Gateway Ads Hit Sour Chord With Music Industry

[Jason Dunn]

http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,94164,tk,dn041202X,00.asp

There's been some really interesting developments on the DRM front lately - things are starting to get ugly as the tech industry smacks the entertainment industry upside the head with a clever ad from Gateway. It's like watching Godzilla and King Kong go at it - both will stomp on consumers that get in their way, but only the RIAA "Godzilla" is trying to eat the consumers for being oh so naughty! But enough monster analogies, go check out the article - and the Gateway site with the ad and the Elwood song. It rocks!

"It's mouse versus cow as the entertainment and tech industries turn up the volume on their copy protection clash, each trying to sell a different tune to consumers. The latest release: The Recording Industry Association of America says Gateway's digital music ad campaign is catchy, but far from a hit.

The ad shows Chief Executive Officer Ted Waitt and the company's mascot Holstein cow singing along to a tune available for free download on Gateway's site. It closes with the message: "Gateway supports your right to enjoy digital music legally." The RIAA, the organization that sued Napster and MP3.com for providing a means to swap copyrighted music online, calls Gateway's digital music advocacy "a gateway to misinformation."

If you're interested in protecting your digital rights as a consumer, check out DigitalConsumers.org and send this fax.

[Jason Dunn]

http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,94164,tk,dn041202X,00.asp

There's been some really interesting developments on the DRM front lately - things are starting to get ugly as the tech industry smacks the entertainment industry upside the head with a clever ad from Gateway. It's like watching Godzilla and King Kong go at it - both will stomp on consumers that get in their way, but only the RIAA "Godzilla" is trying to eat the consumers for being oh so naughty! But enough monster analogies, go check out the article - and the Gateway site with the ad and the Elwood song. It rocks!

"It's mouse versus cow as the entertainment and tech industries turn up the volume on their copy protection clash, each trying to sell a different tune to consumers. The latest release: The Recording Industry Association of America says Gateway's digital music ad campaign is catchy, but far from a hit.

The ad shows Chief Executive Officer Ted Waitt and the company's mascot Holstein cow singing along to a tune available for free download on Gateway's site. It closes with the message: "Gateway supports your right to enjoy digital music legally." The RIAA, the organization that sued Napster and MP3.com for providing a means to swap copyrighted music online, calls Gateway's digital music advocacy "a gateway to misinformation."

If you're interested in protecting your digital rights as a consumer, check out DigitalConsumers.org and send this fax.

[rlitchfield]

Just went and saw the ad, and I agree...IT ROCKS!! Because of their public support of legal digital copying, my next machine will be a Gateway..

Keep up the great work here at the site. I seem to follow your off topic items as much as your Pocket PC news.

Robert

[Steven Cedrone]

Wow, not normally a fan of Gateway (Don't like proprietary MB's etc.) but they do seem to understand......

Just wish the RIAA would get it and evolve with the times.......

[st63z]

Next up: Sony vs. Philips (co-creators of the CD format)
RE: anti-piracy CD technologies that necessarily break/bend the CD specification

[RobertCF]

I also have not been fond of Gateway machines, but I am fully behind their new campaign against Sen Hollings and the RIAA. To force computer manufacturers to bear the responsibility of copyright protection is ludicrous. The RIAA sees its stranglehold on unbelievably high prices for recordings slipping away. They absolutely refuse to acknowledge that they racketeer the gouging of consumers. Those who are obtaining music, etc. illegally would be much less inclined to do so if two things happened: 1) the recording industry quits overpricing the products when we KNOW it doesn't cost nearly what they charge to produce them; 2) Either made available ALL recordings EVER made. There is no excuse for music to be "out of print". A good many of those who swap music are swapping music that you can't get elsewhere.

Ultimately, it's not the computer manufacturers who should be burdened with this. It is all on the shoulders of the RIAA and their practices. Yes, some of the piracy is just plain old criminal behaviour. But a lot MORE of it is a modern form of civil disobedience. At least, that's my opinion.

[Jason Dunn]

Originally Posted by rlitchfield

Keep up the great work here at the site. I seem to follow your off topic items as much as your Pocket PC news.

That's the highest compliment you could possibly have paid me.