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I’ve supported myself for the past decade with my side project

indiehackers.com

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Re: I’ve supported myself for the past decade with my side project

#41

Post by ScottBurson »

logfromblammo wrote: post #35
bshimmin wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Right, so you're using one of your competitors' names quite prominently on your own site? And, er, you think that's ok?

It's AZLyrics's responsibility to police their own trademarks, so it's okay, unless they say it is not in a C&D letter. So it's legally okay, as far as we know. Still a dick move, though. It's not okay in my opinion . But I'm not the one who may gain or lose thousands of dollars by deciding whether or not to do it, either. I can't say for certain whether it would be okay or not from outside my comfy judgment armchair…

It's blatant, intentional trademark infringement for direct commercial gain. IANAL, but I would think this might result in something quite a bit more expensive than a C&D -- like a lawsuit with punitive damages.

ETA: and now the site owner is on record here on HN stating that the intent was to steal search traffic. I'm sure this is a cutthroat business ... but this is an open invitation for one's own throat to be cut.

Re: I’ve supported myself for the past decade with my side project

#42

Post by paulcole »

zanny wrote: post #34
paulcole wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Well back in 2004 there was no way to get an actual license. There's also no way to hang the original Mona Lisa in your house but that doesn't mean you get to steal it.

Hey look, its the physical-goods-are-the-same-as-digital-information strawman. Haven't seen ya in a while.

Using/taking what isn't yours isn't right. Period.

Do it if you want but don't ignore that pretty simple fact.

Re: I’ve supported myself for the past decade with my side project

#43

Post by yvoschaap2 »

theprotocol wrote: post #25
yvoschaap2 wrote: post #2

Hi, OP here. Happy to answer any specific question...

How has the advent of ad blockers affected your revenue stream?

I never measured that. But the numbers I deal with are so large, that even after blocking the number of ad impressions are still huge.

The biggest revenue hit was the decline of ringtone revenue.

Re: I’ve supported myself for the past decade with my side project

#44

Post by yvoschaap2 »

reallynice wrote: post #18

That's a lot of content to get licensed. You have to individually negotiate with every band and artist to get the license for their lyrics?

There are two companies available who are intermediaries between me (site) and the lyrics publisher (writer) and handle all licensing:

- Gracenote (they sold their lyrics licensing to lyricfind)

- Lyricfind

E.g. Google and Bing also license their lyrics offering through Lyricfind.

I only deal with them.

Re: I’ve supported myself for the past decade with my side project

#45

Post by yvoschaap2 »

ScottBurson wrote: post #41
logfromblammo wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's AZLyrics's responsibility to police their own trademarks, so it's okay, unless they say it is not in a C&D letter. So it's legally okay, as far as we know. Still a dick move, though. It's not okay in my opinion . But I'm not the one who may gain or lose thousands of dollars by deciding whether or not to do it, either. I can't say for certain whether it would be okay or not from outside my comfy judgment armchair…

It's blatant, intentional trademark infringement for direct commercial gain. IANAL, but I would think this might result in something quite a bit more expensive than a C&D -- like a lawsuit with punitive damages. ETA: and now the site owner is on record here on HN stating that the intent was to steal search traffic. I'm sure this is a cutthroat business ... but this is an open invitation for one's own throat to be cut…

So many lawyers here on HN, I forgot...

Re: I’ve supported myself for the past decade with my side project

#46

Post by 6stringmerc »

zanny wrote: post #34
paulcole wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Well back in 2004 there was no way to get an actual license. There's also no way to hang the original Mona Lisa in your house but that doesn't mean you get to steal it.

Hey look, its the physical-goods-are-the-same-as-digital-information strawman. Haven't seen ya in a while.

A more apt comparison is downloading an image that is still under Copyright (Mona Lisa is public domain, though photos of it may not be), getting a high quality print made at a local print shop, hanging it in your living room, and charging people $5 to come look at it.

In this example, there is a tangible personal gain from violating the intellectual property rights of somebody else.

It ain't theft, true, but it ain't a legal business model.

Re: I’ve supported myself for the past decade with my side project

#47

Post by xiaoma »

paulcole wrote: post #42
zanny wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hey look, its the physical-goods-are-the-same-as-digital-information strawman. Haven't seen ya in a while.

Using/taking what isn't yours isn't right. Period. Do it if you want but don't ignore that pretty simple fact.

So it goes without saying that you're not one of those people who has committed the monstrous act of singing Happy Birthday without paying to license the performance rights?

Or have you perhaps also lead a less than pure life (as viewed by the RIAA)?

Re: I’ve supported myself for the past decade with my side project

#49

Post by gotrecruit »

how much has rapgenius taken away from you? i know i used to land up in one of many crappy lyrics sites, such as yours, because those seem to be the only places to find them but these days i mostly stick to rapgenius for its clean interface. i imagine rapgenius's rise must have done some damage with their clearly superior technology?

Re: I’ve supported myself for the past decade with my side project

#50

Post by stevenwoo »

empath75 wrote: post #4

I feel like starting a business with a massive theft of other people's intellectual property isn't a great model to follow.

I agree but it worked for Spotify according this version of the company's history. http://gizmodo.com/early-spotify-was-built-on-pirated-mp3-fi...
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