Overcast 's Techdirt Comments

Latest Comments (1367)

• On the post: Arizona Internet Censorship Bill So Ridiculous, Even The MPAA And RIAA Are Against It

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 03 Apr, 2012 @ 08:10am

  Yeah, screw rights. Americans don't need rights.
  
  This is about profits, good old boys, and agenda - what could be more important?

• On the post: Plankhead Discovers The Most Effective Anti-Piracy Technique: Public Domain Dedications

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 02 Apr, 2012 @ 01:22pm

  Tell that to Red Hat. They make a billion dollars a year off of free software.
  
  And to VMWare.
  
  Why is VMWare the virtualization leader? Because there's a free version out there - that's why. The other software that does the same: Hyper-V, XenServer, etc - are free now, sure - but they realized they HAD to be, because VMWare's 'free' stance on their product was impossible to compete with. So now, years later after the geeks got 'hooked' on VMWare Server that was and still is free - multiple companies rely on it.
  
  Give it away to the geeks for free, and make MASSIVE profits once they push management with the 'awesome' software they found.
  
  The companies pay for the ESX hosts, support, and the enterprise versions of the software. I daresay if VMWare server wasn't free, they wouldn't be the leader in this field. Many companies are now not only virtualizing their data centers with VMWare, but also their smaller sites. My company is doing just that and paying VMWare hand over fist for it, because it does offer a good ROI.
  
  Music can do just the same, albeit the model needs to be different.
  
  I was looking at concert tickets, but like a CD - they are just too much in terms of cost. I mean, for the $120.00 I would pay for my wife and I to go to a concert, I could spend all day at the Zoo or an Amusement park. They need to COMPETE, they forget about 'other things to do', they focus entirely on 'sales per song'. That's just not going to work now.
  
  They need to look at the whole scope of musical interest.
  
  So ok - give out the music.
  
  Then drop ticket prices at the concert - if needed. If you are filling the venue, then you are pricing it right, maybe I'm just cheap.
  
  Start up a 'clearing house' of sorts - the RIAA could drive this. A web site where you can pay for a yearly subscription with 100 downloads a month, offer more downloads for a higher yearly fee.
  
  Make the fee reasonable - not $49.99 a month, make it $29.95 a year for the basic and go up from there.
  
  This web site could not only offer downloads, but it could offer a user with an account - so that they could track their downloads, re-download anytime anywhere.
  
  The limits would keep people from just giving out the login info to friends. But there's one more thing that could majorly limit 'giving out' the accounts... Prizes.
  
  That's right - glittering prizes with some compromises :P
  
  So a user is downloading MP3's - oh my, a window pops up and says they just won 4 concert tickets and a t-shirt, click here to respond within 15 minutes! People wouldn't want to risk missing that chance because a friend was logged in I'm willing to bet.
  
  You know - remember how radio did it? Free prizes, back stage passes, t-shirts.
  
  But here's the last part that's the biggest part...
  
  It HAS to be linked to social media as a "OMG, Brett Musician just posted on my Facebook, I LOVE THIS SITE!!"
  
  See - the lure of being 'special' is what will sell, no?
  
  The lure of extra 'goodies' you can't get anywhere else will also sell.
  
  The yearly fees - would cover 2+ CD's bought by a person each year.
  
  The revenue stream would lessen PER SONG, but overall I bet it would spike up big time. Because... you offer a good that's... scarce.
  
  Special Tickets or Passes/Prizes/Unique Items/Social Media with the band.
  
  See? Someone could make a mint off of that if done right. Maybe I should have patented that, huh?

• On the post: Forget SOPA, You Should Be Worried About This Cybersecurity Bill

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 02 Apr, 2012 @ 12:33pm

  HA!
  
  You really think that some idiot kids doing some temporary vandalism is the justification needed to take away your privacy and letting the gov't spy on everyone? Are you insane?
  
  No, but our 'leaders' are insane...
  
  These are just the things they use to push these laws. Of course, the media hypes it like it's a huge deal.
  
  We, as IT people know that 'lulzsec' - or whatever, is likely pimple faced basement dwelling intorverts that know how to script well, because the only friends they have are Notepad++ and The internet.
  
  But give that to the media and the spin becomes:
  
  "Malicious hacking group 'lulsec' is threatening the country by hacking the DOD's web site... " - yada yada...
  
