• _number8_@lemmy.worldEnglish
    67·
    10 months ago

    i really hate how they call it a ‘library’, very disingenuous if it’s all on their servers and predicated on their fucking license agreements

    what if real libraries had to throw away books because harpercollins got pissy. would anyone stand for it? (probably yes)

    • rottingleaf@lemmy.zip
      3·
      10 months ago

      I actually love imagining ways in which one can build a digital library in its core meaning.

      A system reliable enough to survive centuries and maybe millennia, many times redundant and verifiable and self-repairing, allowing exhaustive search.

      This fascination is maybe the reason I love systems intended for “piracy”. Because frankly paying for media is not such a big deal - I download things not too often and most of the time download things I’ve downloaded before. I even have a few bought games in Steam which I haven’t played.

      But I love to feel that there’s no company, no organization behind that exchange.

      Getting back to libraries - in early 00s people would think of the Web like of a layer upon which such a thing can be built. It turns out that this didn’t work, but let’s please don’t stop with the optimism, and let’s please discard the approach which hasn’t worked instead of clinging to it.

      • Jesusaurus@lemmy.worldEnglish
        2·
        10 months ago

        Would you suggest that a location that houses thousands of books that are available to borrow and/or use for research is not a library?

        • linearchaos@lemmy.worldEnglish
          1·
          10 months ago

          It does seem to be some differentiation, I can’t walk into my child’s school and check out a book. At least I don’t think that would fly. It would definitely not be the norm.

    • linearchaos@lemmy.worldEnglish
      31·
      10 months ago

      They do actually have to re-license their online audio books every so many listens. They have to pay for the same audiobook over and over.

      That’s why it’s a lot better for them to lend out the CDs, a few people are coming in for that.

  • Venia Silente@lemm.eeEnglish
    53·
    10 months ago

    Want me to buy your media legally? Oh please, this is tremendously easy to do for a corporation!

    • Downloadable files (you have files, right? Otherwise how are you streaming out the stuff)
    • …with open codecs (you are using an open codec right? Otherwise you have to encode your stuff like 10 times for 10 different devices each with its own idiosyncrasy)
    • …without DRM (you have clean copies right? it’d not be smart to base a business model on files you can’t open, see the above)
    • …at an aggregate price that’s lower than paying for TV cable (you can cash in only a bit, right? It’s digital media and your competition is literally over-the-air TV with extra steps, it’s not like you have the mother of pearl of cancer cures here)
    • test113@lemmy.worldEnglish
      17·
      10 months ago

      In other words, media as a “service” makes more money than media as a one-point sale. Why should they sell you a one-point solution when the service model makes more money for the shareholders? I love the shareholder economy; it makes all our lives better and makes us focus on what really matters at the end of the day, which is, of course, profits for people who already have too much money. :) very cool

      • ohlaph@lemmy.world
        4·
        10 months ago

        The only way for most of these companies to constantly generate income is to offer a subscription model. As they need to increase income, they can increase subscription prices.

        Everybody (well, just the conpany) wins. Can’t you see how beneficial this is to everyone (just the company)?

  • bitwolf@lemmy.one
    501·
    10 months ago

    There is an easy fix here:

    Require mergers to refund customers impacted as part of the merger.

  • CarbonatedPastaSauce@lemmy.worldEnglish
    49·
    10 months ago

    They exist to fuck over artists and the viewers as much as they can get away with.

    I just decided I’m perfectly comfortable fucking the media companies over first.

    • bobs_monkey@lemm.ee
      23·
      10 months ago

      Not only that, but they think people are dumb enough to keep paying (and sometimes they’re not wrong).

    • Asafum@feddit.nl
      24·
      10 months ago

      There absolutely needs to be a law that forces companies to make this abundantly clear and make the usage of “buy” illegal in those cases. It should be “rent” or “purchase temporary license.”

      • starman2112@sh.itjust.works
        13·
        10 months ago

        Yuuup. It’s basic consumer protection. Imagine if a car dealership were allowed to do what we let media companies get away with. You go to the dealership, sign a contract that you didn’t fully read, and then ten years later Toyota shows up to steal your car because clause 78 of section G(4) says that the manufacturer reserves the right to repossess anything they made at any time. They wouldn’t be able to finish stealing that car before a thousand hungry lawyers ate them alive. Why do we let media companies do that?

        • Olgratin_Magmatoe@startrek.website
          8·
          10 months ago

          They wouldn’t be able to finish stealing that car before a thousand hungry lawyers ate them alive. Why do we let media companies do that?

          They would probably actually have a decent shot at getting away with it, at least at first.

          And to answer your question, it’s because the anger that companies generate by doing this shit ends up turning into piracy. Why would you try to punish a corp for doing this (likely wasting your time) when a cheap VPN and basic tech literacy gets you what you want?

          The effort ratios are way out of wack when it comes to digital products. It’s easy to get around digital bullshitery, not so much in the real world where we are all car dependant.

    • starman2112@sh.itjust.works
      10·
      10 months ago

      Buying it illegally is what some people do. I wish I could find the article I read, but pirate cable is definitely a thing in some places

      Stealing legally is what the cops do when they commit robbery civil asset forfeiture

      • MutilationWave@lemmy.world
        3·
        10 months ago

        Every house on my street gets pirate cable. When I found out my ancient neighbor was paying for cable with her social security I was like check this out. Disconnect cable box connect TV straight into coax. Saved her a lot of money when she cancelled cable.

        Any time you move to a new house or apartment just plug the coax into a TV, you might be surprised.

    • reev@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      6·
      10 months ago

      You can pay for illegal content and you can take something without permission, legally.

  • where_am_i@sh.itjust.works
    431·
    10 months ago

    You all weren’t buying even before that. Stop rationalizing. You’re poor and that’s why you pirate.