A SPANISH BLOKE who wrote code which allowed people to share free music downloads is being sued by the recording companies for $17.5 million.
According to the Associated Press, the Promusicae association of Spanish recording firms and EMI, Sony Music, Universal Music Group and Warner Music are suing Pablo Soto for what they allege is unfair competition.
Soto, 30, wrote three popular file-sharing programs for Internet users to download music for free. While he admits that he made money by selling his software, he denies having done anything wrong.
The music cartel is hoping to bypass a ruling by the Spanish courts that free music downloading is not illegal if it is not done for commercial use.
Soto thinks that since it can't sue file-sharers it is going after software designers instead.
And next they will sue Ford because on of their cars was used in a hit and run or Colt because the gun was used to rob a bank
Those music companies have a bunch of trained monkeys for lawyers. Why try to trial the creator of this software? Yeah what an EVIL man he is (lol). Ohh my; maybe they are planning to sue M$ too due to the fact that the file sharing software was probably used/run on their voleish software! Wait they can also sue AMD/INTEL because the software was using their hardware! Nvidia: you are ok until you release your GPGPU proc. After that you are on your own!
OK RIAA/Music co’s. – I’m gona start charging YOU for my super cool ideas for NOW ON.
Jeje
All this leads to is more publicity for these applications leading to more people (average Joe's) using them to download music and movies.
Keep up the good work RIA Ass. and music co!
"[Sue]Colt because the gun was used to rob a bank"
People have already done that in the USA...
The music industry paid top dollar to put their henchmen into office. These henchmen include Obama and Joe Biden who are happy to put pressure on the little guys to help their God Father within the music mafia out.
Well it didn't take Bush and Company long to dismantle our constitutional rights now did it? Working for big companies is what he did best. It's what GOP's do best, make the CEO's happy but screw the workers.
"While he admits that he made money by selling his software, he denies having done anything wrong."
Pablo Soto never sold his programs. He only made money thanks to the adds.
Bob:Well it didn't take Bush and Company long to dismantle our constitutional rights now did it"
The two party system in the states is a fallacy. Big con job to make people think they have the democracy from years past.
Why hasn't Obama returned what was taken away by Bush and crew. It will just continue by this president. So far I havn't seen any heads roll,just talk, until all is forgotten. Just enough in the news to make people think that something is happening.
A shame there's not a well publicised one day event, where no one buys, downlands, or purchases in any way, a track or album of music, or a film, just so these parasitic pests know exactly what their customers think of them and their bosses. Hitting them in the only place that would make them and their political/judicial cronies take notice. A global event, just for one day.
Last year I wrote a small program that produced every possible combination of notes up to 4096 notes long.
These were published on the web to claim copyright - anything the music industry does from now on is mine.
Sleep pretty darling do not cry
I fully support the music and film industry. If file sharing is too rampant movie budgets will be reduced, DVD's will no longer be released for many titles and tv shows, music labels will be more reluctant to sign on musicians that aren't mainstream, and ultimately it will be the sharers that lose out! If dvds/blurays aren't released for movies, they'll eventually all become tv rips or cinema copies.
I'm not saying don't share, don't download!, I'm just saying if you really like a movie, tv show, or musician support them and buy the media.
Music & film companies certainly aren't angels, but blatent sharing and lack of purchases will just increase their 'assholeness'!