# Why Big Media Really Shut Down MegaUpload: To Kill The Competition



## qubit (Jan 26, 2012)

Judging by a report on TechCrunch reporting on a new (conspiracy?) theory why MegaUpload was really shut down, it appears that MegaUpload was on the verge of launching a new business model for artists, which would have blasted the likes of the RIAA and the big music companies they represent into irrelevance. That of course, they could not allow. The 'piracy' argument was a smokescreen.






MegaUpload, founded by Kim Dotcom, was about to launch a new music store and DIY distribution service called Megabox, which would have completely disrupted the established music industry. MegaUpload was in a legal war with the RIAA & MPAA, with MegaUpload having just sued Universal Music Group for wrongly blocking their recent star-studded YouTube campaign and things were getting very ugly indeed. However, it looks like the quiet launch of Megabox would have been a step too far, so they tore MegaUpload apart. TechCrunch explains how Megabox would have worked:

_"Dotcom described Megabox as Megaupload's iTunes competitor, which would even eventually offer free premium movies via Megamovie, a site set to launch in 2012. This service would take Megaupload from being just a digital locker site to a full-fledged player in the digital content game._

_The kicker was Megabox would cater to unsigned artists and allow anyone to sell their creations while allowing the artist to retain 90% of the earnings. Or, artists could even giveaway their songs and would be paid through a service called Megakey. "Yes that's right, we will pay artists even for free downloads. The Megakey business model has been tested with over a million users and it works," Kim Dotcom told TorrentFreak in December. Megabox was planning on bypassing the labels, RIAA, and the entire music establishment."_

MegaUpload was not the first site to try this business model, one far more generous to the artists that actually produce this precious content than the established order that claims to be protecting them. However, they were huge, being the 13th most visited site on the internet, taking 4% of worldwide internet traffic and had a massive 180 million registered users with over 50 million visiting the site daily. Hence they were likely to have pulled it off. Bad news for the all-powerful established music businesses and something they couldn't let happen. Right now, Kim Dotcom and several other executives from the now defunct site and brand are awaiting trial on several charges, including various counts of piracy, racketeering and money laundering. TechCrunch described MegaUpload's demise beautifully:

_"It seems they flew too close to the sun. High on success and a half a world away in New Zealand and Hong Kong, they attempted to take on the music industry head-on. Now they're in jail."_

*View at TechPowerUp Main Site*


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## qubit (Jan 26, 2012)

Thanks to AnnCore for this news tip.


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## Steevo (Jan 26, 2012)

Is it any sort of a surprise that the USA is run by business, for the business, by the business?


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## TheMailMan78 (Jan 26, 2012)

Nevermind the e-mails between the employees bragging about how they deliver pirated goods via their service. Or the fact they disabled the "abuse" button that would only remove a single link to a pirated file not the pirated file itself. Naaaaaa. These guys were angles with 18 cars and licenses plates that said "EVIL," "MAFIA" and "GUILTY." I'm sure the racketeering charge is made up too.


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## Steevo (Jan 26, 2012)

Its wasn't a US business, so the US has no jurisdiction there, it should have been handled by the local authorities, and just shows how the US and their power is more focused on media rights than terrorists and real threats to the public. It makes me feel safe knowing they are protecting my music from me and my ability to use it how I see fit.


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## TheMailMan78 (Jan 26, 2012)

Steevo said:


> Its wasn't a US business, so the US has no jurisdiction there, it should have been handled by the local authorities, and just shows how the US and their power is more focused on media rights than terrorists and real threats to the public. It makes me feel safe knowing they are protecting my music from me and my ability to use it how I see fit.



You can't blame the US. Those assholes are in another country. Their own government is handing them over. So the RIAA bought off the entire New Zealand government too? Or maybe......just maybe.......these guys are guilty of something?!


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## Freedom4556 (Jan 26, 2012)

Steevo said:


> Is it any sort of a surprise that the USA is run by business, for the business, by the business?



It's just ... ... ... business as usual.

YEEEAAAAHHHH!!!!


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## qubit (Jan 26, 2012)

Steevo said:


> Its wasn't a US business, so the US has no jurisdiction there, it should have been handled by the local authorities, and just shows how the US and their power is more focused on media rights than terrorists and real threats to the public. *It makes me feel safe knowing they are protecting my music from me and my ability to use it how I see fit.*



Great sarcastic post and I love the highlighted bit, especially.


