Megaupload - Bye, Bye - Indicted!!

[scudder]

The music industry considered it piracy back in the day...
...anyone remember this?

I think there is a difference between giving a mixtape to a friend and uploading copyrighted MP3s to MegaDownload or whatever, making them available to the whole world.

Hey miketd...I noticed your writing here from CHINA!! I bit off topic but was wondering if you can comment on what YOU see over there with suggestions of China's disregard for the US and other country's intellectual property. We hear all the time in the US stories of BLATANT, uncontrolled copying of copyrighted intellectual and other property in China but what is your experience??

 

[Frisco]

Yeah I am hoping it doesn't pass, it would be a major setback in the evolution of the internet if it does.

My question is this: If the Feds have the authority/laws in place to have begun an investigation two years ago on MegaUpload, and now arrest and prosecute, why is this new law needed and being put out there, beyond the "Patriot Act" type of fascist head space of U.S. politics these days?

 

[scudder]

My question is this: If the Feds have the authority/laws in place to have begun an investigation two years ago on MegaUpload, and now arrest and prosecute, why is this new law needed and being put out there, beyond the "Patriot Act" type of fascist head space of U.S. politics these days?

Frisco, what kind of question is that!!?? How the else do you expect the Senators and Representatives who author and sponsor such bills to keep getting HUGE contributions from the industry these laws seek to "protect"??

 

[Frisco]

Well yeah (and there's a thread on that SOPA non-sense already.. don't want to thread jack, but the Mega bust was a part of my spiel as an example.. etc), the money does move the legislation in the U.S. .. true.

It seems to me, though, that corporate money should be spent on security measures for their products. The kind that disable functionality when not licensed, etc, rather than on creepy laws whittling away at the internet in general.

 

[Slug]

honestly that does not make any difference to the point he made.

Yes it does. because it was made regarding Windows 7 licensing.

before software licenses you bought something it was yours to modify or destroy as you wanted to.

Not necessarily. The concept of copyright has applied to artwork, music and the written word for much longer than computers have been around.

how is it that Software can be give a "Copyright" but a mathematical formula cannot?

I believe the general rule is that an 'idea' can't be patented or copyrighted, but someone with actual experience in this area will need to confirm.

 

[OstrichSaK]

Since Sony is so obnoxious I won't buy their products.

Thank you! I thought I was the only one that saw Sony for what they really were and they've proven this time and again for decades now.

 

[scudder]

But while we are at it how is it that Software can be give a "Copyright" but a mathematical formula cannot? After all Software is Math Formulas! Functions and Routines are recognized as part of the math family

I believe the general rule is that an 'idea' can't be patented or copyrighted, but someone with actual experience in this area will need to confirm.

You're pretty much correct there Slug. The "idea" of the formula cannot be protected in the same way that one cannot protect the "idea" of a chord of music or a super-special scrub brush. But if you take that formula/idea and incorporate it into a process and/or a device, then you can protect the device that was invented (via patent). If you take a series of chords and arrange it in a certain order to produce an "expression" within the hook/verse/chorus of a song, that arrangement can be copyrighted. If you take the "idea" of a super-special-scrub brush and merely describe a physical item in a way that you can lay claim to the incorporated ideas within the physical item, then you can get a patent for the device.

 

[argedion]

@ slug
yeah i believe you are correct. I was really just making a point. Actually for a Mathematical formula the reason it is not copyrightable is because its a natural process from what I understand meaning that because 2+2=4 is just a fact of life we all understand that if we add 2+2 we will end up with 4. This is UN-copyrightable because its a natural Law. And even if we don't know a particular formula now doesn't mean that nature will not reveal it to us one day.

At least that was my understanding of it.

I just get a tad fired up when I see Corporate America shoving their stuff down our throats. We have people who have entirely more than they need and we have children starving. I really just don't understand the priorities of our Government. I do believe that what belongs to someone belongs to them I also believe that there are "Dangers" that we all take as a part of our Lively hood. If I cannot sue the people I work for because I go hurt on the job during my everyday routines then why are they allowed to sue for a "known Danger" to theirs? In the end it boils down to he who has the most money. The "Laws" are fickle and change. Most follow the path of money.

