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Kanye West caught using Pirate Bay to download music software

arstechnica.co.uk

81–90 of 174 posts

Re: Kanye West caught using Pirate Bay to download music software

#81
post #59

Xfer records is very small, its just 2 people really (Steve and I). It's nice seeing this get so much attention. We are a very small company (if you can even call it that, I'm not even full time). Every sale is a big deal for Xfer, and piracy definitely hurts us. We don't have the resources to combat it, and we don't put restrictive copy protection on our software because we don't believe in hurting paying customers…

I am almost embarrassed to fanboy-out on you, but Serum is utterly amazing, and I must admit I am happy to be telling its author this directly.

I have never heard anything like in my 35 years of playing, writing, and producing music, and altho I am sure there are other synths that perform as well, given the low price and accessibility of it as a VSTi, it constantly blows me away.

Thanks for developing it.

Re: Kanye West caught using Pirate Bay to download music software

#82
post #66
post #59

Xfer records is very small, its just 2 people really (Steve and I). It's nice seeing this get so much attention. We are a very small company (if you can even call it that, I'm not even full time). Every sale is a big deal for Xfer, and piracy definitely hurts us. We don't have the resources to combat it, and we don't put restrictive copy protection on our software because we don't believe in hurting paying customers…

> stealing it :( While I empathize with most of your comment, you lost me at the end. Let's not use hyperbolic rhetoric. The crime is copyright infringement (unlawful copying), not stealing (theft), and not plunder and murder on the high seas (piracy). Yes, the sheet music publishers back in the day were able to convince people to use the language of the terrorism of their day (piracy). The hyperbole still harms disc…

A kid in his bedroom who hasn't saved up enough allowance to buy Serum yet is unlawfully copying our software. Kayne stole our software

Re: Kanye West caught using Pirate Bay to download music software

#83

Just because he had a tab with ThePirateBay open doesn't mean he downloaded a pirated copy of the software. He really should install an ad blocker though, to get rid of those "Mac Keeper" and "Attention" tabs.

To be fair we don't even know if this is his computer. It could have been in the studio or maybe on of his assistants told him "Hey Kanye listen to this" and he just took a pic of it.

Re: Kanye West caught using Pirate Bay to download music software

#84
post #81
post #59

Xfer records is very small, its just 2 people really (Steve and I). It's nice seeing this get so much attention. We are a very small company (if you can even call it that, I'm not even full time). Every sale is a big deal for Xfer, and piracy definitely hurts us. We don't have the resources to combat it, and we don't put restrictive copy protection on our software because we don't believe in hurting paying customers…

I am almost embarrassed to fanboy-out on you, but Serum is utterly amazing, and I must admit I am happy to be telling its author this directly. I have never heard anything like in my 35 years of playing, writing, and producing music, and altho I am sure there are other synths that perform as well, given the low price and accessibility of it as a VSTi, it constantly blows me away. Thanks for developing it.

Thank you so much! I will relay your message to Steve as well!

Re: Kanye West caught using Pirate Bay to download music software

#85
Straight up false headline from Ars, which is sadly becoming more and more of a problem there.

Kanye West was not caught doing a damn thing. A screenshot of a computer that may or may not be his has a Pirate Bay tab open in the background.

That's a far cry from "caught using to download".

Re: Kanye West caught using Pirate Bay to download music software

#86
post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I did not know about this until now (and I, sorta, follow EDM). What a dumbass, that is hilarious

Then I highly suggest you to watch the tutorial (I found the re-uploaded version on YouTube[0]). It's ridiculous. Here's my favorite quote: > I don't know what it does, it just makes everything super louder. [...] It just sounds very very way more stronger. [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IPxxeb-4gk

I love the subtitles:

"I end up usually taking 'out' so it just makes it shorter and tighter so... normal would be... you know, you can kinda hear the difference a little, shorter and sharper."

Subtitle: "Increase 'out' parameter to isolate the attack transient"

Yep, exactly what he said.

Re: Kanye West caught using Pirate Bay to download music software

#87
post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Color it by any technicality you want, but it is taking something from somebody and in common vernacular, that is theft.

I agree that someone is making money using a tool acquired illegally and the creator of the tool needs to be paid. > but it is taking something from somebody Here is where the inaccurate language harms discussion. Nothing is taken from the author. The author still has just as much as they had before the unlawful copying, apart from lost opportunity. They have lost a potential sale. The analogy with theft breaks down…

It's hyperbole and good on you for calling it out, hopefully we'll see more shifts away from such behavior.

Here's a relevant quote on winxp's 'pirated' audio,

-- According to Benjamin Kern, attorney at Chicago-based law firm Gordon & Glickson LLC, the use of a pirated version of Sound Forge can result in a copyright infringement claim : "Other legal issues, such as patent infringement, trade secret misappropriation and contract breach may also be relevant, but copyright infringement is the most prominent," --

No high seas murder or plundering involved.

Re: Kanye West caught using Pirate Bay to download music software

#88
post #59

Xfer records is very small, its just 2 people really (Steve and I). It's nice seeing this get so much attention. We are a very small company (if you can even call it that, I'm not even full time). Every sale is a big deal for Xfer, and piracy definitely hurts us. We don't have the resources to combat it, and we don't put restrictive copy protection on our software because we don't believe in hurting paying customers…

I've just purchased Cthulhu. Easy purchase process, easy installation (no keys required etc.), and a really nice plugin. Keep up the good work.

Re: Kanye West caught using Pirate Bay to download music software

#89
post #59

Xfer records is very small, its just 2 people really (Steve and I). It's nice seeing this get so much attention. We are a very small company (if you can even call it that, I'm not even full time). Every sale is a big deal for Xfer, and piracy definitely hurts us. We don't have the resources to combat it, and we don't put restrictive copy protection on our software because we don't believe in hurting paying customers…

Surely you can take heart that in this particular case, since he got caught and it turned into a thing, his piracy is going to generate many, many more sales for you.

Re: Kanye West caught using Pirate Bay to download music software

#90

Meh, "people in glass houses...": > @deadmau5 > I used a pirated copy of sylenth on my last 4 albums. #TrueReveal https://twitter.com/deadmau5/status/367265601640603648 Steve Aoki was also caught using the above software in a music video with Linkin Park, though he proved that he had bought the software but his assistants installed a pirated version on his road laptop. http://stoneyroads.com/2013/08/steve-aoki-respon…

>> "I think this all comes down to effort and usability. To purchase the software you have to go through a bunch of screens, enter payment info, download, install, and then enter a serial number."

Regarding this specific software it seems to me it's easier to get legally that illegally. Their website is really easy to use, checkout fast, and no copy protection to get in the way of the install.

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