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## Freedom4556 (Jan 26, 2012)

TheMailMan78 said:


> You can't blame the US. Those assholes are in another country. *Their own government is handing them over.* So the RIAA bought off the entire New Zealand government too? Or maybe......just maybe.......these guys are guilty of something?!



Yeah, because the kiwis are really gonna tell the FBI no to anything.


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## Kantastic (Jan 26, 2012)

The irony is, if convicted, they'll be sentenced significantly heavier than the folks over at Goldman Sachs and the revered Bernanke who played as big of roles as Bush in destroying America. That's the U.S. of A for y'all folks!


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## qubit (Jan 26, 2012)

Welcome to the police state of America people. :shadedshu


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## reverze (Jan 26, 2012)

lets call it for what it is... Facism.


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## guitar_man_94 (Jan 26, 2012)

The prime minister here in NZ atm is pretty pro USA so they're gonna comply with USA. Plus the government is against piracy atm so thats another reason to bring these guys to court.


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## entropy13 (Jan 26, 2012)

Have the three-strikes been passed in the NZ already? Or it's yet to be deliberated?


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## BlackOmega (Jan 26, 2012)

TheMailMan78 said:


> You can't blame the US. Those assholes are in another country. Their own government is handing them over. So the RIAA bought off the entire New Zealand government too? Or maybe......just maybe.......these guys are guilty of something?!



Even if they are, you know as well as I do, that there DEFINITELY was money changing hands. Whether in the literal or the figurative sense, somebody in those governments got something from someone to hand them over. 
 And here's the thing that should make you question it, why would those countries hand those people over to the US when they supposedly broke laws in THOSE countries.  
 It just makes no sense.


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## DannibusX (Jan 26, 2012)

Or maybe.  Just maybe Kim Dotcom wasn't a NZ citizen and NZ doesn't give a crap about what happens to him?


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## R_1 (Jan 26, 2012)

That's one sad news for humanity.  MegaUpload should file a lawsuit for $10billion against whoever shut this service down. Come on, we all know how that lobbyist do their business : they throw absurd allegations in the media, like intention to murder or sexual abuse. Maybe that dude Kim is eating children too. Heinrich Heine once  wrote "That was but a prelude; where they burn books, they will ultimately burn people also."


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## xBruce88x (Jan 26, 2012)

doesn't surprise me...hell in a small town nearby you're not allowed to own any chickens b/c there's a major chicken company there.

I think the whole shutting down MegaUpload due to "piracy" is bullshit. I can't remember how many times i've tried to download an image of a disc (due to mine being too scratched up, etc) and got a message along the lines of "the content has been deleted due to a copyright infringement". An example being when I wanted to download Jane's Fighters Anthology because disc two has a large crack going from the center to the outer edge of the disc.


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## Frick (Jan 26, 2012)

Ooohh you sound so confident qubit. It must be true what you say. You are truly a messiah.


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## gorg_graggel (Jan 26, 2012)

well if there is actually any truth to this, the artists involved should already be going amok over this (in a metaphorical, online protest publishing way), shouldn't they?
and not just a minor amount of indies, because it just sounds too good to be true...it's the business model so many people, that are opposing copyright legislation ( including myself), are preaching for how long now?
and i guess there should be at least some preliminary contracts that could be published to prove that...
i dunno, as long as there is nothing out in that regard, i'd say it's just people spinning conspiracy theories to make mr dotcom (how i hate that name...his name is kim schmitz. it just proves how much that guy is craving for recognition and kinda shows his true motives) look like some kind of big time benefactor who didn't just want to make money with doing just a little actual work...

that said, i don't deny the media industry hasn't an agenda that would support this behaviour, but i'll put it into internetforum speech:
"screenshot, or it didn't happen!"

i truly hope someday, someone will actually come up with the proposed business model and has lots of success with it, because that would be a win-win situation for everyone (yes, even the media industry) in the long run...


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## entropy13 (Jan 26, 2012)

DannibusX said:


> Or maybe.  Just maybe Kim Dotcom wasn't a NZ citizen and NZ doesn't give a crap about what happens to him?



He invested NZ$10million in government bonds however, in exchange for residency.


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## robal (Jan 26, 2012)

Where are artists in this conflict ?
They've got the power or PR, and thay can be making a lot more money instead of feeding fat liches.