  When all that was really done is some joke put up on the main page, etc.
  
  So NO, it's not a legit justification technically, but spin it in the media and it will become the 'justification' that congress needs to pass more laws that take away our rights and give them to corporations.

• On the post: Forget SOPA, You Should Be Worried About This Cybersecurity Bill

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 02 Apr, 2012 @ 12:26pm

  Funny you use this analogy, when literally, one of the scare tactics being used to push crap like this, is that planes are going to start falling from the sky.
  
  Let them, as long as my rights are upheld.
  
  You can never get real 'security' from a government that's not willing to also give you your liberty; at that point you just have a different entity that you'll need to be secured from: Government.
  
  For if Government provides enough 'security' to control everything, then the people will need security FROM government.
  
  I mean - any tyrant can say he'll provide 'security' - few leaders really work to provide 'rights'. Perhaps this sums it up best:
  
  Thomas Jefferson: ?A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have.?

• On the post: Forget SOPA, You Should Be Worried About This Cybersecurity Bill

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 02 Apr, 2012 @ 12:22pm

  My rep was a co-sponser and I just emailed him :)
  
  Do the same folks - get the fires burning on this. Don't let them sneak this one past us.
  
  If a corporation is entitled to this 'information' - then it should be public.
  
  Why do they get more rights than citizens, when the constitution outlines the guarantee of individual rights - not corporate rights.

• On the post: Forget SOPA, You Should Be Worried About This Cybersecurity Bill

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 02 Apr, 2012 @ 12:04pm

  Anyone know where the list of actual cosponsors can be found? The links just say that there are over 100 of them.
  
  http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/112/hr3523
  
  There's a link on there.
  
