4 ms·

Sweden indicts four from Pirate Bay

10 points by naish 19y ago

imp 19y ago
"The charges relate to 20 music files, nine film files and four computer game files." I'm confused. I thought that Sweden's laws made what they were doing legal. But somehow 33 files were illegal?
mixmax 19y ago
Even if the recording industry manages to shut down Pirate Bay in Sweden they will just move their servers elsewhere. They have already demonstrated that they are capable of doing this - last time they were raided by the police their servers were up and running in other countries within 24 hours. And even if they manage to shut down the Pirate Bay completely something else will fill the gap within a month. Napster, Kazaa, e-mule, the list goes on... Don't these people have anybody looking into new businees models? Their current one seems to revolve around suing their customers, and in the long term I somehow don't think that is a great strategy... I don't necessarily agree that it is OK to steal copyrighted work, but seen from a business perspective they are digging their own grave. The world evolves, and industries that don't evolve with it will wither and eventually die.
- as 19y ago
  That's been said before, but the current industry got fat off the way things were. You can bet they'll kick and scream before cutting off a pound of their own flesh - no matter how clear the need.
  - mixmax 19y ago
    Yeah it has, the comment was not so much to try and say something new as it was amazement at how a whole industry can so stubborn be walking right into its grave. It is just totally beyond comprehension.
    - ojbyrne 19y ago
      I'm reminded of the Niels Bohr quote (which I can't find now) about how Quantum Physics overcame Newtonian Physics in academia - something to the effect of "we waited till all those who believed in Newtonian Physics died." Big companies are like that - nearly impervious to change. They won't change -- they'll die. They're dying now.
- rms 19y ago
  TPB servers are already elsewhere. The founders claim to not know where they are, so they can never give up their locations. They supposedly have servers all a round the world now.
anaphoric 19y ago
As an American living in Sweden, I know a bit about their system. It's not heavy on giving out jail terms. Nor should it be! These guys are going to walk. And while perhaps they do make a dollar and a penny off the ads, I doubt they are in it for the cash. They are probably idealists and will continue to operate the site from somewhere because they can. Sweden is a place where "influence is not so influential". So don't be surprised if they continue running it from Swedish soil. Gotta love this country :-)
- rms 19y ago
  >And while perhaps they do make a dollar and a penny off the ads, I doubt they are in it for the cash. While I sincerely respect their ideals and their idealism, the Pirate Bay guys are making a fucking killing. The prosecution claims they make $4 million in ad revenue a year. http://torrentfreak.com/pirate-bay-team-charged-080131/ http://torrentfreak.com/pirate-bay-team-charged-080131/
  - anaphoric 19y ago
    That may be true. But the thing I really love about Sweden, is that I am guessing that these guys will pay at the 40% bracket and do it out of a sense of obligation. And when they go out and celebrate their spoils, they will do it with a love of society and not with a single instinct of snobbery or vindictiveness. Jantelagen!

10 points by naish 19y ago

imp 19y ago

"The charges relate to 20 music files, nine film files and four computer game files." I'm confused. I thought that Sweden's laws made what they were doing legal. But somehow 33 files were illegal?

mixmax 19y ago

Even if the recording industry manages to shut down Pirate Bay in Sweden they will just move their servers elsewhere. They have already demonstrated that they are capable of doing this - last time they were raided by the police their servers were up and running in other countries within 24 hours. And even if they manage to shut down the Pirate Bay completely something else will fill the gap within a month. Napster, Kazaa, e-mule, the list goes on... Don't these people have anybody looking into new businees models? Their current one seems to revolve around suing their customers, and in the long term I somehow don't think that is a great strategy... I don't necessarily agree that it is OK to steal copyrighted work, but seen from a business perspective they are digging their own grave. The world evolves, and industries that don't evolve with it will wither and eventually die.

as 19y ago
That's been said before, but the current industry got fat off the way things were. You can bet they'll kick and scream before cutting off a pound of their own flesh - no matter how clear the need.
- mixmax 19y ago
  Yeah it has, the comment was not so much to try and say something new as it was amazement at how a whole industry can so stubborn be walking right into its grave. It is just totally beyond comprehension.
  - ojbyrne 19y ago
    I'm reminded of the Niels Bohr quote (which I can't find now) about how Quantum Physics overcame Newtonian Physics in academia - something to the effect of "we waited till all those who believed in Newtonian Physics died." Big companies are like that - nearly impervious to change. They won't change -- they'll die. They're dying now.
rms 19y ago
TPB servers are already elsewhere. The founders claim to not know where they are, so they can never give up their locations. They supposedly have servers all a round the world now.

anaphoric 19y ago

As an American living in Sweden, I know a bit about their system. It's not heavy on giving out jail terms. Nor should it be! These guys are going to walk. And while perhaps they do make a dollar and a penny off the ads, I doubt they are in it for the cash. They are probably idealists and will continue to operate the site from somewhere because they can. Sweden is a place where "influence is not so influential". So don't be surprised if they continue running it from Swedish soil. Gotta love this country :-)

rms 19y ago
>And while perhaps they do make a dollar and a penny off the ads, I doubt they are in it for the cash. While I sincerely respect their ideals and their idealism, the Pirate Bay guys are making a fucking killing. The prosecution claims they make $4 million in ad revenue a year. http://torrentfreak.com/pirate-bay-team-charged-080131/ http://torrentfreak.com/pirate-bay-team-charged-080131/
- anaphoric 19y ago
  That may be true. But the thing I really love about Sweden, is that I am guessing that these guys will pay at the 40% bracket and do it out of a sense of obligation. And when they go out and celebrate their spoils, they will do it with a love of society and not with a single instinct of snobbery or vindictiveness. Jantelagen!