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## wahdangun (Jan 26, 2012)

wow just wow, way to go USA


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## Deleted member 24505 (Jan 26, 2012)

Welcome to the free world.


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## Frick (Jan 26, 2012)

gorg_graggel said:


> well if there is actually any truth to this



It is true, according to qubit. There's not a hint of doubt. There's no evidence of course, but that hardly matters. :shadedshu


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## TheMailMan78 (Jan 26, 2012)

I love the excuse to hate on the U.S. when New Zealand is a sovereign nation and didn't have to comply with the extradition request. Or no one even gives the US the benefit of the doubt that these guys might be guilty. Instead all we see is a vast conspiracy with nothing but circumstantial evidence. Whats next the RIAA sponsored HARRP to shoot death rays at software pirates in China? I mean we have as much proof of that as we do this.


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## entropy13 (Jan 26, 2012)

TheMailMan78 said:


> I love the excuse to hate on the U.S. when New Zealand is a sovereign nation and didn't have to comply with the extradition request. Or no one even gives the US the benefit of the doubt that these guys might be guilty. Instead all we see is a vast conspiracy with nothing but circumstantial evidence. Whats next the RIAA sponsored HARRP to shoot death rays at software pirates in China? I mean we have as much proof of that as we do this.



So you seriously don't know how much of a "hand" the RIAA and MPAA have in New Zealand, through their local "counterparts" as well as local lobbyists?


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## TheMailMan78 (Jan 26, 2012)

entropy13 said:


> So you seriously don't know how much of a "hand" the RIAA and MPAA have in New Zealand, through their local "counterparts" as well as local lobbyists?


Neither do you but you ASSUME they have vast power yet have zero proof. But I know logic and critical thinking don't apply to ideology. I wonder why Wiki and Google don't protest by going black for these martyrs of the cyber world? Hmmmmmm.

Some of us still like to have all the facts before we pass judgment and not follow populous ideas like sheep.


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## gorg_graggel (Jan 26, 2012)

Frick said:


> It is true, according to qubit. There's not a hint of doubt. There's no evidence of course, but that hardly matters. :shadedshu



of course it doesn't matter.
when you get innocently accused of murder and the court says:
"well, there is no real evidence here, but because we don't like how you use the crapper, we'll just give you the death sentence!" 

good times...


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## Frick (Jan 26, 2012)

gorg_graggel said:


> of course it doesn't matter.
> when you get innocently accused of murder and the court says:
> "well, there is no real evidence here, but because we don't like how you use the crapper, we'll just give you the death sentence!"
> 
> good times...



You got it the wrong way. There is evidence that Dotcom knew about pirated content and all that jazz, but it's only speculation "Big Media" made their move because Medaupload was launching a new music service. But to qubit, such things does not matter. He has made up his mind and now he wants us to agree with him. It's how this works.


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## gorg_graggel (Jan 26, 2012)

Frick said:


> You got it the wrong way. There is evidence that Dotcom knew about pirated content and all that jazz, but it's only speculation "Big Media" made their move because Medaupload was launching a new music service. But to qubit, such things does not matter. He has made up his mind and now he wants us to agree with him. It's how this works.



do you always shoot the messenger?


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## TheMailMan78 (Jan 26, 2012)

gorg_graggel said:


> do you always shoot the messenger?



There is a difference between a messenger and a chicken little.


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## Frick (Jan 26, 2012)

gorg_graggel said:


> do you always shoot the messenger?



Fair enough. Show me evidence that they made their move for that reason and I will change my stance.


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## entropy13 (Jan 26, 2012)

TheMailMan78 said:


> Neither do you but you ASSUME they have vast power yet have zero proof. But I know logic and critical thinking don't apply to ideology. I wonder why Wiki and Google don't protest by going black for these martyrs of the cyber world? Hmmmmmm.
> 
> Some of us still like to have all the facts before we pass judgment and not follow populous ideas like sheep.



I don't assume, since there was legislation of a three-strikes bill (similar to what France now has, enforced by HADOPI) relatively recently in New Zealand. And there isn't exactly that much "NZ intellectual property" to "protect" from piracy anyway. Especially considering the "top pirated" data from NZ too.

