[solaris]

Unauthorised copying of software, music or films, so-called digital piracy, may have benefits for the affected companies, an Oxford researcher has claimed.

In her talk at the Annual Conference of the Royal Economic Society, Oxford economist Karen Croxson suggests that piracy does not necessarily undermine profit as pirates may actually help to promote the product they steal.

Ms Croxson said: ‘Digital piracy has been claimed to endanger whole industries. A natural question to ask is: Why do some companies develop water-tight technology to safeguard their intellectual property when others appear more relaxed about copying?’

Full University of Oxford report here: ‘Digital piracy’ may benefit companies - University of Oxford

[Mellifluous]

Thanks for posting. That's exactly my view.

Real world example: A music blog I know that posts whole albums was asked (nicely) by a music producer to not post anymore albums from certain labels the producer represented. The blog, because it's run by honest people, I know will abide by this request. But last year, resulting from downloading music from that blog, I bought EIGHT albums from the labels listed by the producer. And when I say buy, I mean I bought them on CD and from more "legitimate" UK-based download stores.

That potentially means 8 albums I don't buy from them this year because I don't have any other ways of hearing about them. I know 8 albums isn't a lot, but I get the impression other readers of the blog buy music they try there. So that's one promotional avenue that's been cut off.

I think the "war against piracy" is for different reasons than the RIAA etc advertise. Essentially, if an album is able to be heard completely, free and often before release date, it is able to be judged by the consumer without money changing hands. I think the freedom downloading gives the consumer, of being able to try before wasting money on a record that's thrown into the bin, is what the RIAA could be scared of more.

If people hear and like a record, you're more likely to attract sales. But if they hear and don't like it, you're not.

[Starcat]

Originally Posted by Mellifluous

Thanks for posting. That's exactly my view.

Real world example: A music blog I know that posts whole albums was asked (nicely) by a music producer to not post anymore albums from certain labels the producer represented. The blog, because it's run by honest people, I know will abide by this request. But last year, resulting from downloading music from that blog, I bought EIGHT albums from the labels listed by the producer. And when I say buy, I mean I bought them on CD and from more "legitimate" UK-based download stores.

That potentially means 8 albums I don't buy from them this year because I don't have any other ways of hearing about them. I know 8 albums isn't a lot, but I get the impression other readers of the blog buy music they try there. So that's one promotional avenue that's been cut off.

I think the "war against piracy" is for different reasons than the RIAA etc advertise. Essentially, if an album is able to be heard completely, free and often before release date, it is able to be judged by the consumer without money changing hands. I think the freedom downloading gives the consumer, of being able to try before wasting money on a record that's thrown into the bin, is what the RIAA could be scared of more.

If people hear and like a record, you're more likely to attract sales. But if they hear and don't like it, you're not.

A very interesting point you make there, Mellifluous.

Many times I have bought a CD and only played it once or twice, if I had the chance to listen to it in full before buying it, I would have saved myself the price of the CD.

But as you say, it also works the other way. If you are able to preview something and really like it, you can go out and buy it knowing what you are getting for your money.

One of the best things about the internet is being able to listen to songs or albums first, before you decide whether to buy or download them

[Nightfly]

Originally Posted by Starcat

A very interesting point you make there, Mellifluous.

Many times I have bought a CD and only played it once or twice, if I had the chance to listen to it in full before buying it, I would have saved myself the price of the CD.

But as you say, it also works the other way. If you are able to preview something and really like it, you can go out and buy it knowing what you are getting for your money.

One of the best things about the internet is being able to listen to songs or albums first, before you decide whether to buy or download them

In the days of Vinyl you would be able to go into the local Record store,
my favorite was Larry's Record Shop,and Larry would play part of the single for you or part of a album, say The Animals new album..and you would say
yes I like it or no I don't..Larry was there for years,because he had excellent customer service and he didn't care if you bought the record or not.He said to me once,when you buy a pair of sneakers you get to try them on,here it's
the same thing,you shouldn't be stuck with music you don't like.This way we developed great quality record collections, and Larry got rich.
Larry turned me on to Charlie Parker at 13 and changed my world.
Quite a man.There are no more Larry's left in the Industry...

Now The Industry could care less if the consumer is happy,all they care about is how do they get our money.And when you are blinded by your own
greed, it is impossible to change or see the other side of things.
In good business both sides of a transaction, should feel good about it.
The RIAA wants it to be a one sided affair,when they are happy everyone is happy.I don't and won't buy into that.

[Mellifluous]

I agree, but you've also highlighted a very different issue.

Independent retailers, be it for food, books, newspapers and music are ALL dying out. Everything's become streamlined, convenient and ridiculously cheap at prices independents can't match. Hence, the death of Larry and poverty in Africa and elsewhere.

We've all contributed to that.

[squash54]

Originally Posted by Mellifluous

I agree, but you've also highlighted a very different issue.

Independent retailers, be it for food, books, newspapers and music are ALL dying out. Everything's become streamlined, convenient and ridiculously cheap at prices independents can't match. Hence, the death of Larry and poverty in Africa and elsewhere.

We've all contributed to that.

Death of poverty in Africa

What do you mean by this??

[Mellifluous]

Sorry, I mean contributed to death of Larry, and contributed to poverty in Africa. Maybe I should have placed a comma in there

[Nightfly]

Originally Posted by Mellifluous

I agree, but you've also highlighted a very different issue.

Independent retailers, be it for food, books, newspapers and music are ALL dying out. Everything's become streamlined, convenient and ridiculously cheap at prices independents can't match. Hence, the death of Larry and poverty in Africa and elsewhere.

We've all contributed to that.

I always frequent the exsisting small owned shops that are left and at times
even pay better prices.With the loss of the small reatailers pushed out by the big corps we have the lack of choice, instead of a open free market that
was promised.And this affected our music choices big time.
And in the US I think the chains are ricidculously high priced and never shop there.Always looking for alternatives..I'm just staying in the music arena,
because that's what we do here.

[radioshoes]

Before the advent of the net and all the goodies it brings, I wasted an absolute fortune buying albums that sounded great in the music press, but turned out to be considerably less so in reality. That meant anything up to £15 down the drain at a time! And useful though friendly record shops were, there's still no substitute for hearing an album several times in the privacy of your own home. Only then can you really know whether you want it taking up valuable shelf space.
I entirely agree that 'piracy' is probably doing the industry at least as much good as harm by bringing hundreds of artists to our attention who probably wouldn't even get played on our hopelessly unadventurous radio stations or written about in our drearily insular music press. In fact, I've lost track of the number of great musicians I've discovered, many of whom come from non-English speaking countries and whose records don't even get released in the UK or US. (I'm listening to one as I type - a Frenchman called Rene Aubry, none of whose 14 albums seem to have made it to the UK).
What's more, I present (unpaid) a weekly radio show which is entirely fuelled by these wonderful discoveries and which goes out on a small local station that the record companies never bother to supply with promotional copies. So I like to think that leads even more people to buy records they would never even know existed otherwise.
Since quitting full-time employment to go freelance, I've had to make considerable economies - the main one being in the number of CDs I buy. But I'd like to think that if my cash-flow situation was what it was, I too would still be shelling out for those (relatively) few albums that knock me sideways.

[Starcat]

Congratulations, squash, on your 500th post!!

It`s always good to have an Aussie point of view on here and keep us updated with what`s happening "Down Under"