“Lord Triesman, Minister for Intellectual Property, today announced a consultation on IP reform that could make format shifting a legal right.”

This, in English, means that consumers would be allowed to transfer music from their – i.e. – CD’s onto their iPods. Personally, I didn’t know this was still illegal but sounds like the government is taking some good steps. Few things I hope will be included in the new legislation:

• It’s not restricted to audio (music, audiobooks etc.) but also allows movies to be transfered.
• It would allow content transfered the other way around, too. From a digital file onto a audio CD or DVD player playable DVD. This, of course, for no other reason but to not allow the Industry to use restrictive DRM on the content they sell.

Update: At the same time as I can’t see above things happening, it would be a great change for the British government to show leadership in this area. Unlike with some other decisions this administration has made, I could see rest of Europe follow.

Interestingly, the article notes that Association of Independent Music is against this reform and wants the performer to be paid for other mediums their work is played on. Interesting. Association of Independent Music? Very strange. On the other hand, BPI supports the act.

–kristian

–kristian

I will also be buying the special edition ‘Discbox’, which you do have to pay a fixed amount of monetary units. £40.

–kristian

ps. The ‘Discbox’ has two 12″ LP’s as well as tons of other good stuff. I think it’s time for me to buy a new record player. The old one broke when moving to my previous place about 15 months ago. If you have one you want give me, get in touch. Thanks.

Today, an advocate general for the European Court of Justice, the highest court in the EU, released an opinion saying that ISPs are not required to disclose information that could identify subscribers in civil copyright infringement cases. (via)

EU citizens privacy is protected from the Music Industry. The Industry now needs to find better ways of fighting piracy.

I would recommend:

- Stop suggesting that every consumer is a criminal until otherwise proven. Remove DRM.

- Make buying music easier than stealing it.

- Give artists more than 5% of purchase price. No-one wants to steal from the artist. With todays system no-one is.

- Go after the pirates who make money out of it. Not the ones who copy the music and then go see the artist live.

I guess the Industry is a bit pissed of as this pretty much stops them from making money in the same way as their American causing do.

–kristian

Do enjoy (click to play):

“Small Room” is from the album “Tapes”. Find it here. Released on Aisti Records.

Versions available:480p and 720p and on Youtube.

–kristian

We’ll see in few hours what happens. I hope the changes are immediate. I’d write more but I must go and carry some logs (actual birch tree trunks, not the computer ones..)

[update]: It was as predicted. Good. Also, interestingly, you can update your existing DRMed songs to de-DRMed version for a mere 15p ($0.30). The DRM free content will be more expensive. This is for a single reason; ‘you get less (DRM), you pay more’. It’s a shame they’re more costly but I guess this is a way for them to start pushing the prices up.

Jobs: I don’t like this DRM thing, lets get rid of it.
EMI: That’s fine, but you have to pay more then.

I would imagine that as rest of the Four will follow soon after and music with DRM will not be sold, at least through iTMS, for much longer. And the tracks will keep their newly found higher price point (99p). Notice that album prices will remain.

Interesting day, I must say.

Back soon,

kristian

PS. If you wander what kind of logs I was piling up, check here.

need i say more.