  Rep. Mark Amodei [R-NV2]
  Rep. Michele Bachmann [R-MN6]
  Rep. Dan Boren [D-OK2]
  Rep. Michael Burgess [R-TX26]
  Rep. Ken Calvert [R-CA44]
  Rep. Ben Chandler [D-KY6]
  Rep. Michael Conaway [R-TX11]
  Rep. Norman ?Norm? Dicks [D-WA6]
  Rep. John ?Phil? Gingrey [R-GA11]
  Rep. Luis Guti?rrez [D-IL4]
  Rep. Joe Heck [R-NV3]
  Rep. Peter ?Pete? King [R-NY3]
  Rep. Adam Kinzinger [R-IL11]
  Rep. James ?Jim? Langevin [D-RI2]
  Rep. Frank LoBiondo [R-NJ2]
  Rep. Michael McCaul [R-TX10]
  Rep. Jeff Miller [R-FL1]
  Rep. Sue Myrick [R-NC9]
  Rep. Devin Nunes [R-CA21]
  Rep. Mike Pompeo [R-KS4]
  Rep. Thomas Rooney [R-FL16]
  Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger [D-MD2]
  Rep. John Shimkus [R-IL19]
  Rep. Lee Terry [R-NE2]
  Rep. Michael ?Mike? Thompson [D-CA1]
  Rep. Frederick ?Fred? Upton [R-MI6]
  Rep. Greg Walden [R-OR2]
  Rep. Lynn Westmoreland [R-GA3]
  Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen [R-NJ11] (joined Dec 08, 2011)
  Rep. Robert Latta [R-OH5] (joined Dec 08, 2011)
  Rep. Patrick McHenry [R-NC10] (joined Dec 08, 2011)
  Rep. Ben Quayle [R-AZ3] (joined Dec 08, 2011)
  Rep. Kevin Yoder [R-KS3] (joined Dec 08, 2011)
  Rep. David ?Dave? Camp [R-MI4] (joined Dec 16, 2011)
  Rep. Timothy Walberg [R-MI7] (joined Dec 16, 2011)
  Rep. Anna Eshoo [D-CA14] (joined Dec 20, 2011)
  Rep. Michael Michaud [D-ME2] (joined Dec 20, 2011)
  Rep. Mike Coffman [R-CO6] (joined Jan 18, 2012)
  Rep. Robert ?Bob? Goodlatte [R-VA6] (joined Jan 18, 2012)
  Rep. David McKinley [R-WV1] (joined Jan 18, 2012)
  Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers [R-WA5] (joined Jan 18, 2012)
  Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen [R-FL18] (joined Jan 18, 2012)
  Rep. John Sullivan [R-OK1] (joined Jan 18, 2012)
  Rep. Randy Forbes [R-VA4] (joined Jan 25, 2012)
  Rep. Frank Wolf [R-VA10] (joined Jan 25, 2012)
  Rep. Darrell Issa [R-CA49] (joined Jan 31, 2012)
  Rep. Gary Miller [R-CA42] (joined Jan 31, 2012)
  Rep. Clifford ?Cliff? Stearns [R-FL6] (joined Jan 31, 2012)
  Rep. Tom Cole [R-OK4] (joined Feb 01, 2012)
  Rep. Michael Turner [R-OH3] (joined Feb 01, 2012)
  Rep. Mo Brooks [R-AL5] (joined Feb 07, 2012)
  Rep. John Carter [R-TX31] (joined Feb 07, 2012)
  Rep. Vicky Hartzler [R-MO4] (joined Feb 07, 2012)
  Rep. Bill Huizenga [R-MI2] (joined Feb 07, 2012)
  Rep. Dan Benishek [R-MI1] (joined Feb 13, 2012)
  Rep. Paul Broun [R-GA10] (joined Feb 13, 2012)
  Rep. Michael Grimm [R-NY13] (joined Feb 13, 2012)
  Rep. Brett Guthrie [R-KY2] (joined Feb 13, 2012)
  Rep. Candice Miller [R-MI10] (joined Feb 13, 2012)
  Rep. Michael ?Mike? Rogers [R-AL3] (joined Feb 13, 2012)
  Rep. Geoff Davis [R-KY4] (joined Feb 14, 2012)
  Rep. Doc Hastings [R-WA4] (joined Feb 14, 2012)
  Rep. Leonard Lance [R-NJ7] (joined Feb 14, 2012)
  Rep. Patrick Meehan [R-PA7] (joined Feb 14, 2012)
  Rep. Spencer Bachus [R-AL6] (joined Feb 16, 2012)
  Rep. Mary Bono Mack [R-CA45] (joined Feb 16, 2012)
  Rep. John Kline [R-MN2] (joined Feb 16, 2012)
  Rep. Pete Olson [R-TX22] (joined Feb 16, 2012)
  Rep. Aaron Schock [R-IL18] (joined Feb 16, 2012)
  Rep. William ?Bill? Shuster [R-PA9] (joined Feb 16, 2012)
  Rep. Joe Baca [D-CA43] (joined Feb 27, 2012)
  Rep. Chuck Fleischmann [R-TN3] (joined Feb 27, 2012)
  Rep. Phil Roe [R-TN1] (joined Feb 27, 2012)
  Rep. Leonard Boswell [D-IA3] (joined Feb 28, 2012)
  Rep. Kristi Noem [R-SD0] (joined Feb 28, 2012)
  Rep. Rob Wittman [R-VA1] (joined Mar 01, 2012)
  Rep. Marsha Blackburn [R-TN7] (joined Mar 05, 2012)
  Rep. Alcee Hastings [D-FL23] (joined Mar 05, 2012)
  Rep. Randy Hultgren [R-IL14] (joined Mar 05, 2012)
  Rep. Robert Hurt [R-VA5] (joined Mar 05, 2012)
  Rep. Rick Crawford [R-AR1] (joined Mar 08, 2012)
  Rep. Bill Johnson [R-OH6] (joined Mar 08, 2012)
  Rep. Adrian Smith [R-NE3] (joined Mar 08, 2012)
  Del. Madeleine Bordallo [D-GU0] (joined Mar 19, 2012)
  Rep. Trent Franks [R-AZ2] (joined Mar 19, 2012)
  Rep. Rick Larsen [D-WA2] (joined Mar 19, 2012)
  Rep. Albio Sires [D-NJ13] (joined Mar 19, 2012)
  Rep. Edolphus ?Ed? Towns [D-NY10] (joined Mar 19, 2012)
  Rep. Jim Cooper [D-TN5] (joined Mar 22, 2012)
  Rep. Joseph Pitts [R-PA16] (joined Mar 22, 2012)
  Rep. Mike Ross [D-AR4] (joined Mar 22, 2012)
  Rep. Jon Runyan [R-NJ3] (joined Mar 22, 2012)
  Rep. Roscoe Bartlett [R-MD6] (joined Mar 29, 2012)
  Rep. Brian Bilbray [R-CA50] (joined Mar 29, 2012)
  Rep. Dennis Cardoza [D-CA18] (joined Mar 29, 2012)
  Rep. Jim Costa [D-CA20] (joined Mar 29, 2012)
  Rep. Morgan Griffith [R-VA9] (joined Mar 29, 2012)
  Rep. Larry Kissell [D-NC8] (joined Mar 29, 2012)
  Rep. Mike McIntyre [D-NC7] (joined Mar 29, 2012)
  Rep. William Owens [D-NY23] (joined Mar 29, 2012)
  Rep. Collin Peterson [D-MN7] (joined Mar 29, 2012)
  Rep. Steve Scalise [R-LA1] (joined Mar 29, 2012)
  Rep. Heath Shuler [D-NC11] (joined Mar 29, 2012)
  Rep. Steve Stivers [R-OH15] (joined Mar 29, 2012)
  Rep. Addison ?Joe? Wilson [R-SC2] (joined Mar 29, 2012)
  Rep. Rob Woodall [R-GA7] (joined Mar 29, 2012)