Oh it's actually in force now, as the Copyright Amendment Act of 2011.
http://torrentfreak.com/kiwis-protest-new-anti-piracy-law-110421/

Then there's the cable from Wikileaks - US to NZ: "We'll fund anti-piracy campaign"

Unless of course those cables are false, eh MM? 

EDIT: inb4 MM says TorrentFreak is a biased source (as if there's a truly unbiased source)


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## gorg_graggel (Jan 26, 2012)

TheMailMan78 said:


> There is a difference between a messenger and a chicken little.



oh c'mon, just because he didn't explicitly state that it's questionable, doesn't mean anything.
actually the first line of the news tells you that he just forwards news.



Frick said:


> Fair enough. Show me evidence that they made their move for that reason and I will change my stance.



which is, what my first post in the thread was about...


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## Frick (Jan 26, 2012)

gorg_graggel said:


> which is, what my first post in the thread was about...



I apologize, I totally missunderstood that post. I read it a few more times and now I think i'm on the ball. I'm sorry for that.


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## digibucc (Jan 26, 2012)

if he were writing something you agreed with, there'd be no problem - but because you don't agree with him it's a travesty. if W1z didn't want it, he'd not be a news poster. get over yourself!

as for this: i don't know how much of it is true - but i DO know that they are much more afraid of competition than they are of piracy. the industry itself is corrupt and without you at least admitting that we can't have an actual conversation.




gorg_graggel said:


> oh dear, was it so badly worded?


it was perfectly clear - Frick was too busy ranting against Qubit to actually parse your words.


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## gorg_graggel (Jan 26, 2012)

Frick said:


> I apologize, I totally missunderstood that post. I read it a few more times and now I think i'm on the ball. I'm sorry for that.



oh dear, is it so badly worded?
i'm no native english speaker, so sorry if i made it hard to understand...


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## gorg_graggel (Jan 26, 2012)

digibucc said:


> it was perfectly clear - Frick was too busy ranting against Qubit to actually parse your words.



yeah, it's ok. he apologized. no need for any more quarrel here... 

oops, sorry for making a new reply instead of editing...


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## LittleLizard (Jan 26, 2012)

To quote an good, ol' game. 

"Corporations have more power than the governments".


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## digibucc (Jan 26, 2012)

gorg_graggel said:


> yeah, it's ok. he apologized.



you asked, i answered - what's the problem?


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## gorg_graggel (Jan 26, 2012)

digibucc said:


> you asked, i answered - what's the problem?



the part where you attack him, although he apologized...


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## brandonwh64 (Jan 26, 2012)

TheMailMan78 said:


> Nevermind the e-mails between the employees bragging about how they deliver pirated goods via their service. Or the fact they disabled the "abuse" button that would only remove a single link to a pirated file not the pirated file itself. Naaaaaa. These guys were *angles* with 18 cars and licenses plates that said "EVIL," "MAFIA" and "GUILTY." I'm sure the racketeering charge is made up too.



ANGLE? like a Angler? or right angle? LOL


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## TheMailMan78 (Jan 26, 2012)

brandonwh64 said:


> ANGLE? like a Angler? or right angle? LOL



 <-----------those are laser beam eyes shooting at you.


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## Steevo (Jan 26, 2012)

There are multiple things wrong here.

First is again, it wasn't a US based business. So whatever happened should have happened with the legal system in the home land of the mother country.

Second, illegal content or not the thing that bothers me is theh arrested and assume guilt first and make him prove his innocence, exactly the ideas the US is supposedly freeing other countries from.

Third, we have free speech on the internet, this means we CAN question and have these theories and talk about it. TNever question the correct"man" and soon it will be correct and right for him to enslave you.


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## brandonwh64 (Jan 26, 2012)

TheMailMan78 said:


> <-----------those are laser beam eyes shooting at you.



LOL I had too! It brings some smiles to this flame engulfed thread!


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## gorg_graggel (Jan 26, 2012)

Steevo said:


> First is again, it wasn't a US based business. So whatever happened should have happened with the legal system in the home land of the mother country.



i don't see anything wrong with governments working together.
it's just hypocritical that mostly only crimes get prosecuted that are based on what is currently on their agenda...


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## digibucc (Jan 26, 2012)

gorg_graggel said:


> the part where you attack him, although he apologized...





			
				me said:
			
		

> Frick was too busy ranting against Qubit to actually parse your words



that's an attack? sorry, but i disagree. it was an assessment.


