R.I.P. - Megaupload (SOPA/PIPA are unrelated)

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: R.I.P. - Megaupload (SOPA/PIPA are unrelated)

... Dak... You do realise how much money these companies make, right? It's.actually greed which is what pushed this bill the most. So what if a multi billionaire lost a few million, they are still billionaires....

1. Megaupload embodied $500 million in pirated materials That's a lot of money and royalties not getting to a lot of people that deserve it. Maybe you should look into royalties and how they work before you go off on shit you don't know about. This isn't just a few guys losing millions, its thousands of people not getting a cut for their work.

2. Anonymus lied about the passage of SOPA and PIPA as a basis for their attacks. SOPA and PIPA have been deep sixed to the lowest level of legislative hell. Nothing will happen with them. They might be broken apart and snuck into other bills, but the real watchdogss of the internet will take notice faster and post more comprehensive information on how they're trying to get by. New indpendent, legitimat organizations have been formed because of SOPA and PIPA to ensure this never happens again.

3. Megaupload was a gesture, a sacrificial lamb like Napster was. And it has also already been replaced by - wait for it - a place calling itself Megaupload under a new domain with the same structure. You haven't really lost anything here. It was a gesture to get a few rich old fucks to rest easy at night so the rest of their companies could get some work done on real, meaningful things.

That said, I have no sympathy for the people taken down in this, look at point #1. Lots of money lost. The people who ran the old version of that site are no more innocent than the people running the new version. They're scum. You might think they provide a service, but if you do, you're probably pirating shit. I have a friend that swears up and down that he used it as a storage area for the music he creates, yet I also know he owns several modded systems with tons of pirated games on them.

And no, I'm NOT posting the new domain for Megaupload. I've seen it three times today just browsing where I usually go. Its out there.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: R.I.P. - Megaupload (SOPA/PIPA are unrelated)

I just want to point out that if you believe all the tinfoil hatting in this video, you're never had the pleasure of dealing with the legal system. I'll simply reference the Geohotz thing with Sony. They arrested him, brought him in and then realized it would cost more to prosecute him than they'd ever get out of him. So they settled and got an agreement out of him. If Sony couldn't lock away that guy, how much do you think they're willing on blow on 1/4th of Americans that live paycheck to paycheck? It would cost even more to keep them in prison, clothed and fed than they could possibly ever sue for.

Also, could you imagine the taxes the rest of America would have to pay to keep 1/4th of the populace in jail? Even Hollywood would likely be on foodstamps were that the case. if advertising hadn't dried up well before that. The cost to keep that many people imprisoned would come through higher taxes and Americas would probably choose to starve Hollywood out of principle were they to face that kind of burden.

Hollywood only has power over an older generation. Our generation loves media, but we've become more than adept and entertaining each other. I've gone without regular TV for ten years now... I knew then what I know now - music, movies, TV shows, books, magazines and games would one day all be accessible on my terms and not something to plan my existence around. I was right and, hell, i can put all that in one pocket now. Plus that phone thing I don't care so much for.

[Armando]

Re: R.I.P. - Megaupload (SOPA/PIPA are unrelated)

This is why games are constantly being pushed to consoles or released with insane DRM, because assholes out there are only interested in making money or saving money at the expense of others. That greed is ruining it for everybody else.

I'm not sure I buy this; otherwise why are games coming out for both PC and consoles?

[Raydeus]

Re: R.I.P. - Megaupload (SOPA/PIPA are unrelated)

And more info keeps surfacing about Megabox, which explains quite a few things about all this mess.

A little video about it:

90% profit for the content creators, really? ZOMG now we know why the RIAA / MPAA parasites were scared out of their minds about Megaupload.

But, now that this is out in the open I seriously doubt more services like this one wont pop up. And I hope artists and other content creators aren't stupid enough to miss the chance to at least negotiate better deals after this or simply start their own services. After all, the main reason why these companies want to destroy the internet is because everyone has a chance of succeeding if they got talent, not matter how small they start. Net neutrality and freedom are their greatest foes for a good reason.

[Malacite]

Re: R.I.P. - Megaupload (SOPA/PIPA are unrelated)

So, wait I'm confused - is he implying that the crackdown on Megaupload was just a front for Big Business/Hollywood to keep more money for themselves by essentially screwing over artists who wanted to use Megaupload over traditional means?

Speaking as someone quite familiar with network marketing & other ways of cutting out the "middle man", I can wholly sympathise with anyone wanting to go with their offers - I mean holy shit, 90% returns on their hard work, as opposed to the shithead record labels that gouge these artists all kinds of money? Or even letting people get it for free and taking the lesser add money for the trade-off of much greater exposure - which is terrific for anyone new on the scene.

[Raydeus]

Re: R.I.P. - Megaupload (SOPA/PIPA are unrelated)

Yep, it really seems so.