• On the post: Forget SOPA, You Should Be Worried About This Cybersecurity Bill

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 02 Apr, 2012 @ 12:02pm

  If this bill is such a bad thing to worry about, why wasn't it reported on until now?
  
  That's by design - haven't people noticed congress' tactics yet?
  
  Release some nonsensical bill that could never pass - while a furor ensues - they pass the one they had intended to pass all along behind the backs of the people. It's why Dec. 31st is such a popular day for just that.

• On the post: Forget SOPA, You Should Be Worried About This Cybersecurity Bill

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 02 Apr, 2012 @ 11:45am

  Yeah, we'll start hearing story after story about "this and that hacked" - trying to justify the government control.

• On the post: Is There Any Value In Cracking Down On 'Piracy' If It Doesn't Increase Sales?

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 02 Apr, 2012 @ 10:05am

  There is value for the lawyers, yes.
  Value for the court system perhaps in terms of more money.
  Perhaps some value for special interests.
  Value for politicians taking the kickbacks, sure.
  
  Value for consumers? No.
  Value for the RIAA/et al...? Naaa, just a cost in legal fees. The chances of them actually collecting from 'Jon/Jane Doe' is pretty much nil.
  
  Most people, if they got a 100,000+ judgment on them would just discharge it in bankruptcy.

• On the post: How The RIAA & MPAA Are Like The Anti-Innovation German Weavers' Guild Of The 16th Century

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 02 Apr, 2012 @ 09:03am

  Oh and check this out....
  
  Korn came out with a new CD recently. Someone... gave me a physical copy, OMG!!!!
  
  I didn't need torrent!!!
  
  OMG!!!
  
  Stop that SOPA.
  
  On the flip side - I bought the CD, and... **I wouldn't have, if I didn't get that copy.** I listened to it a couple times, liked it and bought it - like I usually do when I find music I like.
  
  I don't typically buy music without hearing it first. Just makes sense, you know? To know what you are getting? What a novel idea.
  
  But he didn't have to give me that copy, I could have:
  
  Heard it free on the radio
  Heard it free on the Web
  Heard it free at a club
  Heard it free at the library
  Heard it free on Cable Music
  Heard it free at a demo at a store
  Heard it free in an online game like Second Life
  Heard it free when a friend was playing it
  Heard it free ... (insert something here)
  
  In all of these 'heard it free' scenarios - I wouldn't have bought the CD if I hadn't... heard it free, first.
  
  So you owe a sale to a 'pirate', lol.
  
  I mean seriously - you and I well know that 90% of music sales - I bet the person buying the music has already heard it free somewhere before.
  
  95%+ of my music I had heard for free before buying it. Now - I insist on 100% of my purchased to hear it free first, and why not?

• On the post: How The RIAA & MPAA Are Like The Anti-Innovation German Weavers' Guild Of The 16th Century

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 02 Apr, 2012 @ 08:54am

  Simply put - the RIAA and MPAA are the "good ol' boys" club. They want no change, they don't care about customers or the artists, they don't care about advances in technology - only profits.
  
  It would suit them fine to forever live in the 70's, selling 8-Tracks and Records as long as the profits keep coming.
  
  If they could charge you per note you listen to - they would do it, if they could charge you not just when you buy the music, but each time you listen they would be in heaven.
  