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## gorg_graggel (Jan 26, 2012)

digibucc said:


> that's an attack? sorry, but i disagree. it was an assessment.


and you don't think, that kind of assessment is rather judgmental, which potentially leads to more QQ, because of it's disrespectful nature? people tend to take such things personal...

my impression was you're basically saying: "...because he's a dick!"

but maybe that's just my lack of linguistic ability...if so, i apologize...

maybe we should end this and focus on the topic at hand...

(ps: gawd, that's so awkward...i sound like a dad teaching his kids how to behave...  )


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## R_1 (Jan 26, 2012)

People, that's your freedom taken. We all got enslaved, don't we have rights? Do we conspire something... against god or state? 
@TheMailMan78 - man you are making preemptive PR here. Conspiracy theorist are RIAA, cause they conspire against a legit business, seeing it as a competitor.  What they did is effectively killing that business and dragging people in court for some expensive years of proving their innocence. As a direct result of that millions of users lost their data on MegaUpload servers. Are they all pirates? Do RIAA have proof for that, and what kind of proof is that - stated in  Court decisions or some hypothetical assumption of guilt. In my country , some 55 years ago 20 000 people were killed and then , 12 months after burial in unmarked graves, some of the were tried in Court post-mortem for conspiring against the state. Those are Dark Ages man... !


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## NinkobEi (Jan 26, 2012)

The guy had servers in america (Virginia) distributing pirated material. That is why the US had jurisdiction to arrest him. His stupid ass should have kept servers in one neutral country like TPB


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## TheMailMan78 (Jan 26, 2012)

R_1 said:


> People, that's your freedom taken. We all got enslaved, don't we have rights? Do we conspire something... against god or state?
> @TheMailMan78 - man you are making preemptive PR here. Conspiracy theorist are RIAA, cause they conspire against a legit business, seeing it as a competitor.  What they did is effectively killing that business and dragging people in court for some expensive years of proving their innocence. As a direct result of that millions of users lost their data on MegaUpload servers. Are they all pirates? Do RIAA have proof for that, and what kind of proof is that - stated in  Court decisions or some hypothetical assumption of guilt. In my country , some 55 years ago 20 000 people were killed and then , 12 months after burial in unmarked graves, some of the were tried in Court post-mortem for conspiring against the state. Those are Dark Ages man... !



Where are the mass graves for pirates? There are none?! Oh well carry on.


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## brandonwh64 (Jan 26, 2012)

TheMailMan78 said:


> Where are the mass graves for pirates? There are none?! Oh well carry on.



Its called the ocean..... DUH!


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## TheMailMan78 (Jan 26, 2012)

brandonwh64 said:


> Its called the ocean..... DUH!
> 
> http://images.wikia.com/potcoplayers/images/a/a0/Trolling_pirate.gif


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## R_1 (Jan 26, 2012)

It is not funny man. You will know when it happens to you.


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## TheMailMan78 (Jan 26, 2012)

R_1 said:


> It is not funny man. You will know when it happens to you.



When I start seeing RIAA death squads Ill let ya know.


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## brandonwh64 (Jan 26, 2012)

R_1 said:


> It is not funny man. You will know when it happens to you.



Not worried in the slightest.


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## TheMailMan78 (Jan 26, 2012)

I heard these were all being shipped to the RIAA headquarters in Washington. I even have more proof then Qubits jpeg! I have a movie!

[yt]nA-tgivNcdE&feature=player_embedded#[/yt]


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## R_1 (Jan 26, 2012)

I'll tell you a funny story from my childhood. When I was a little boy, somewhere around 1987-1988 , I had my first classes in German language. My teacher was a young and really nice lady - great enthusiast then, just graduated in DDR. So I was training my skills in German by turning on a radio and trying to understand native German radio broadcast. I was somewhat lousy at that , so decided to ask for help. I went to my teacher and asked her what was the meaning of the word "Welle", but my pronunciation seems to be lousy too, so at first she didn't understand me said that I should use the word in a sentence. Then I spoke : "Deutsche Welle". Next thing I wish I've never seen. My beautiful teacher got scared to death and left the room.  That is totalitarian state man.


