comment: access vs artifacts

Commented on malfunction 54

For me, it depends on the media. Although I like having the tangible artifact in my hand, a digital version has so many more advantages that it's worth while.

I have a good number of CD's. Not a huge collection, but not tiny by any means. I don't listen to 75% of my CD's because they're on CD. The only ones I listen to are the ones that I had ripped to MP3. When I'm computing or commuting, I don't want to have to stop what I'm doing just to shuffle CD's. I also don't like the idea that if my CD gets scratched/melted or damaged in any other way, I have to go to the store and buy another one.

But the single driving factor why I no longer buy CD's is the RIAA's FUD and scare tactics. I refuse to support an organization that acts like the mafia or any other form of organized crime. Is what I'm doing illegal? Yes. Do I care? No. Am I justified? I think so. Will my actions change anything? I doubt it.

It would be one thing if the packaging was really good. But I find too many CD's with just a tiny slip of paper inside with almost nothing else.

When it comes to other things, such as books, I haveto have the physical object. I can't get used to reading e-books or extremely long HTML documents. Again, there are benefits, but I can't write comments in an ebook (well, I could, but its really hard to).

DVD's are another iffy subject. Again, this has to do with licensing. So many movies come out with a "standard" version. A few months later, they'll release a "special" version. And then a few months after that, they'll relase an "extra special" version. You saw this with the Lord of the Rings trilogy and others.

This is more of an annoyance than anything else, as my criteria for purchasing movies is very strict. If they moved to a slight subscription model, it would be much better. A model where you can take your old DVD's in, and pay a small fee for an "upgrade". Does it cost the MPAA any extra? No.

I guess what this rant comes down to is the way these organizations bully their customers. People don't deserve to be walked over for mere pennies.