Have you had a chance to see this RIAA training video (torrent at thepiratebay, I’ll try to link to an online version when I can find one)? The history of it is apparently that it was sent to prosecutors in order to teach them how to bust more people for music piracy. It goes as far as to equate theft of music with “connections to drugs, guns, and in some cases even terrorist activities.” On top of that, it suggests that drug officers should also be on the lookout for pirated music during stops, in order to give more opportunities to arrest someone. That’s absolutely what we need – more people in our legal system for no good reason.

What’s really going on here is that the music industry can’t seem to figure out how to run a business around an infinite good, so they’re trying to criminalize their BEST CUSTOMERS. If I’m in business, I know nothing good can come from me pissing off the people that have helped line my pockets for so many years. There’s a simple solution, though. Come up with a subscription model for those who prefer online distribution (maybe with a few tiers, and some free content), make a decent optional portable player that allows you to download on demand, and, of course, STOP SUING YOUR CUSTOMERS! You’re losing in a fight you shouldn’t have started.