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## TheMailMan78 (Jan 26, 2012)

R_1 said:


> I'll tell you a funny story from my childhood. When I was a little boy, somewhere around 1987-1988 , I had my first classes in German language. My teacher was a young and really nice lady - great enthusiast then, just graduated in DDR. So I was training my skills in German by turning on a radio and trying to understand native German radio broadcast. I was somewhat lousy at that , so decided to ask for help. I went to my teacher and asked her what was the meaning of the word "Welle", but my pronunciation seems to be lousy too, so at first she didn't understand me said that I should use the word in a sentence. Then I spoke : "Deutsche Welle". Next thing I wish I've never seen. My beautiful teacher got scared to death and left the room.  That is totalitarian state man.



What happen to your country? Did it ever go into a revolution?


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## gorg_graggel (Jan 26, 2012)

the iron curtain fell...


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## TheMailMan78 (Jan 26, 2012)

gorg_graggel said:


> the iron curtain fell...



Mass graves in East Germany in the 80's? ORLY? Or somewhere else?

No mass graves means revolution. I'm thinking the Balkans maybe?


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## gorg_graggel (Jan 26, 2012)

hence why he's saying he was taking lessons in the german language?


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## TheMailMan78 (Jan 26, 2012)

gorg_graggel said:


> hence why he's saying he was taking lessons in the german language?



I took German in high school......in Miami.


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## R_1 (Jan 26, 2012)

Straight there man, an I am seeing History repeating itself ... in a "free" world!


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## TheMailMan78 (Jan 26, 2012)

R_1 said:


> Straight there man, an I am seeing History repeating itself ... in a "free" world!



So what country are you from?


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## Frick (Jan 26, 2012)

digibucc said:


> it was perfectly clear - Frick was too busy ranting against Qubit to actually parse your words.



Nailed it.


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## R_1 (Jan 26, 2012)

TheMailMan78 said:


> So what country are you from?


Bulgaria, EU.


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## TheMailMan78 (Jan 26, 2012)

R_1 said:


> Bulgaria, EU.



I just caught the fact you said 55 years ago. My mistake. I thought you said in the 80's there was mass graves.....yeah there was a lot of mass graves 55 years ago in Europe. The US isnt Nazi Germany..........yet. I also dunno how you figure the RIAA is anything like the Nazis.


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## Deleted member 67555 (Jan 26, 2012)

I don't like this because now I have to find alternate ways to get free TV shows legally...
As in streaming is legal but downloading is Piracy....I stream LOL 

I'm sorry but having to watch adds should be enough of a payment imo.....

I also don't like this because I actually believe this is Corporate Wellfare....Someone found a legitimate new type of business model that can be profitable but instead of working with them they instead prosecuted them...

I think the problem here isn't a matter of piracy but a matter of cutting lawyers out of the equation...we can't have that...they are needed in the middle collecting money and jacking up prices needlessly.


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## gorg_graggel (Jan 26, 2012)

TheMailMan78 said:


> I just caught the fact you said 55 years ago. My mistake. I thought you said in the 80's there was mass graves.....yeah there was a lot of mass graves 55 years ago in Europe. The US isnt Nazi Germany..........yet. I also dunno how you figure the RIAA is anything like the Nazis.



well, they (RIAA) behave like that when you correlate fascism to money instead of nationality...


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## TheMailMan78 (Jan 26, 2012)

gorg_graggel said:


> well, they behave like that when you correlate fascism to money instead of nationality...



You guys are reaching now.


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## gorg_graggel (Jan 26, 2012)

i'm just saying that i can see where the comparison comes from...


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## TheMailMan78 (Jan 26, 2012)

gorg_graggel said:


> i'm just saying that i can see where the comparison comes from...



And I can see the link between free media/pirates to communism. Doesn't mean I think Qubit is Stalin. Keep it in perspective man.


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## gorg_graggel (Jan 26, 2012)

TheMailMan78 said:


> And I can see the link between free media/pirates to communism. Doesn't mean I think Qubit is Stalin. Keep it in perspective man.





gorg_graggel said:


> well, they (RIAA) *sometimes seem* to behave like that when you correlate fascism to money instead of nationality...



satisfied? 

oh and i could bitch about how stalin does not correlate to communism in any way, but that's another topic entirely...


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## Deleted member 67555 (Jan 26, 2012)

TheMailMan78 said:


> And I can see the link between free media/pirates to communism. Doesn't mean I think Qubit is Stalin. Keep it in perspective man.



And at the same time when should one mans work become part of mans collective accomplishments.....Currently it's 105 years....