Should sites like Megaupload be shutdown "hmm maybe" but only after the do process that our country has held so dear for the past two hundred something years. At what point will we be going to jail because someone thinks we have committed a crime? At what point will we be going to jail because someone thinks we might commit a crime? At what point will we be worried less about some law and more about people?

Ok I've rambled long enough but one final thought just for my own understanding:

If I buy a CD and then turn around it give it to someone is that considered illegal distribution of a intellectual product? Or am I just being a smarty pants

 

[Bob Maxey]

Feds Say 7 From Megaupload.com Ran Massive Worldwide Piracy Website | Fox News

not sure if anyone else has seen this, but the Feds busted the founders of megaupload.com and have blocked the site.........

And so it begins . . .

Found this:

"Swizz Beatz, a.k.a Kasseem Dean or Mr. Alicia Keys, was officially listed on Megaupload

 

[new optimus]

I became a huge Metallica fan because of Metallica Vs. Napster.

?
became a fan because they started suing their fans?
Thats the first time I heard that.
Heard a lot of people moved away from them because of that entire debacle.

 

[Bob Maxey]

@ slug
yeah i believe you are correct. I was really just making a point. Actually for a Mathematical formula the reason it is not copyrightable is because its a natural process from what I understand meaning that because 2+2=4 is just a fact of life we all understand that if we add 2+2 we will end up with 4. This is UN-copyrightable because its a natural Law. And even if we don't know a particular formula now doesn't mean that nature will not reveal it to us one day.

How can math be natural? 2 + 2 X 3 is either 12 or 8. Nature knows the truth and when it comes to natural laws, there is only one answer.

Smiley.

 

[scudder]

If it were possible, I could "patent" ideas for things I assume will eventually be created, that I have no ability to create or produce.

Yup, like the idea I had for a phone back in 1989...I called it "MiPhone"...where there were no buttons....just a screen where one could swappy swippy swipe their finger around and move stuff and do stuff...

I thought I had a great "idea"...I should have pursued the thing I think...

 

[Bob Maxey]

?
became a fan because they started suing their fans?
Thats the first time I heard that.
Heard a lot of people moved away from them because of that entire debacle.

It was a big deal. Metallica got tired of having their hard work being freely distributed on the web and they took umbrage and went after Napster in Federal Court. I became a fan.

Many fans objected because although the loved the band, they did not want to pay for the music.

Apparently, the song, "Happy Birthday" is owned by AOL Time Warner, so be careful. They might drop the billions of AOL install disks on your head and crack your brain.

honestly that does not make any difference to the point he made.

before software licenses you bought something it was yours to modify or destroy as you wanted to.

where would the auto industry be if you could not modify your car?

Paint it, chop it, channel it, chrome plate the body, remove the carpet or chop it up and sell the pieces, it is yours. Absolutely, no problem.

However, you can't copy it and sell those copies. Forgetting just how much work would be required, you cannot manufacture and sell Fords of Corvettes. Nothing has changed.

You do not own the software you purchase, just the right to use it in accordance with the TOS or licence agreement you signed. You can purchase a DVD, but you are not purchasing the content, just using it. Ditto books.

 

[mikedt]

Hey miketd...I noticed your writing here from CHINA!! I bit off topic but was wondering if you can comment on what YOU see over there with suggestions of China's disregard for the US and other country's intellectual property. We hear all the time in the US stories of BLATANT, uncontrolled copying of copyrighted intellectual and other property in China but what is your experience??

Yup, that's exactly how it is here, pretty much everything you read and hear about it is true.

 

[9to5cynic]

Not sure if this has been mentioned, but in this case, more than just LOIC was used. They also used a new JS ddos tool... Kinda cool, especially, because from what I read, it could easily be used unknowinly by someone. So, that tool is kinda immune from what I read. At least, for now.

Anyone else really like how these people who don't understand the Internet get to make laws about it... >.>

---
Also, slightly off topic:
Anyone hear about the new bill HR 1981 I believe, meant to "protect children" is supposed to mandate that ISPs keep a boat load of info about everything people do online... even credit cards from what I read, but I'm not sure how that'll work with SSL ...?

