MGM v Grokster Case Heard on Tuesday

Gareth · 28-03-2005, 02:21

The US Supreme Court will begin hearing on Tuesday the MG v Grokster case, which could lead to a landmark decision that sets a legal precedent as infamous as the Sony Betamax ruling of 1984.

Unlike the recent cases brought against individuals for breach of copyright, I think this case is going to affect everyone. If MGM wins, it will be a blow for technological progress and creativity.

This article that pretty well sums up my thoughts, and the EFF have a good summary of events here.

Does anyone have any opinions on this... do you think the scale of piracy involved in P2P overrules the Sony Betamax findings, or does the 'blank media tariff' imposed in Canada, Germany and France make sense? Does anyone else actually care about this?

ikthius · 28-03-2005, 14:15

after reading the links you left, I have read the part, and yes I am supporting the makers of Morpheous.

if the industries get their way, then you cannot use Microsofts remote assistance, because of peer to peer.

you cannot send an email, because it may infringe.

if this does go through, I would imagine a really big backlash from the computing world, and that their will be new ways to get round things.

I am not an avid downloader of music, I may listen to it on amazon if I want to buy, personally I like to have the cd, my collection is not huge but big enough, and I have collected my cd's for a while.
But the prices of cd's and dvd's are extortionate, I can understand why people do download such material.

but with the case of small bands giving out their music on a p2p network is good, it can only make them bigger/more remembered after all it can't make them less noticable.

what if I want to send my software to someone, for testing, or if I want my webpage tested by people I trust, to help me develop it better, I like to send it over a network, for people to help me.

fair enough their is going to be people who do not use it for these purposes, but I believe the companies are making it out to be more sinister than it really is.

ik