RIAA Brief Attacks Free Software Foundation 554
NewYorkCountryLawyer writes "The RIAA has requested permission to file a response to the amicus curiae brief filed by the Free Software Foundation in SONY BMG Music Entertainment v. Tenenbaum, the Boston case against a Boston University grad student accused of having downloaded some song files when in his teens. In their proposed response, the RIAA lawyers personally attacked The Free Software Foundation, Ray Beckerman (NewYorkCountryLawyer), and NYCL's blog, 'Recording Industry vs. The People.' The 9-page response (PDF) — 4 pages longer than the document to which it was responding — termed the FSF an organization 'dedicated to eliminating restrictions on copying, redistribution, and modifying computer programs,' and accused the FSF of having an 'open and virulent bias against copyrights' and 'blatant bias' against the record companies. They called 'Recording Industry vs. The People' an 'anti-recording industry web site' and stated that NYCL 'is currently subject to a pending sanctions motion for his conduct in representing a defendant' (without disclosing that plaintiffs' lawyers were 'subject to a pending motion for Rule 11 sanctions for their conduct in representing plaintiffs' in that very case)."
Ok . . . (Score:4, Funny)
Only Terrorists... (Score:3, Funny)
...support piracy, so the FSF must be a terrorist organization, right?
Re:Maybe I haven't been paying attention... (Score:5, Funny)
Yeah, but they probably don't know about Stallman's twin katana prowess... I certainly would never try to provoke him to anger...
Re:Anti-Copyright? (Score:2, Funny)
Yep; they should have criticized those BSD people for their license which basically allows an author to turn his work into the virtual equivalent of that nasty abomination that is known as public domain!
Then we're fucked (Score:5, Funny)
GNU General Public License, version 6, 2013
1. Pull down you pants.
2. Bend over.
GPLv2 or later doesn't sound like such a good idea now, does it?
Uh, they are LAWYERS! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Anti-Copyright? (Score:5, Funny)
The FSF's centerpiece, the GPL, depends wholly on copyright for enforcement. So saying that the FSF has an "open and virulent bias against copyrights" clearly demonstrates either a lack of research, a lack of understanding, or a lack of honesty on the part of the RIAA's lawyers.
I agree with the first sentence of your comment. As to the second sentence, I question your use of the word "or". The correct word should be "and". With that minor correction.... respect.
Re:Only Terrorists... (Score:2, Funny)
We're not *your* friend, buddy! (Score:4, Funny)
termed the FSF an organization 'dedicated to eliminating restrictions on copying, redistribution, and modifying computer programs', and accused the FSF of having an 'open and virulent bias against copyrights' and 'blatant bias' against the record companies. They called 'Recording Industry vs. The People' an 'anti-recording industry web site'
What part of our confrontational legal system does the RIAA not understand?
Re:Maybe I haven't been paying attention... (Score:5, Funny)
If you can't innovate, litigate.
If you can't litigate, legislate.
If you can't legislate, watergate?
Re:Millions of damages (Score:3, Funny)
I don't know, but after reading that songlist I'm gonna go home and make sweet, sweet love to my wife.
OK, I'm actually going to go home and try to put the moves on my wife, who will reject me because she's "too tired" or "has a headache" or "is dying from some venereal disease" or some other lame excuse.
Who am I kidding? I'm going to go home, go downstairs to my cave, and masturbate quietly so my mom doesn't hear, just like every night.
Re:Maybe I haven't been paying attention... (Score:5, Funny)
x283.
I love the RIAA... (Score:4, Funny)
No matter what you do to them, you don't feel bad.
Seriously, it is great to see them being openly evil like this, for those that are slow or haven't gotten the point.
Well done, RIAA. Try twirling your mustache the next time you accuse anyone, just to really seal the deal.
Re:Who cares about the length? (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Only Terrorists... (Score:1, Funny)
Aha! It's all making sense now -- and Stallman's beard is the final proof...
Re:Who cares about the length? (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Anti-Copyright? (Score:5, Funny)
Darn it, Ray... now I'm beginning to suspect that YOU have some sort of bias against the RIAA too! ;-)
How dare you say that? I have nothing against them. I wish them the best in their lives. I hope that, after they serve their time in jail, they succeed in finding honest work, and live out their days in peace.
