Technology is annoying

[AdamW]

For my birthday, I got some really good presents from my family. All were things I wanted.

Amongst other presents, I got Kraftwerk's latest live album from my sister, and GTA: San Andreas from my brother.

Today when trying to load my new album onto my portable music player I find that the record company has implemented some kind of copy protection that prevents my PC from reading the disc (and apparently means the disc doesn't conform to the CD standard, hence no CD logos on it!).

And when I tried to play GTA: San Andreas to cheer me up, it crashes every 2 seconds, which according to the internet is a widespread problem with the PC version.

GAAAAAGH!!!

D'ya know what really annoys me? If I had just gone on some filesharing network and downloaded them for free, they would probably work perfectly. But when they are legally bought discs, they don't.

I've sent an e-mail off to EMI requesting a version that conforms to the CD standards, pointing out that selling something that appears to be a CD but isn't a CD is misleading the consumer and probably a very dodgy legal area.

 

[andy]

if its any help. i have GTA SA and its never crashed for me yet...

 

[nstreet]

I've sent an e-mail off to EMI requesting a version that conforms to the CD standards, pointing out that selling something that appears to be a CD but isn't a CD is misleading the consumer and probably a very dodgy legal area.

So is ripping the cd and creating an mp3 of it . I would think they are well within their rights to copy protect the media to stop piracy. There are people out there who do copy them and put the tracks on the internet. Just because its the same shape and look as a cd doesn't mean to say it is, I think you will be in for a long haul. Keep us posted as to your success/failure.

 

[petewood]

So is ripping the cd and creating an mp3 of it.

Not illegal at all to backup your purchased tracks in any format you like.


By the way, does anyone know the difference between unlawful and illegal?

 

[Diyisfun]

As Petewood has said...I also thought that you could copy for your own use.

 

[Igorian]

if its any help. i have GTA SA and its never crashed for me yet...

Me too.

 

[nstreet]

As Petewood has said...I also thought that you could copy for your own use.

It would appear not since 2003, see here http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3256945.stm

 

[AdamW]

"Fair use" is a US right. In the UK it has never been legal to back-up your recordings. But, record companies don't yet seem to be interested in pursuing that most dangerous of criminals, he who copies his own bought CDs onto his MP3 player so he doesn't have to carry around his expensive and breakable CDs... ever left an album in the car for a while? Heat cycling seems to knacker them.

My success so far... zero. EMI don't actually keep their website up-to-date so the e-mail address given on their website bounced.

The angle I have taken in my (bounced) e-mail was not "I can't copy it onto my portable", but instead "it doesn't play in my PC, car or DVD player"... because no-one can deny the legality of such actions.

Bootleggers will always find a way around it, even copying in the analogue domain instead. So all they do is wind up the legitimate music buyers.

And to be honest, Kraftwerk albums are unlikely to be copied. The typical Kraftwerk appreciator is likely to be someone old enough that they can afford to buy it, and they are unlikely to know anyone else who would want a copy of it. It's hardly going to be craved by penniless teens up-and-down the country who would rather just copy it off their mates on a CD-R.

 

[Allenm]

It doesn't matter how you make use of the Music, you have bought the right to use the creative/interlectual property contained on the disc, the bit of plastic with pits and falls on it is simply the medium upon which they provide it to you.

So long as you can prove you have paid for the use of the music, and are also the only person receiving that benefit then you are quite free to port it onto any medium you choose.

Merv

 

[DforDave]

By the way, does anyone know the difference between unlawful and illegal?

One is against the law and the other is a sick bird.

(The old ones are still the best !)