I think it should be when he's dead or if he dies young when his kids reach 18 and his widow is retirement age and not when his great great great fat ass unworthy Grandchildren are ready to retire.


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## TheMailMan78 (Jan 26, 2012)

jmcslob said:


> And at the same time when should one mans work become part of mans collective accomplishments.....Currently it's 105 years....
> 
> I think it should be when he's dead or if he dies young when his kids reach 18 and his widow is retirement age and not when his great great great fat ass unworthy Grandchildren are ready to retire.



105 years is a good number. If its when he is dead you will have a spike in murders. 105 years is a safety net for artists and their children. You just want to kill me don't ya jmcslob!


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## gorg_graggel (Jan 26, 2012)

if those artist (and their children) would get a substantial cut from the sales of their work, that would actually be a valid argument...


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## TheMailMan78 (Jan 26, 2012)

gorg_graggel said:


> if those artist (and their children) would get a substantial cut from the sales of their work, that would actually be a valid argument...



They do. If they don't they are dumb. I pay my mortgage from copyrights.


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## Wrigleyvillain (Jan 26, 2012)

Funny...no sign of qubit.


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## brandonwh64 (Jan 26, 2012)

Wrigleyvillain said:


> Funny...no sign of qubit.



Funny indeed!


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## gorg_graggel (Jan 26, 2012)

TheMailMan78 said:


> They do. If they don't they are dumb. I pay my mortgage from copyrights.



is that your only income?


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## TheMailMan78 (Jan 26, 2012)

gorg_graggel said:


> is that your only income?



My main source yes. I keep gaining more so one day I can retire or even do this crap for fun like I did when I was a kid.


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## qubit (Jan 26, 2012)

Wrigleyvillain said:


> Funny...no sign of qubit.



Well, as much as I'd like to be on here 24/7, that's unfortunately not possible. 

That damned thing called Real Life gets in the way!


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## digibucc (Jan 26, 2012)

TheMailMan78 said:


> My main source yes. I keep gaining more so one day I can retire or even do this crap for fun like I did when I was a kid.



so what stock art sites? how do you actually get a piece of work out there so it earns royalty?

and how can i do it with code?


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## NAVI_Z (Jan 26, 2012)

its fun reading you guys going back n forth !.....


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## gorg_graggel (Jan 26, 2012)

TheMailMan78 said:


> My main source yes. I keep gaining more so one day I can retire or even do this crap for fun like I did when I was a kid.



you seem to have struck a good deal, or things here in germany are very different, dunno...
of all the musicians i know, there is just one who can make a living out of it and doesn't need to have any secondary source of income...and he hasn't signed a contract with any label, he earns his money through live performances only...
and the others aren't just all stupid...



NAVI_Z said:


> its fun reading you guys going back n forth !.....



well, not every discussion has to be about flaming until somebody gets banned...


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## TheMailMan78 (Jan 26, 2012)

digibucc said:


> so what stock art sites? how do you actually get a piece of work out there so it earns royalty?
> 
> and how can i do it with code?


 Publisher. Also you can make royalty's off of code. Ask W1zz.  He did something call GPU-Z or something. Don't remember. lol



gorg_graggel said:


> you seem to have struck a good deal, or things here in germany are very different, dunno...
> of all the musicians i know, there is just one who can make a living out of it and doesn't need to have any secondary source of income...and he hasn't signed a contract with any label, he earns his money through live performances only...
> and the others aren't just all stupid.



Im not in the music industry.


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## digibucc (Jan 26, 2012)

i thought GPU-z was distributed for free, where do royalties come from then?


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## TheMailMan78 (Jan 26, 2012)

digibucc said:


> i thought GPU-z was distributed for free, where do royalties come from then?



When people want to use his code in thier own software. MSI, ASUS and others use GPU-Z code in thier own proprietary software AFAIK.


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## digibucc (Jan 26, 2012)

TheMailMan78 said:


> When people want to use his code in thier own software. MSI, ASUS and others use GPU-Z code in thier own proprietary software AFAIK.



that's the thought i just had, sounds right.


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## DannibusX (Jan 26, 2012)

entropy13 said:


> He invested NZ$10million in government bonds however, in exchange for residency.



Aye, but he never actually got it.


