dan tynan on Dec 07 2012 | Filed under: Copyrights and wrongs, Infoworld
You know how in horror movies when the beast/zombie/alien monster/ ghostly apparition looks it’s finally been vanquished but you know it’s still going to rise up one more time to scare the bejesus out of you? Meet the real life equivalent: the RIAA and the MPAA. Despite being beaten like a drum last year over [...]
dan tynan on Dec 22 2010 | Filed under: Apple, Cringley, Da Web, Facebook, Google, Infoworld, iPhone, Microsoft, National insecurity, yahoo
It’s been quite a year. And in what has become a tradition here in Cringeville, it’s time to honor the most malicious, obnoxious, offensive, or nonsensical behavior in technology. This year’s winners include captains of industry, titans of technology, sultans of sweat, and a number of other people desperately in need of a clue. Among [...]
dan tynan on Jul 31 2009 | Filed under: Copyrights and wrongs, Cringley, DMCA Madness, Infoworld
File swapper Joel Tenenbaum fought the law, and the law won. Now a jury must decide how much he owes the RIAA.
dan tynan on Jul 13 2009 | Filed under: Apple, Cringley, Infoworld, Microsoft
The residents of Cringeville have a lot to say about forced upgrades, file swapping, and how the feds spend our money. Here’s a quick sampler of some of the best.
dan tynan on Jun 22 2009 | Filed under: Copyrights and wrongs, Cringley, Infoworld
Another file swapping law suit, another outrageous verdict. Something’s deeply wrong with the laws controlling copyrights.
dan tynan on Apr 24 2009 | Filed under: Copyrights and wrongs, Cringley, Da Web, Infoworld
Want to know the biggest problem with the RIAA’s relentless pursuit of file swappers? In the age of the Internet, the courts are decades behind the times.
dan tynan on Apr 20 2009 | Filed under: Copyrights and wrongs, Cringley, Infoworld
Despite big fines and prison time, the Pirate Bay four remain defiant. Even if Hollywood manages to sink these Bit Torrent trackers, there’s an entire fleet waiting to take their place.
dan tynan on Apr 06 2009 | Filed under: Copyrights and wrongs, Cringley, Faux News, Infoworld
Forget pirating movies — just talking about using BitTorrent is enough to get you canned. But when it comes to online leaks the movie studios end up winning more than they lose.
dan tynan on Mar 09 2009 | Filed under: Cringley, Infoworld
Cringe is feeling a little drowsy — and why not, it’s national napping day. But he’s not about to take the RIAA’s latest tactics lying down.
dan tynan on Jan 05 2009 | Filed under: Copyrights and wrongs, Cringley, DMCA Madness, Infoworld
The recording industry has fired some of its online spies — but that doesn’t mean they’re about to get all warm and cuddly. Cringe has the scoop.
dan tynan on Dec 24 2008 | Filed under: Computerworld, Culture Crash, Santa, baby
Why should Santa have all the fun? I’ve also been making a list and checking it twice to figure out who deserves treats in their stockings and who’s getting a big honkin’ lump of coal. Here in no particular order are my picks for the good/bad boys and girls of tech for 2008. Naughty: Apple [...]
dan tynan on Dec 15 2008 | Filed under: Copyrights and wrongs, Cringley, DMCA Madness, Infoworld
Harvard Law School is taking on the recording industry in a case that challenges the constitutionality of their legal tactics. So long, RIAA, it’s been lousy to know ya.
dan tynan on Nov 26 2008 | Filed under: Copyrights and wrongs, Cringley, Infoworld, politics, yahoo
Last year around this time I introduced the Gobblers, my awards for those individuals in the tech field whose behavior most closely resembles a bird whose sole purpose is to be served on a platter. It was such a big hit I decided to do it again this year. Thus I present the 2008 Gobblers [...]
dan tynan on Nov 20 2008 | Filed under: Computerworld, Copyrights and wrongs, DMCA Madness, Music, politics
Your tax dollars are not only saving billionaire bankers from their own bad habits, they’re also helping to bail out the recording industry. Does the RIAA really truly need our help? To quote Amy Winhouse, “no no no.”
dan tynan on Oct 08 2008 | Filed under: Copyrights and wrongs, Cringley, DMCA Madness, Infoworld
Don’t expect to be making legal copies of your DVDs any time soon. A judge has extended the order banning sales of the RealDVD copying software. Hollywood is happy, but are consumers getting a raw deal?
dan tynan on Oct 02 2008 | Filed under: Copyrights and wrongs, DMCA Madness, Video
Well, that didn’t take long. One day after RealNetworks releases its DVD copying software, lawsuits are filed. Who’s right, who’s wrong, and where do movie fans fit in? Cringely has some thoughts.
dan tynan on Sep 26 2008 | Filed under: Cringley, DMCA Madness, Infoworld
Regular readers will remember Jammie Thomas, the Minneapolis mom who was ordered to pay $222,000 in damages to the RIAA last October – the only case to ever reach a jury in the recording industry’s ongoing war on its own customers. That ruling made everyone look bad: Thomas and her attorney, the judge and jury, [...]
dan tynan on Sep 22 2008 | Filed under: Copyrights and wrongs, Cringley, Infoworld, Music
Most sane humans would greet a law suit from the RIAA the way you’d welcome a surprise audit from the IRS. Not Ray Beckerman. He says, "Bring it on, bubba." Beckerman is a New York-based attorney who’s defended several clients in lawsuits brought by the recording industry. He also relentlessly chronicles the absurd activities of [...]
dan tynan on Sep 08 2008 | Filed under: Copyrights and wrongs, Video
The biggest story from Demo so far: Real Networks RealDVD recorder, which lets you make legal copies of your DVDs on your computer, just like you can with your music CDs. It’s a simple concept wrapped in a legal minefield. Real does this legally by paying the same licensing fees that manufacturers of DVD players [...]
dan tynan on Aug 28 2008 | Filed under: Copyrights and wrongs, Cringley, Da Web, DMCA Madness, Infoworld, Things that suck
The feds have arrested a 27-year-old blogger for posting unreleased Guns N’ Roses songs to his site, and Cringely is steamed. Read on to find out what’s making him so mad.
