New machines installed in Adelaide convenience stores make the illegal copying of the latest CDs and computer software '“ which costs artists and software designers millions of dollars '“ as easy as buying a loaf of bread. Thanks Vinculum for submitting this news:
The machines are already in a number of city convenience stores, as well as printing and copying shops. Sales of home CD copying machines, known as burners, also are booming, with one city store selling more than 100 a month.
Australian music expert Glenn A. Baker yesterday branded the copying of music from Australian bands in particular as "morally reprehensible" and he "couldn't imagine anything more potentially devastating for the music industry".
"There is no other product that is subjected to this kind of wholesale theft, there is nothing else that so many people think: `We can just take this' ", Mr Baker said.
The machines are able to operate under the same legislation as public photocopiers, where the burden of responsibility for copyright breaches lies with the user and not the owner of the equipment.
Adelaide Convenience owner John Stavrou, said the coin-operated machines were popular among young people.
"If people ask, we tell them it is illegal to break copyrights and there are warnings on the machines '“ but what they copy is up to them," he said.
I wonder how long it will take before these machines will disappear. I don't think they will be used for very long since it's pretty obvious (to me) these machines will be used to copy copy-protected discs. Of course so will home CD-Recorders but people aren't doing that out in the open...
Source: The Advertiser
Source: The Advertiser
