In article <telecom23.546.8@telecom-digest.org>, Bob Smythe
<billyzane1@excite.com> wrote:
> Just buy the damn videos y'all. The industry will benefit by offering
> an I-Tunes type service for those who want to get movies via
> downloading for an affordable price. Say -8 bucks for a movie. YOu
> have to go by the hardware and software to burn it and the dual
> layered DVD's are like 4 bucks a pop I think.
Personally, I have never seen a reason to download a movie. It's not
worth my time and effort when I know the real product will show up at
the used record store in a few months for $10 or less, and not long
after that will probably be under $10 at regular retail stores. The
video industry is so anxious to squeeze every dollar out of a movie or
TV show that everything, regardless of how bad, eventually shows up on
DVD.
If the movie industry is suffering I doubt it's because downloaders
are ripping them off. People probably spend the time and effort
because the industry has driven them away from the theatres. I stopped
going to theatres when they started making me sit through
commercials. I sent a letter to the owner of the local chain
complaining about having to sit through 20-30 minutes(!) of
commercials (straight from TV) after spending ~$25 in ticket costs
plus another ~$20 for popcorn, etc, and was essentially told, "sorry,
that's the way it is." Well, sorry, but from now on I'll wait for the
video, and spend $2 on rental fees and my kids and I will eat our own
popcorn.
Music is a somewhat different matter. In a lot of instances the P2P
networks are the only source for non pop-culture music. With the
consolidation in radio it's become almost impossible to hear anything
not specifically molded for success by the Recording Industry (ala
Britney Spears, etc.). The actions by the RIAA benefit the RIAA, not
the artists. An excellent article on this point was written by Folk
artist Janis Ian:
http://www.janisian.com/article-internet_debacle.html
John Meissen john@meissen.org
Think Logically / Act Intelligently / Question Authority
[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: At the Independence Cinema over on 8th
and Laurel Streets, you get your choice of any of the five movies
currently being shown for about $3 *per movie, and showing* (no fair
walking with the crowds between showings between rooms and getting a
second show [of something else] for free or hiding out in the restroom
until some other film in a different room is ready to start.) They do
show about ten minutes worth of advertising (mostly for local
merchants) before the movie starts, interspersed with reminders that
no smoking is allowed, follow the rules, etc, to give you a chance to
eat your five dollar little skimpy bucket of popcorn and your little
cup of beverage. Honestly, the popcorn/candy/soda costs more than the
movie these days. At least they do honor Visa/MC to get your admssion
ticket and refreshments. I generally prefer to use a service on the
net called 'Movie Link' where you can download and *rent* the movies
you wish (and those people _WILL_ come back on your computer the next
day and remove the movie you rented) for about two dollars per movie
and you supply your own refreshments. PAT]
jmeissen@aracnet.com