I think this list of corporate earnings shows just how well Apple is doing lately, despite all the nay-saying. As MG Siegler said, “There is exactly one company on that entire list that is not an oil and gas company. And they’re not that far from the top.”
I like to let people know that I’m of the position that you use what you like. If something works for you, then by golly, use it. I’m invested in Apple because I have an iPhone and iPad through work (both of which make it easier to do my job) and have bought many apps for them. I don’t want to see that all go away if I buy an Android phone. Now with that being said, I’m by no means against Android. I’ve never used it, so I can’t rightly say any good or bad about it.
I’ve chosen the side of Apple in the game of Android vs. Apple, although I have always found it interesting that it’s Android vs. Apple and not Google vs. Apple. Kind of seems unfair because there are many companies that make Android-based products. But then again, looking at the chart above, maybe it is fair.
I’m sure that there are quite a few things that I exaggerated in my last post, so I thought I’d add more thoughts about these bills and why they shouldn’t pass. After reading those links from Fark (thanks @wilw), I have come to the conclusion that the top item of concern is the DNS blocking.
If you don’t understand how DNS works, it’s the process by which your Internet-ready device changes domain names (like www.zaerion.com) to IP Addresses. Blocking a site via DNS doesn’t take the site offline. In fact, if you know the IP Address of the website, you can still get to it without any issues whatsoever. Which means all the pirates have to do is distribute a list of the IP ADdresses of their sites and it’s business as usual for them, while Johnny Q. Public is the one who gets hurt by no longer having a reliable DNS system. There are many DNS servers out there and I imagine many rogue DNS servers popping up to both fill the gap left by the blocking and to potentially steal personal information for the purposes of identity theft and credit card fraud.
As I’ve stated many times before, I am for someone protecting their copyright, (even if sometimes the big guys like the MPAA and RIAA abuse the DMCA) but please don’t destroy the Internet because you’re afraid of losing some money. Not everyone will pirate your stuff. I did. For a few years, but now I see the value in paying someone for their work. I believe that most people want to pay for things, you just have to make it easier and, more importantly, less restrictive.
I understand and even welcome the ability of copyright holders to protect their works from piracy. What I have a problem with is the complete censorship of a website because someone thinks there is infringing material or an infringing link to said material on a website. I have a problem with this because I’ve read about (from reputable news organizations) abuses of the DMCA by large copyright holders and I dread the thought of those same copyright holders having the ability to shut down ANY website WITHOUT due process. I realize that the idea was to target foreign sites that are based on infringement, but in my opinion, the language is too vague and could be misinterpreted and abused. Again, I am for copyright holders being able to protect their works, but I am against SOPA and the Protect IP Act.
I have sent several of these form letters in the past few months and I have received several form letters from you, but I am including a personal message in my letter this time and I hope that you would do the same. I don’t expect to change your mind with my words, but I hope that you would see the concern that people who know what they’re talking about have against these bills, and that you would not vote based upon how much money has been lobbied towards the House and Senate by the MPAA and RIAA.
Historically, the movie and recording industry have opposed VCRs, TVs, and CDs & DVDs because they felt that these devices would be used to pirate material and would consequently put them all out of business. As we can all plainly see, these technologies have not only not put them out of business, but have made them more money than ever.
The technology is not the problem. The problem is those who refuse to adapt to changing conditions and try desperately to cling to their old, outdated business model.
The above is what I sent to my congressman today. It’s quite ironic that, in order to protect one kind of IP (Intellectual Property) they’re willing to destroy a different kind of IP (Internet Protocol).
Edit: I’ve taken this from Tumblr via Wil Wheaton who got it from Fark.com. This is good info about the bills and what they mean.
Stolen from Fark, which has the best SOPA/PIPA protest I’ve seen today: