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There's recently been a little fanfare about PlayLouder, an ISP which allows you to legally share music, then sees how much music is shared and pays some of your monthly subscription to the rights owners.
It seems to work by redirecting P2P stuff so that it only works internally, and then scanning the packets to learn what you're sharing.
So far as I can make out, the functionality is the same as a regular ADSL connection + Napster's subscription model. Except that they aren't actually making the music available themselves, just allowing you to share your own, which means you'll be really stuck to actually find anything even slightly obscure. They haven't made it clear whether there's any DRM on the music either, which would just make it a lose, lose situation all round.
I can't see any positive side to this _at all_. Anyone care to illuminate me?
It seems to work by redirecting P2P stuff so that it only works internally, and then scanning the packets to learn what you're sharing.
So far as I can make out, the functionality is the same as a regular ADSL connection + Napster's subscription model. Except that they aren't actually making the music available themselves, just allowing you to share your own, which means you'll be really stuck to actually find anything even slightly obscure. They haven't made it clear whether there's any DRM on the music either, which would just make it a lose, lose situation all round.
I can't see any positive side to this _at all_. Anyone care to illuminate me?
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Date: 2005-08-26 11:14 am (UTC)*
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Date: 2005-08-26 11:28 am (UTC)From their webpage:
PLMSP employs specially configured routers and firewall technology using 'deep packet searches' to identify and re-route all file sharing traffic. This process ensures that file sharing can occur only between subscribers within the PLMSP "walled garden".
Also:
Only an ISP is licensable in this way because only an ISP can control the network itself to prevent P2P traffic from escaping into the internet and only the ISP can monitor the network to ensure that all P2P downloads are accounted for, even those going direct from one user to another
If they wanted to allow legal downloading, then a central website with a subscription would seem better for the users...
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Date: 2005-08-26 11:34 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-08-26 11:45 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-08-26 12:23 pm (UTC)_If_ the BoingBoing article is correct and the website isn't, it sounds like a fantastic idea (and the best way of sorting the music sharing 'problem').
I am, however, going to wait and see whether the actual service works that well. I'm a tad nervous about how well it's going to work until a fair number of people are signed up, but we'll see. If they could get Telewest signed up, I'd be rather happy...
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Date: 2005-08-26 11:38 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-08-26 11:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-08-26 12:01 pm (UTC)Fair use generally covers certain copies made for your own use, not for other people.
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Date: 2005-08-26 03:25 pm (UTC)My reading of US copyright law ...
Date: 2005-08-27 03:28 am (UTC)You are allowed to make copies *for yourself* including mix tapes for purposes such as listening in the car etc. but you are not allowed to make copies/MP3s etc. to give to other people.
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Date: 2005-08-26 01:05 pm (UTC)But that definitely isn't the law in UK or US.
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Date: 2005-08-26 11:35 am (UTC)The only real downside is that you pay a bit more for your Internet connection -- as far as I can tell, you can download the music from wherever you can find it in whatever format you want, so there's no question of DRM being inflicted upon you. They will be taking some measures to stop Sony music that is shared by their subscribers from leaking outside their own network, but that shouldn't inconvenience you particularly.
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Date: 2005-08-26 11:43 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-08-26 08:17 pm (UTC)