 

[mikedt]

Apparently, the song, "Happy Birthday" is owned by AOL Time Warner, so be careful. They might drop the billions of AOL install disks on your head and crack your brain.

That's true...
snopes.com: Happy Birthday Copyright

 

[Slug]

If I buy a CD and then turn around it give it to someone is that considered illegal distribution of a intellectual product? Or am I just being a smarty pants

I think you already know the answer to that.....

 

[argedion]

Well since we don't actually own anything maybe we should just quit buying things.

Go to work. Get Married
Have kids. Pay your taxes
Pay your bills. Watch your tv
Follow Fashion. Act Normal
OBEY THE LAW
and repeat after me
I AM FREE
-V

 

[Bob Maxey]

Well since we don't actually own anything maybe we should just quit buying things.

Go to work. Get Married
Have kids. Pay your taxes
Pay your bills. Watch your tv
Follow Fashion. Act Normal
OBEY THE LAW
and repeat after me
I AM FREE
-V

Worse than that. You can sell your car or parts of your car but you cannot sell body parts like kidneys. You can rent your car for pleasure but not your body. So your car has more "rights."

If one of your genes is patented, there is a suggestion that someone now owns you. If you happen to grow a field of corn next to Monsanto and it is cross-pollinated with Monsanto's corn, they might come a knocking and take your corn. That happened.

In most places, you can't even kill yourself or you are breaking the law, but you can put your cat to sleep. You apparently cannot grow corn to feed your family or you run up against the Depart of Commerce.

We are screwed, apparently.

I read a comment that went something like this: You kill Michael Jackson and you get four years in prison. You point a link on your web site to his music and you get five years.

 

[9to5cynic]

I read a comment that went something like this: You kill Michael Jackson and you get four years in prison. You point a link on your web site to his music and you get five years.

But we must protect ideas.... uh huh.

 

[Kaiser17]

Well I just realized megaupload was shutdown by the FBI, when I went there to download a BootAnimation, I saw that big notice the FBI put up. NOTICE

Im not shocked that it happened, but im just surprised that it did because it was probably the #1 upload site to upload warez and other files in general (non-warez) and has been among one of the most popular websites in the world. Im actually surprised to see that it actually took megaupload this long for it to get shutdown.

I'd use either megaupload or mediafire when I would need to upload important files to share. Lately I have been using mediafire to upload my files since it doesn't require a code and you don't have to wait to download a file, so im happy my files didn't go to waste.. for the record they weren't warez files as im not into that kind of stuff but they were files such as BootAnimations, Themes, PRL's, Wallpapers, etc.

Also the owners are in some big trouble too, read more in this article http://torrentfreak.com/megaupload-shut-down-120119/


(My apologies if a thread was made on this already, but I haven't seen it as this forum is quite big)

What are all of your thought on this?

 

[Frisco]

(My apologies if a thread was made on this already, but I haven't seen it as this forum is quite big)

What are all of your thought on this?

Hello Kaiser17. I merged your new thread with this one already created on the Megaupload legal issues.

My thoughts about it? They were allowing for public stealing of copyrighted material, so after a 24 month gathering of evidence the authorities moved on it.

 

[Kaiser17]

Hello Kaiser17. I merged your new thread with this one already created on the Megaupload legal issues.

My thoughts about it? They were allowing for public stealing of copyrighted material, so after a 24 month gathering of evidence the authorities moved on it.

Thanks Frisco for merging it, if I had seen this thread earlier I would have just replied to it instead of making a new one.

 

[Kaiser17]

Anyways by quick glance of the posts in this thread to those of you guys that are saying this is a result of SOPA/PIPA, it is not because both laws haven't been passed yet. This is a result of a long investigation by the FBI which has nothing to do with SOPA/PIPA.

However if I remember correctly PIPA will be voted on by the senate on the 24th (2 days from now) but for SOPA there isn't a confirmed date.

 

[Frisco]

Thanks Frisco for merging it, if I had seen this thread earlier I would have just replied to it instead of making a new one.

You're welcome, but no apology necessary; the merge was to direct you to the discussion here while using your post as another contribution to it.