MAJikMARCer 's Techdirt Comments

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  • On the post: Senator Joe Lieberman Follows Up His 'Report Blog As Terrorist' Letter By Asking Twitter To Block Pro-Taliban Feeds

    MAJikMARCer ( profile ), 28 Dec, 2011 @ 09:21am

    Re: This failed in Northern Ireland

    If things don't happen within the time frame of their term or the next reelection they don't think about it.

  • On the post: Senator Joe Lieberman Follows Up His 'Report Blog As Terrorist' Letter By Asking Twitter To Block Pro-Taliban Feeds

    MAJikMARCer ( profile ), 28 Dec, 2011 @ 09:16am

    Scary

    Terrorism is quickly becoming synonymous with Dissident. Before long anyone who disagrees with the Government will be considered a terrorist and locked away in Guantanamo.

    Perhaps I'm taking it too far but between things like this, SOPA/PIPA, and NDAA make it clear that the powers that be want to stifle speech and demonize dissidents.

    I can't tell if they are just power grabbing or if they are really afraid that the people will one day wake up and try to revolt.

  • On the post: The Great Digitization Or The Great Betrayal?

    MAJikMARCer ( profile ), 28 Dec, 2011 @ 08:28am

    And to those who say that digitization costs money, and that those costs must be recouped in some way, consider this: holding books in a library, and making them available to the public, costs money too, but that did not prevent the great libraries of the past from providing access to their holdings for free


    While I agree with this, I suspect this is the reason, at least the public reason. There may be greed behind the scenes too perhaps.

    What is troubling is the use of copyright to control these works. These digital items should be used for the further education of all, not just those who pay. Why should someone be restricted due to their method of access or location?

    We lost untold amounts of knowledge and history when the Library of Alexandria was destroyed. Some of our largest libraries today are not so different. The distribution of those one of a kind, priceless historical artifacts safely distributed on the Internet is a way to safe guard their loss, which is inevitable.

  • On the post: Lawmakers Propose Resale Right For US Artwork To Harm Young Artist & Help Already Successful Ones

    MAJikMARCer ( profile ), 28 Dec, 2011 @ 05:53am

    Just how many people does this bill "help"?

    I'm not suggesting that minority groups shouldn't have laws narrowly focused on them, but I wonder just how many people this bill would actually affect and how many of them are actually for it?

    As some one who used to dabble in the arts I can't help but understand this bill to a degree. If I'm just starting out and one of my early pieces sells for a few hundred dollars and then a couple years later I'm a big shot and my original piece is being resold for a much larger sum, sure I'd want a cut of that!

    But is that fair/reasonable? I sold that piece of art. It's no longer mine. Sure I created it, but I don't 'own' it any more. Why do I deserve a cut? The person who bought it, made a good investment. Of course the art could have just as easily not appreciated in value. At the time of original sale I didn't care about that. I was making a sale.

  • On the post: Prominent Rightwing Blogger Promises To Work Hard To Defeat Any Rightwing SOPA Supporters In Congress

    MAJikMARCer ( profile ), 23 Dec, 2011 @ 12:22pm

    Re:

    Hey no one said you can stand against piracy, but don't break the Constitution and/or other peoples rights to do it.

  • On the post: Prominent Rightwing Blogger Promises To Work Hard To Defeat Any Rightwing SOPA Supporters In Congress

    MAJikMARCer ( profile ), 23 Dec, 2011 @ 12:17pm

    I have to admit this whole thing was starting to get me pretty down but it's good to see that the PEOPLE still DO have a voice.

  • On the post: SOPA Supporters Learning (Slowly) That Pissing Off Reddit Is A Bad Idea

    MAJikMARCer ( profile ), 22 Dec, 2011 @ 02:38pm

    Action

    Nice to see some serious action taking place not just grumblings in forums and comments. (yes, guilt on that count)

  • On the post: Lamar Smith Says 'Just Joking…' About Tomorrow; SOPA Markup Postponed

    MAJikMARCer ( profile ), 22 Dec, 2011 @ 07:08am

    Re: Response to: MAJikMARCer on Dec 20th, 2011 @ 12:17pm

    Further back than that...Aliens

  • On the post: Scribd Comes Out Against SOPA By Making Documents Disappear

    MAJikMARCer ( profile ), 22 Dec, 2011 @ 06:07am

    Re: Re: re

    It would be nice if they did SOMETHING though. SO many people use Google that otherwise are unaware of SOPA or PIPA and they could educated the masses very quickly.

  • On the post: Did You Embed The Leaked Trailer For Dark Knight Rises On Your Blog? Under SOPA, You May Face Jail Time

    MAJikMARCer ( profile ), 21 Dec, 2011 @ 07:43am

    Re:

    So, someone out there breaks an embargo and releases a trailer (which are used for marketing purposes solely.) early.

    FANS of the movie find it, get excited and start sharing it. So you feel the FANS are the ones who should be punished with jail time? For being excited about a movie that they'll likely go see in the theater, perhaps multiple times, and later buy the DVD or BR? They are driving excitement for the movie. They should be punished because it's not on schedule? Go after the person or company that leaked it early. But even then do THEY deserve jail time?

    This is the ridiculousness of SOPA that Mike is trying to point out.