Re:Things I found interesting (Score:5, Funny)
If the amicus curiae felt 'neutral' on the subject, why would they be filing a brief?
Here's a neutral amicus curiæ: tell the court I said "Hello."
Re:Well, is he? (Score:2, Funny)
There is a link to the term "pending sanctions motion"; if you follow the link ...
You must be new here
Idiots (Score:5, Funny)
Or, to put it another way, Richard Stallman's cock is larger than the the cock size of everyone associated with the RIAA combined! What are they going to do in the face of such an enormous penis? What can they do?
Yeah I could make a serious post on the subject, but I'm giving the RIAA all the respect they and their shrill complaints deserve.
NYCL strikes again (Score:5, Funny)
Wow, perfect grammar in a /. story summary! I can't recall seeing such an exquisite exposition of the proper usage of nested quotation marks.
It's almost as if /. found a professional editor!
Oh wait...
Re:Well-structured ad hominem attack (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Well, is he? (Score:5, Funny)
You must be new here
You must be new here if you're saying that to NYCL.
You must be new here if you're not used to people saying 'you must be new here' to NYCL.
Question: how long do I have to be here before I can be said to no longer be new here? In Soviet Russia I would probably be considered old here.
Re:Who cares about the length? (Score:3, Funny)
My wife cares... trust me, she cares!
And fortunately, I'm reaping the benefits.
That thing she does with her tongue...
Re:Maybe I haven't been paying attention... (Score:1, Funny)
Yeah, but they probably don't know about Stallman's twin katana prowess... I certainly would never try to provoke him to anger...
That's an XKCD reference, boy. You know what we do to XKCD referencers around here?
I am not a lawyer.... (Score:5, Funny)
...but I'd really like to know how to file one of those amateur circus briefs.
Re:Maybe I haven't been paying attention... (Score:5, Funny)
That's an XKCD reference, boy. You know what we do to XKCD referencers around here?
Cheer them on and be reminded to go check out the recent comics at XKCD? /cheer
Re:Maybe I haven't been paying attention... (Score:3, Funny)
OK, to be fair it wasn't exactly my point at first; I just changed my point a little while replying and hoped you wouldn't notice. ;-)
Hopefully this won't come to pass. I just have this horrific twisted image of the US deciding to coast along as a two-penny tyrant, on its increasingly-empty "brand" of technological innovation and militarism.
Re:Maybe I haven't been paying attention... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Well-structured ad hominem attack (Score:5, Funny)
anyone else think that the only reason NYCL submits these stories is to brighten up our day with the humour that ensues?
Let me know the results of this poll. I've never considered myself much good at providing humor, or at brightening anybody's day. But if I get strong results in the poll, I may have to reconsider my overall outlook, maybe even make a career change.
Yeah, the dweebs (Score:5, Funny)
They act like they think they're running the US Justice Department. Oh, wait...
Re:Maybe I haven't been paying attention... (Score:5, Funny)
That's an XKCD reference, boy. You know what we do to XKCD referencers around here?
I'll get around to answering that later. I have a more important matter to attend to.
Someone is wrong on the Internet.
Re:Maybe I haven't been paying attention... (Score:3, Funny)
If you can't waterboard, boogie board!!!
Re:Who cares about the length? (Score:1, Funny)
"4 pages longer than the document to which it was responding"
And?
And 0.5mm thicker.
Re:Maybe I haven't been paying attention... (Score:5, Funny)
My girlfriend picked that one up and ran with it X(
So nowadays, when she's heading to bed, "are we having sex, or is someone wrong on the Internet?"
Sheesh... impossible decisions...
Re:Pound on the table (Score:3, Funny)
When does throwing chairs come in?
I'm not your buddy, guy! (Score:1, Funny)
I don't have anything to say. I just wanted to reply to the parent's subject line.
Rule 11 sanctions...(obligatory) (Score:1, Funny)
"Rule 11. All your carefully picked arguments can easily be ignored."
(Citation: Rules of the internet)
Re:Well, is he? (Score:3, Funny)
Question: how long do I have to be here before I can be said to no longer be new here?
You'll be new here until you tell those damn kids to get off your lawn.
I can't bring myself to use that Slashdot meme. I identify with the kids.
Would it be ok if I just warned them that my dog uses the lawn too?