  This article only proves as much.

• On the post: Sneeje's Favorite Techdirt Posts Of The Week

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 31 Mar, 2012 @ 02:42pm

  Yes, same here. We must insist upon our rights - any "security" that is obtained by the relinquishing of our rights is no security at all. That is just a change in where the threat to liberty lies.
  
  I mean - why have a TSA, EPA, FCC, FAA, and Government? The concept is that they exist to protect our rights, first and foremost.
  
  That's like cutting off the head to cure the headache...

• On the post: How The TSA's Security Theater Harms Us All

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 30 Mar, 2012 @ 03:30pm

  "How The TSA is Actively and Willfully Helping The Terrorists Win"
  
  Because the TSA are the actual terrorists?
  
  At the rate our government is taking away rights, and rampaging out of control - terrorists won't matter... The US Government will destroy the concept of this country long before any terrorist can.
  
  9/11 did a lot of damage to us - well, let's say it sparked the government tyranny phase - and that's what's done the most damage to our way of life - not the planes hitting the buildings.

• On the post: How The TSA's Security Theater Harms Us All

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 30 Mar, 2012 @ 03:28pm

  Yeah, I trust the TSA.
  
  I trust them to be rude, insensitive, and I trust they will grope all over me and nitpick over everything.
  
  I also trust that they will have little real impact and also trust that the whole concept is about politics, greed, and control.
  
  And I'll just rent cars when I travel, I do trust that Hertz and others will have a car ready to go when I need it... :)

• On the post: If ACTA Is So Great, Where Are All The Supporters Extolling Its Virtues?

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 30 Mar, 2012 @ 03:25pm

  They are busy, downloading torrents.

• On the post: Major League Soccer Abusing The DMCA To Censor Controversial Clip Of Player Misconduct

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 30 Mar, 2012 @ 03:24pm

  As if the MLS wasn't already bad enough - not only do they try to cover this up obviously, but break the law in doing it.
  
  Fail.
  
  I would boycott them, but I was never a big MLS fan, and I certainly won't change that now! lol

• On the post: Web Series To Explore The Impact Of The Internet On Heavy Metal

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 30 Mar, 2012 @ 07:47am

  Without the tubes half of the world wouldn't know anything besides Metallica and AC/DC.
  
  I wouldn't have known about either - except for the cassette tape copies I got back in the 80's.
  
  After that, I proceeded to buy everything both bands had ever done. Up until the Metallica Napster thing - after that, I didn't buy anymore or their CD's.
  
  And man - I have: Kill them All, Ride the Lightning, Master of Puppets, And Justice for all on both Cassette (yes still) and CD. All the rest, except for the bootleg 'alcoholica' I have on one or the other.
  
  Made me MAD that Metallica had the nerve to make MONEY off of their video that was ALMOST ALL BOOTLEG video - that the band profited off of - which I also bought.
  
  Isn't the RIAA concerned about the 'artists' in that bootleg video???? The 'artists' who illegally filmed the video and then gave it to Metallica who then in turn created a video and sold it....
  
  Hypocrites.

• On the post: Court Suggests Politically Motivated Border Searches May Be Unconstitutional

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 29 Mar, 2012 @ 01:20pm

  Probably 50% of the searches performed by 'law enforcement' now are illegal.
  
  Drunk Driving Checkpoints
  TSA Searches
  Border Searches
  
  In all cases - the above ASSUMES guilt before proven in a court of law, and in the majority of the same cases, there is no probable cause at all.

• On the post: National Highway Transportation Safety Agency Says You Can Keep Your GPS — As Long As It's Completely Useless

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 29 Mar, 2012 @ 11:18am

  I thought the number one cause of car related deaths, was being near a car. The NHTSA should just eliminate cars all together.
  
  They tend to ignore the 40,000 a year that die on the highways due to being too drunk to drive it seems.
  
  But really, the number one cause of car related deaths are idiots on the road.

• On the post: National Highway Transportation Safety Agency Says You Can Keep Your GPS — As Long As It's Completely Useless

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 29 Mar, 2012 @ 11:15am

  I suspect the same idiots who drive paying only attention to the GPS are one in the same as those who hold up the map at the steering wheel while driving.
  
  I really doubt the GPS itself has much to do with bad drivers...

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