  • On the post: Guy Who Uploaded Early Version Of Wolverine, Which Appears Not To Have Hurt Movie At All, Gets 1 Year In Jail

    MAJikMARCer ( profile ), 21 Dec, 2011 @ 05:44am

    I couldnt help but picture Fox as Gollum yelling, "It's MINE!! MY PRECIOUS!! AHHHHHHH!!!" I'm sure there is a clip out there of that, but I don't want to be aiding and abetting criminal infringers (/s) so you'll just have to use your imagination. While that's still legal.

  • On the post: Lamar Smith Says 'Just Joking…' About Tomorrow; SOPA Markup Postponed

    MAJikMARCer ( profile ), 21 Dec, 2011 @ 05:32am

    Re: Re:

    The funny thing is that Burke was the 'business' voice and it fits for Smith just as well. Wait, that's not funny. That's just sad.

  • On the post: Court Not Impressed By Ascentive Seeking To Silence Complaints Via Trademark Law

    MAJikMARCer ( profile ), 21 Dec, 2011 @ 05:31am

    Customer Service

    If you have a bad product or poor customer service, fix it, don't try to silence those with complaints by trying to block their speech.

    Hey I get it, someone searches for information about your product and a complaint site comes up. It's not unreasonable to be mad about that. The thing is, search engines are not a marketing platform, though SEO people will tell you otherwise. It's a way for people to find information. Thankfully the judge, in this case, understood that: "because the complaints about Ascentive?s products are just what the average consumer might want to see when searching online for information"

    So again, why further taint your image with consumers by trying to silence one of their outlets for criticism, rather than trying to actually fix your business?

  • On the post: Lamar Smith Says 'Just Joking…' About Tomorrow; SOPA Markup Postponed

    MAJikMARCer ( profile ), 20 Dec, 2011 @ 12:17pm

    I say we nuke him from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

  • On the post: Three Strikes Approach Rejected By Irish Data Protection Commissioner, Gov't Seeks Censorship Plan Instead

    MAJikMARCer ( profile ), 20 Dec, 2011 @ 06:51am

    never going to stop it

    Are these entertainment companies really this naive? Piracy will continue because the market isn't fixed. It will be driven further underground, but it'll still happen.

    I liken this to pot prohibition. It's easy to grow at home, but due to laws people will find dealers instead, funding a serious criminal enterprise (just look towards Mexico).

    This'll end up being the next "War on...", with the government spending billions to stop something that most people will still do anyway.

    So good on ya entertainment companies, keep demonizing everyone for your shortsightedness. Then fill the jails with 'pirates' and bankrupt people with outrageous fines.

    Just don't blame us for laughing at the inevitable demise of your 'gatekeeper' industry. Creators and consumers will survive this. You will not.

  • On the post: Poll Suggests Americans Of All Ages, Political Positions, Locations… All Hate SOPA

    MAJikMARCer ( profile ), 19 Dec, 2011 @ 01:39pm

    Re: Re: A Thought

    The data is available on who voted what right now, but it's not really very easy to wade through. Additionally the sheer number of bills would make weighting difficult.

    It would be very difficult to create an unbiased website. Of course a bias, towards exposing corruption, might be a bias many could live with.

  • On the post: SOPA Markup Runs Out Of Time; Likely Delayed Until 2012 [Update: Or Not…]

    MAJikMARCer ( profile ), 16 Dec, 2011 @ 12:21pm

    Re: Re:

    While we all may be using social media to get the message out, why aren't all the tech companies that are against SOPA getting the word out. They can even be as impartial as possible, if they so choose.

    Facebook, Google, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, etc. should/could be putting data out there for people to read.

    While at recess the tech savvy should be getting the word out to others who use the Internet but might not know this is happening. The tech industry could take a major hit if this passes so why aren't they lobbying their users? They should be taking advantage of their strengths.

    The more people who know the more the issue will be discussed. Regardless of which side you are on this should be a good thing unless the goal is to simply sneak it in under the radar.

  • On the post: How SOPA 2.0 Sneaks In A Really Dangerous Private Ability To Kill Any Website

    MAJikMARCer ( profile ), 16 Dec, 2011 @ 12:12pm

    Re: It doesn't look nearly as broad as portrayed.

    "I was just following orders. It's not my fault."

  • On the post: SOPA Markup Day 1: We Don't Understand This Bill, It Might Do Terrible Things, But Dammit, We're Passing It Now

    MAJikMARCer ( profile ), 16 Dec, 2011 @ 08:28am

    Re:

    You'd think with all the Occupy movements lately that they'd try to hide their corruption a bit more, but probably most of them are the ones legitimately asking, "What do they want?" while at the same time sticking fingers in their ears.

    And this committee meeting has had MANY examples of people sticking their fingers in their ears and yelling, "lalalala I can't hear you. You are wrong. I am right. lalalalala"

  • On the post: Judge Says OtherOS Removal Was A Bad Business Decision But Not Illegal

    MAJikMARCer ( profile ), 16 Dec, 2011 @ 07:10am

    Re:

    There isnt a single Sony product in my home any longer. I had a PS2 for a long time but now that's gone too.

    Oh damn, i have a few Sony movies still. Shit.

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