Oh, really, now...

I just made the mistake of reading this. My first thought was “hey, why don’t you sit down while the grown folks talk?” The problems with his argument are the typical shit, I suppose, from people that have little or no understanding of copyright law. But since I’m fairly certain he reads this site, allow me to rebut:

1. Apple doesn’t charge different rates in different countries because they feel like it. Each nationality has different statuatory royalty rates for both mechanical and artist royalties, and the recording industry groups in each nationality negotiate a standard rate with Apple that is largely based upon those rates.

2. This: “Allofmp3.com has already proven that people will pay for unprotected downloads, as long as they’re easy to obtain and affordable.” This is, in fact, the same thing that has been proven by the guys that sell knockoff Movados out of briefcases in NYC. I hate to put it in these terms, but if you buy music from allofMP3.com, you are literally supporting the coke habit of some Russian mobster’s mistress, and nothing more. allofMP3.com is a criminal enterprise, run by the mafia. Speaking as someone who is well represented on that site, I’d like to say the following: I have no problems with someone getting my music from Limewire. In fact, I encourage it. However, I have a _HUGE_ problem with some Russian gangster paying for his blue light special with my hard work.

3. “The third critical advantage of Allofmp3.com is that they are truly international.” Actually, they’re not international at all. They are, in fact, not even national. Unless you’d say that a chop shop is international because they take apart Mercedes _and_ Cadillacs. AllofMP3.com is a criminal enterprise, and as such, isn’t beholden to any standards whatsoever, except those set by the criminals themselves.

In short, stick to vintage video games, a subject with which you have at least a passing understanding.

EDIT: James has put up a mea culpa of sorts, stating that his intention wasn’t to hold up a crime syndicate as a model of modern business procedure. Fair enough. However, I think that it’s worth mentioning something about one specific point he makes: technically speaking, when you purchase a CD, the only thing you own is the plastic, not the music on it. It’s a common misunderstanding, and basically pointless to rebut, but it’s like any EULA: caveat emptor.