FACT

[deathboy]

Interesting, if not surprising, to see after being taken down, TV-Links is being characterised (by FACT) as profitable, and OiNK as "lucrative".

I've not used OiNK, and I can't remember entirely if TV-Links had ads, but even if it did, I would venture a gues that they barely offset the hosting costs of such popular sites.

As I say, I didn't go on OiNK, but if it's like any one of the long list of torrent sites I'm a member of, far from making a profit from donations, they depend on them to soften the server rental and rarely break even.

I'm pretty sure that TV-Links did not, as reported, allow you to download anything, too, but again... I can't act surprised that people can't be bothered fact-checking and have swallowed FACT press-releases.

I wonder if FACT did, knowing his contact details, ever try talking to the TV-Links guy instead of just showing up and arresting him? And, as this article mentions, I wonder how they justify not going after Google (who own YouTube), but snapping up this small-fry (who won't be able to afford quite as robust a legal defence) instead...

Rather than improve their business practices, they make criminals of us all. Roll up, roll up, to buy your DRM-laden tracks and re-buy your favourite movies on this year's new format. Watch shows on TV, because we love the ad revenue, but don't you dare get interested in any streams we don't control. Piracy funds terrorism! You're all guilty, all of you! Wait... wait... come back... where did they go?

Comments

[emmelinemay.livejournal.com]

Tv-links offered nothing to download, and hosted nothing themselves. It was, in effect, a portal site, merely linking to content on other sites, for example tudou, which is like you tube, as far as i can tell, but I can't read the site for obvious reasons!

Your not the first to point out that google video/youtube are getting away with it here - they seem to be deliberately targeting the individuals who are easily threatened. Even if they have done nothing wrong, Big Business can bankrupt them easily by dragging out legal threats as long as possible.

I've said this SO many times this week, on LJ, in conversations both on line and in person - the media industries need to CATCH UP. They need to realise that people WANT to watch TV online. They WANT to download films. They WANT music on mp3 format. And these people aren't fools, and they know how much this information is worth, and how much they are willing to pay for it.

I only hope that more bands follow Radiohead + the Charlatans lead, and make their music freely available (or at least for nominal charge) which sends a clear message to the record companies in between - We Do Not Need You.

Demand for online tv/music/films won't 'go away' by getting rid of the 'pirates'. The pirates feed a demand which is already there, which is not being met by those with the money and the technology to do it.

All for the sake of power, control and revenue, eh?

I miss TV-Links :(

[emmelinemay.livejournal.com]

your = you're.

AARGGGH.

[madkatsjournal.livejournal.com]

Thing is, downloading an album in MP3 format usually costs the same as the CD with the packaging & artwork. I seem to remember them saying they couldn't make CDs a fair price because that's where most of the cost was tied up. So now that cost has been obliterated, and bandwidth is bloody cheap, why should we settle for the prices being just as high?? It all just goes to line pockets which don't need any more bloody lining.

Unfortunately, the kids suck it up quite gladly and there's no slowing of the market because The People are fucking tards and believe that to own an iPod is to know as much as there is to know about electronically reproduced music.

[emmelinemay.livejournal.com]

Which is why i sincerely hope others follow in the footsteps of Radiohead and the Charlatans. There's a post (and long subsequent commentsation!) over on my journal, as i've ranted about this quite a lot lately!!

[deathboy.livejournal.com]

http://www.onlineout.com/browse.php?showitem=62

Because yes, the download should be cheaper.

[madkatsjournal.livejournal.com]

Indeed!