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## R_1 (Jan 26, 2012)

Man , you are like pussies - making fun of serious s@it. You simply don't have the needed war experience to understand slavery and when your rights are taken from you by force. Keep on laughing MailMan, when some one is approaching you from behind...


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## TheMailMan78 (Jan 26, 2012)

R_1 said:


> Man , you are like pussies - making fun of serious s@it. You simply don't have the needed war experience to understand slavery and when your rights are taken from you by force. Keep on laughing MailMan, when some one is approaching you from behind...



Bulgarian Ninjas?


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## R_1 (Jan 26, 2012)

Yep, a man who understands what a total state control is. It is painful and hurts a lot.


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## TheMailMan78 (Jan 26, 2012)

R_1 said:


> Yep, a man who understands what a total state control is. It is painful and hurts a lot.



Sounds kinky.


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## R_1 (Jan 26, 2012)

Freeedom... I don't want from the same again!!!


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## The_ (Jan 26, 2012)

There have been numerous reports thru history, when the little guy invents something that will threaten the 'Big Corporations' income, that they are taken to court or discredited in some way or another. For example, read the story of Royal Raymond Rife (google it).


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## digibucc (Jan 26, 2012)

yeah but the difference here is we KNOW he was an unscrupulous douchebag.

that doesn't mean they weren't trying something that could legitimately frighten the riaa, but it does mean any doubt about his character is pretty accurate imo.


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## The_ (Jan 26, 2012)

digibucc said:


> yeah but the difference here is we KNOW he was an unscrupulous douchebag.
> 
> that doesn't mean they weren't trying something that could legitimately frighten the riaa, but it does mean any doubt about his character is pretty accurate imo.



Really? Or do you only know what you are told and/or groomed to believe?


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## TheMailMan78 (Jan 26, 2012)

The_ said:


> Really? Or do you only know what you are told and/or groomed to believe?



Or maybe you just follow a populist ideal? I mean really...who knows.


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## The_ (Jan 26, 2012)

TheMailMan78 said:


> Or maybe you just follow a populist ideal? I mean really...who knows.



I choose only to believe what I experience. And everything I read on the internet.


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## Wrigleyvillain (Jan 26, 2012)

lol


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## gorg_graggel (Jan 26, 2012)

TheMailMan78 said:


> Publisher. Also you can make royalty's off of code. Ask W1zz.  He did something call GPU-Z or something. Don't remember. lol
> 
> 
> 
> Im not in the music industry.



duh, i was talking about people creating stuff, not people making money of other peoples creations...


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## TheMailMan78 (Jan 26, 2012)

gorg_graggel said:


> duh, i was talking about people creating stuff, not people making money of other peoples creations...



I know. I create stuff. I create things other people want to use but not pay full price for. So they pay me royalties. When they do sell something I get a cut. If they don't I make no money.

See my avatar? I did that messing around for TPU. Its not even that nice but thats kinda what I do. If you want people to start paying for exclusive rights for things get ready to not afford ANYTHING. Royalties make things affordable. Ill be more then happy to charge for exclusive rights.


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## qubit (Jan 26, 2012)

TheMailMan78 said:


> When people want to use his code in thier own software. MSI, ASUS and others use GPU-Z code in thier own proprietary software AFAIK.



Serious? I didn't know his code got used like that. W1zz is an even bigger cheese than I thought.


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## johnspack (Jan 27, 2012)

Why isn't rapidshare shut down?  There are sites specifically to search rapidshare links for warez.  Rapidshare hosts copyrighted material.  I wonder who sent the american government more shut up money....  Money talks,  and bu****it walks.  Just bloody amazing isnt it.  How a country can covet money so much.


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## gorg_graggel (Jan 27, 2012)

TheMailMan78 said:


> I know. I create stuff. I create things other people want to use but not pay full price for. So they pay me royalties. When they do sell something I get a cut. If they don't I make no money.
> 
> See my avatar? I did that messing around for TPU. Its not even that nice but thats kinda what I do. If you want people to start paying for exclusive rights for things get ready to not afford ANYTHING. Royalties make things affordable. Ill be more then happy to charge for exclusive rights.



i see, i was confused by the "publisher" above...

anyway, royalties per se, is not what needs a debate.
just how much big labels get vs. what the artists get.
models like that from the news would bring more competition and "big media" would have an incentive to change their payment policies...


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## tedy (Jan 27, 2012)

This is pure fasicm!


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