The legal broadside, released Thursday, eliminated fines imposed for file sharing

However, the law did carve out a lower level of punishment for copyright violations, noting that copyright infringement is different from stealing tangible property.

A little more worrisome, however, is that the council took out the lower levels of punishment, saying that personal copying really is no different than professional counterfeiting -- which doesn't make much sense. Either way, we're actually back where this whole process started. Folks who are caught sharing music or movies in France may now face jailtime and huge fines. So much for the consumer "revolution" there.

said by kdandaoc :

As a small business owner thats runs windows server 2k3, it makes me sick to get nailed with licensing fees and then watch Bill and Melinda hand out 100,000,000 dollars to an inefficient schools system.

said by bear73 :

It all comes down to market share. MS is an 8,000 lb gorilla in the theatre. Apple, even just looking at the iPod, does not have a strangle-hold on the market segment. They hold sway- for sure, and led the charge (thank the heavens!) but they are not the only game in town. MS is, for all intents and purposes, the only game in town. Yes, there are alternative OS out there, but the overwhelming majority of software and hardware is Windoze designed and compatible. Linux family software have emulators to run Win proggies, Mac will now run Win variants... its a Windos world.

said by liquidnw :

there are wasy around this.....
i use urge for dl music and have them on my ipod

said by wildstyle :

Just as there are ways around using windows but its not that simple for the average non technical user who doesn't know how or wants to spend the time to get around the drm. This defense of apples practices in the digital music world just prove the fact that its just fashionable to hate and bash MS and love apple even though they both have the same monopolistic practices in there respective bread and butter products.

said by liquidnw :

People bitch an moan about Microsoft Monopoly but apple get a complete pass. It unconstitutional to force Apple to open there system but its ok to force MS to open there operating system to competitors. Before people call me a M.S. apologist I'm all for MS being less monopolistic but the double standard is amazing. You think if MS coming ipod rival some how takes 80 market share there would be a rush to fine and open up there music player.

said by ifarrell :

Apple did not use it's market share to manipulate makers of Audio Players to use it's system nor did it force PC makers to use it's software.
Apple makes a easy to use product that at least 75% of consumers want right now, plain and simple.