play-brought-redemption-to-star-wars-mmo.shtml#c371 MULTIPLAYER online). If only a very few are playing, the game becomes almost impossible to play because you can't find anyone to play with (almost all the content worth playing needs multiple people to experience it--especially endgame content and PvP). With every MMO I've played, the main reason I quit was the lack of decent people playing at the time of day I was playing it. Those 'freeloaders' are providing a service in the game by creating a large player base which makes the game more valuable to the ones who are willing and able to pay. This is why their revenue doubled. At the rate things were going, if they didn't go f2p the game would have been dead in a year (and it's kinda hard to get any profit from a dead MMO).

The same is also true in any online game--the more players you have, the more value your game has for your players.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/08324323118/trade-group-representing-many-large-companies-claims-that-exceptions-blind-would-cast-aside-copyright.shtml#c101 Mon, 20 May 2013 08:15:42 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/08324323118/trade-group-representing-many-large-companies-claims-that-exceptions-blind-would-cast-aside-copyright.shtml#c101 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/08324323118/trade-group-representing-many-large-companies-claims-that-exceptions-blind-would-cast-aside-copyright.shtml#c81 Mon, 20 May 2013 08:14:48 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/08324323118/trade-group-representing-many-large-companies-claims-that-exceptions-blind-would-cast-aside-copyright.shtml#c81
I'm not an accountant, I don't know much about tax law. However I see reports of companies and the rich elite paying a lower % of tax than me or my small business. This annoys me and doesn't seem fair. I want something done. However I don't know enough about tax law to propose the correct changes.

Do you now see how it is possible to be opposed a state of affairs without having a clear solution for how to fix it?]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130508/10233423003/bug-allows-same-sex-marriage-nintendo-game-nintendo-releases-patch-to-fix-it.shtml#c3773 Mon, 20 May 2013 08:13:48 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130508/10233423003/bug-allows-same-sex-marriage-nintendo-game-nintendo-releases-patch-to-fix-it.shtml#c3773
Ensuring people of the same sex can kiss in public or get married is more important than ending the war on drugs.

How many people have been killed because they were gay? For all time.

How many people killed in the last ten years due to the war on drugs?

Priorities. What the hell is that? Shhhh! (Insert sport) game is about to start.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130518/17573523139/funniestmost-insightful-comments-week-techdirt.shtml#c230 Mon, 20 May 2013 08:11:37 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130518/17573523139/funniestmost-insightful-comments-week-techdirt.shtml#c230 long time.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/08324323118/trade-group-representing-many-large-companies-claims-that-exceptions-blind-would-cast-aside-copyright.shtml#c68 Mon, 20 May 2013 08:10:28 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/08324323118/trade-group-representing-many-large-companies-claims-that-exceptions-blind-would-cast-aside-copyright.shtml#c68
Don't be a filthy sight pirate. That would be breaking the DRM on your body, and that's far, far worse than raping someone, murdering them, and raping the corpse. out_of_the_blue agrees with this statement.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/09430123119/eu-commission-sued-refusing-to-reveal-trade-agreement-documents-they-shared-with-lobbyists.shtml#c224 Mon, 20 May 2013 08:08:31 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/09430123119/eu-commission-sued-refusing-to-reveal-trade-agreement-documents-they-shared-with-lobbyists.shtml#c224 We can hope...Indeed we can, but the anticapatory curtailing of in- and ex-haling is not recommended...]]> http://www.techdirt.com/blog/casestudies/articles/20130508/06065623001/new-hope-how-going-free-to-play-brought-redemption-to-star-wars-mmo.shtml#c362 Mon, 20 May 2013 08:04:58 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/blog/casestudies/articles/20130508/06065623001/new-hope-how-going-free-to-play-brought-redemption-to-star-wars-mmo.shtml#c362
"However, as it often the case in the free to play models, the people paying are only paying because the pay model is better than the free model."

Exactly. This is the crux of the argument. Whether it's EA's fiasco with Sim City, studios taking content off Netflix, regional and format windowing or even outright blocks, the moves of these companies has tended to be to make the paid version WORSE than the free version provided by pirates.

That's what people have been saying here all along. Make the paid version better than the pirated version (which is almost always possible), and people will pay. Make it worse, and people are less likely to pay. You'll never get anywhere with trying to force people to pay for an inferior product, but offer them a freebie then an upgrade? Not everyone will pay, but there's never been a time when 100% of entertainment consumers have paid for it - at least not directly.

"If they could get entirely for free what they have to pay for today, most if not all of them would just go free."

Do you have a citation, or is that just an assumption? I can certainly give examples of people paying for products that they can otherwise get for free, and many products have survived for many years without demanding an upfront payment from its audience. You just have to adjust for market realities - and artificial restrictions are no longer viable as a way to convince people to pay up.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/blog/casestudies/articles/20130508/06065623001/new-hope-how-going-free-to-play-brought-redemption-to-star-wars-mmo.shtml#c357 Mon, 20 May 2013 08:03:46 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/blog/casestudies/articles/20130508/06065623001/new-hope-how-going-free-to-play-brought-redemption-to-star-wars-mmo.shtml#c357
Exactly. Dedicated users will pay, but you need a large user base to make it appealing to dedicated users.

If the free version is satisfactory to most people then the free version is the actual product. This is a perfectly valid way to offer something for free, and is a proven model used all over the internet, from Techdirt to Vimeo to Dropbox to games.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/09430123119/eu-commission-sued-refusing-to-reveal-trade-agreement-documents-they-shared-with-lobbyists.shtml#c205 Mon, 20 May 2013 08:02:49 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/09430123119/eu-commission-sued-refusing-to-reveal-trade-agreement-documents-they-shared-with-lobbyists.shtml#c205
All I forsee is the US government playing ignorant (again) and pretending the documents the EU has to release about trade agreements don't exist and aren't public knowledge.]]>