ClumsyMonkey.net

i love my iPod.

Corey wrote:Well, maybe along the lines of doing something illegal with a legal product I can present this modern day example:

Every toy gun producted today is either multi-colored, looks nothing like a real gun, or has a misplaced bright orange cap on the end. This is for the pure purpose of preventing people from holding up gas stations with a toy gun.

I don't believe that the "don't steal fuel for your car" is a suitable comparison because there is really only one way to obtain fuel for a car. From a gas station. Maybe if there was a rampant illegal fuel ring that people used for an alternative like Kazaa Gas(TM). However, a more suitable comparison I can come up with is that I have a fuel tank (clearly used for putting gasoline into) and there is a warning on it that tells me it is not intended for filling up road vehicles. Again, how NOT to use the product.

How's that?

The toy gun example...again, it's for safety. It doesn't have anything to do with holding up gas stations. Actually, the main reason they made the law that toy guns can't look like real guns is bacause cops actually shot a bunch of people who pointed toy guns at them and they had no way to tell that they were in no real danger.

Kazaa Gas??? I don't get it. Anyway, you don't "hold up" a gas station to steal gas...you just pump the gas and drive away without paying...or fill up your computer with songs and "drive away" without paying. I don't see how that analogy doesn't work.

As for your fuel tank, I'm not sure, but I would imagine that is for safety also. I know that some fuel tanks will spill out when you try to fill certain vehicals which presents a fire hazard as well as an environmental one.

Using an iPod for an unintended purpose, while perhaps illegal, poses no SAFETY hazard. Most safety warnings warn you about something that IS legal (no law against it) but is also hazardous.

:::troy:::

Ok, you're right. It's weird.

aw c'mon guys....Speedo!!!

You're all missing the most important thing about iPods... THAT I STILL NEED TWO PEOPLE TO USE MY LINK TO GET A FREE ONE!!!!!!!!

*frantically points at sig*

i think she means she likes speedo too

Like I said, it's because iPod wants to cover their ass. It's about good PR. They're making a product with the knowledge that at least someone (See: everyone) who buys it will use it for illegal purposes (downloading music). So, to clear their own name, they stick that piece of paper in there letting you know it's not illegal.

RIAA comes after them for promoting illegal downloading, Apple says "we clearly indicated in the packaging that our product was not to be used illegally", and then Apple is in the clear.

I think someone else nailed it on the head. They want to sell more iTunes by using the fear tactic. That is why iPod does it and no other MP3 players.

Axtech wrote:at least someone (See: everyone) who buys it will use it for illegal purposes

I must not be included in "everyone". Almost every song I have on my iPod is a WAV file ripped from an official (purchased) CD. One exception is 2 CD-Rs that I got for free from a member of a local band that broke up and thus would not be releasing the CDs. The other exception is maybe 3 or 4 songs that I downloaded from band's websites that are not available commercially. Last time I checked, neither of those exceptions is classified as "illegal".

To the person who said that the message was to encourage iTunes purchases, you may be right. If you are, that's the dumbest marketing strategy I've ever heard. Instead of simply saying what they mean ("Download your favorite songs legally from iTunes" or such) they say "Don't steal music" meaning that they really don't care which service you use. That would be like Toys R Us putting an ad on TV telling you to "buy toys" without ever mentioning their name.

:::troy:::

Well they do need to say "Don't steal music" otherwise they could get sued. It's so easy to get sued for anything these days. That is why they have that disclaimer just so they can cover their asses.

S
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Rusty wrote:Well they do need to say "Don't steal music" otherwise they could get sued. It's so easy to get sued for anything these days. That is why they have that disclaimer just so they can cover their asses.

My car doesn't come with a "do not steal gas" warning and the car company wouldn't get sued if I did so. What's the difference with music?

Does anyone else get the feeling that I'm beating a dead horse?

:::troy:::

Maybe your car doesn't come with a "don't steal gas" warning but RV's now come with a dislcaimer that tell you to remian at the steering wheel at all times while you are driving. Some idiot put the cruise control on, then went in the back to make himself some coffee. Of course he had an accident, so he sued and won. You can sue for anything.

bovine wrote:

Rusty wrote:Well they do need to say "Don't steal music" otherwise they could get sued. It's so easy to get sued for anything these days. That is why they have that disclaimer just so they can cover their asses.

My car doesn't come with a "do not steal gas" warning and the car company wouldn't get sued if I did so. What's the difference with music?

Does anyone else get the feeling that I'm beating a dead horse?

:::troy:::

Stealing gas is rare and is an easily stoppable crime (take the gas station video tape, track the car's plates, arrest). Downloading music is a widespread "problem" (depending on how you look at it). The vast majority of people who listen to music download at least some music. People are being sued for downloading and/or sharing music, and Apple doesn't want any part of the blame.

Car manufacturers aren't responsible for gas thefts. Likewise, Apple shouldn't be responsible for music theft. However, Apple realizes that people are still looking for a way to stop music theft, and that the public will be quick to target a specific source for the blame (as is often the way the general public thinks). All it would take is one Dateline special to end with "And why aren't the manufacturers of MP3 players doing anything about it? Aren't they responsible for perpetuating this crime? I'm Stone Phillips, reporting." and suddenly a vast number of people concerned with music theft will be blaming companies like Apple. By having this message in their packaging, Apple is trying to stay a step ahead and avoid blame.

Rusty wrote:Maybe your car doesn't come with a "don't steal gas" warning but RV's now come with a dislcaimer that tell you to remian at the steering wheel at all times while you are driving. Some idiot put the cruise control on, then went in the back to make himself some coffee. Of course he had an accident, so he sued and won. You can sue for anything.

Exactly. The RIAA sues me for downloading music, so I sue Apple for misleading me. I mean, I was under the impression that I was supposed to use MP3s, which I download from the internet... (play stupid ... I don't know how to rip a CD). This way, Apple has a disclaimer covering themselves for this and other eventualities in what is still in many ways a legal gray area.

Rusty wrote:Maybe your car doesn't come with a "don't steal gas" warning but RV's now come with a dislcaimer that tell you to remian at the steering wheel at all times while you are driving. Some idiot put the cruise control on, then went in the back to make himself some coffee. Of course he had an accident, so he sued and won. You can sue for anything.

Is that true? If so, do you have a link to an online article or anything? That guy must have had an IQ of about 0.00001. Again though, however obvious it may be, it's a safety warning.

:::troy:::[/i]

nikki4982 wrote:You're all missing the most important thing about iPods... THAT I STILL NEED TWO PEOPLE TO USE MY LINK TO GET A FREE ONE!!!!!!!!

*frantically points at sig*

Am I missing something, or do you have to buy one of those "deals" to sign up?

:::troy:::

Yeah you do, but if you look through them, you can find a deal that won't cost you anything. When I signed up, stamps.com was one of the options... I did that, it didn't cost me anything, plus I got free stamps.

bovine wrote:

Rusty wrote:Maybe your car doesn't come with a "don't steal gas" warning but RV's now come with a dislcaimer that tell you to remian at the steering wheel at all times while you are driving. Some idiot put the cruise control on, then went in the back to make himself some coffee. Of course he had an accident, so he sued and won. You can sue for anything.

Is that true? If so, do you have a link to an online article or anything? That guy must have had an IQ of about 0.00001. Again though, however obvious it may be, it's a safety warning.

:::troy:::[/i]

Do you really think they put it on there just to offend you?

bovine wrote: That guy must have had an IQ of about 0.00001.

well when he sued, he did win. he probably found that loophole on purpose. i'd say that's pretty clever.