Mark Cuban Tells Why He Is Backing GroksterVs.MGM

[DudeAsInCool]

http://www.blogmaverick.com/entry/1234000230037801/

[Redneck4sure]

That is one of the best articles you have posted, Dude. Mark being a local Dallas guy and all. I knew a little about him but learned something. He is always in the news around here. He is a very interesting guy and not a stuffed shirt at all.

[DudeAsInCool]

What did you think about the reply he got from the Fleetwood Mac guy?

[Redneck4sure]

2 sides to every issue. In my case I feel it is wrong to steal music but I do. Rednecks can do that. I am stealing it from a group that has been called a cartel by the U.S. AG's office. They rip me off through illegal price fixing and now I rip them off. This does hurt the content creators but I can live with that. The other point is that before Napster I bought very few and I mean like one or two cds a yr. Now I am buying at least 30 a yr for the last few yrs. I may steal a Fleetwood Mac cd but would I have bought it? Maybe. Now that I have stolen it I may buy a different cd with the money I saved. That content creator has made money because of filesharing. All in all I buy way more than I would if there was no filesharing. Look at record cartels recent numbers on sales. They seem to be doing all the good in a depressed economy. I don't do movies......not one. We buy the dvd.

How about you? I know you don't do the d/l thingy like I do but what is your take on what I said and the Fleetwood guy said?

edit: The record companies have pissed me off so much lately that I have seriously cut back on cd purchases. In fact I have bought only one this yr....Gabriel Young.

Edited April 3, 2005 by Redneck4sure

[DudeAsInCool]

How about you? I know you don't do the d/l thingy like I do but what is your take on what I said and the Fleetwood guy said?

Your a good example of why I think casual downloading only increases the purchasing of more entertainment. The only reason I dont download tons of music stuff is because I have a space problem on my computer which Google may just have solved with their increase of email storage :) Also, if I purchased something already, I dont see why I cant download it again. Movies are more problematic--I dont have a problem with people downloading--but sharing a $100m+ film could be a problem if someone is making mass copies for sale, like they do in China; the economics are much more complicated for movies than music.

The entertainment industry always misses out on innovation--they could have made Napster work. The problem this time around is that all the other greedy industries (communications and electronic software) are all vying for control of music and film distribution, and in essence are passive enablers

I think there are many solutions to the problem--here's one: electronic and entertainment products, dsl providers, etc could have a small surcharge added that would solve the issue, protect the artists, etc, provided they could figure out a way the revenue sharing would work. And then there's the solution I'm working on :)

[Redneck4sure]

I don't think it is right for someone to copy cds wholesale to be sold in stores. On the other hand it isn't right for the record companies to fix prices the way they do.

It's kinda hard to feel sorry for a guy that robs a little old lady and returns to his car only to find it has been stolen.

[DudeAsInCool]

I don't think it is right for someone to copy cds wholesale to be sold in stores.  On the other hand it isn't right for the record companies to fix prices the way they do.

Exactly. They want you to pay for every time you play something in a different format - which is rediculous. I have no sympathy for the music industry

[Redneck4sure]

And the Fleetwood Mac guy is wanting to make more money everytime you change formats so he can keep his insurance.

[DudeAsInCool]

And the Fleetwood Mac guy is wanting to make more money everytime you change formats so he can keep his insurance.

He did create the music...I'd like to see some money go in his pocket...

[Redneck4sure]

He deserves his share, no doubt. But why should I pay out the ass for the same album repeatedly? :)