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I'm done with Google

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Re: I'm done with Google

#221

Post by notpushkin »

About a decade ago now, I was working on an app called Songbee. It never went anywhere further than some (dirty but not so quick) prototypes [1], but the idea was brilliant I think (for a 16-year-old me).

It was an app modeled after Spotify, but used torrents for the actual music streaming. Those would get hand picked from actual trackers (so they have seeds already) and matched up with metadata.

There would also be a pay-what-you-want subscription that would go directly to the artists you've been listening to. It would be in Zcash, so that artists can choose not to share their donations with the label they're on. Songbee would take a small cut (I was thinking ~30%, nowadays I'd say 10% should be enough) to pay moderators etc.

I got burned out at the time, but nowadays I think it's an idea worth reviving?

[1]: some are open source at https://github.com/Songbee, some are lost forever but that's for the best

Re: I'm done with Google

#222

Post by kelnos »

rock_artist wrote: post #174

Digital age isn't about owning stuff. We can "subscribe" to stuff, rent them as long as we don't violate terms and pay in time. The pros - you're paying for "all-you-can-eat" like approach where everything is available (as long as you pay) Sadly, Digital media was never to be owned. (it to be - grant rights to use) If it's open without no DRM - it can be copied, no real ownership. It's only rights, unlike physical go…

This isn't what this is, though. This isn't a monthly Netflix subscription, this is "Pay $X for this specific movie and it is yours forever". (Of course, "forever" is only implied/assumed, and negated in the fine print.)

The "funny" thing is that we were sold on the lie that digital goods would be cheaper, because now they don't have to manufacture and ship physical media. Of course, everything still costs the same, or more. This is most striking when looking at books: often the Kindle version will cost roughly the same (or even more!) than the paperback version. Even when it does cost less (and isn't part of some promotion or sale), the difference certainly isn't explained by the cost savings around digital distribution.

Re: I'm done with Google

#223

Post by leehuffman »

dmantis wrote: post #196
leehuffman wrote: post #189

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Not the guy you ask, but for me, I just want convenient digital thing on my laptop I actually own, not rent. I live in 2022 and don't want that physical crap. Welp I got you bruh bruh... > I would have no problem to pay for DRM-free and location-independent stuff, but all this thing with "rights owners", "you can't hear that in this location", "you can't download it to listen offline and locally" is a total bullshi…

No problem, Send me Eminem, last Cypress Hill album and bitcoin address to pay, I'll pay you in public, put tx hash here and the whole HN will be able to see that. Please also send here the invoice photo with yourself and nickname on hn as proof, so it's not some torrent downloaded content already and you really supported artists. Though I won't do that process on day-to-day basis for each track I listen, that's kind…

Just copped The Slim Shady LP for you. That one is a classic.

His later records are trash (ok he had one more decent showing on The Marshall Mathers) and Cypress Hill is laughable I won't do it. Holy fuck of course you picked those two artists lol.

For real though your shit is purchased straight up & on it's way and now that you've mentioned BTC I don't even want to be reimbursed I just want to send you the lossless rips when the physical lands – ETA 1/4/2023.

Send me something so I can give you these files, please. That Slim Shady LP is amazing and I want to come through on my offer.

> Though I won't do that process on day-to-day basis for each track I listen, that's kinda inconvenient, you know.

Right you'd have to go to the website where you buy things and do what I did. I can understand that that's a bummer for you. You know what else is a bummer? Two free album offer and you choose Eminem and Cypress Hill hahaha. God damn my HN music taste bingo board would have SMACKED.

Re: I'm done with Google

#224

Post by xbmcuser »

I get the hate google and others tech companies are getting but it is the copyrights model that is being promoted by the US and has been forced on a lot of the world by war or by sanctions. Google are not the copyrights holders of this content if you want this to change you need laws to change. But corporations have fought very hard for this over the last many years and have gained ground by inches they wont be willing to go back on this

Re: I'm done with Google

#225

Post by veltas »

A lot of articles have this same story: "dying person can't do the basic thing they want because tech sucks". And it's a valid, moving story every time.

It's a shame that it's hard to convince people that tech shouldn't be broken by design without someone on death's door, but it does really hit home just how shallow and empty modern tech is becoming when you think of these scenarios. I'm glad that she can see the movie anyway, unfortunately most people in this situation won't know another way to see it.

Re: I'm done with Google

#226

Post by pontilanda »

sizzle wrote: post #212

VLC might play that .mp4 but honestly it’s hostile UX like this that my parents and family can’t navigate alone or rob us of our time together troubleshooting google apps/Android OS because some goog product org somewhere is doing god knows what to increase engagement metrics in their apps and justify their promotion/bonus to tweak things that break goog apps for end users not using flagship latest-gen Pixel phones.…

Apple is ok but the Music app is still atrocious for streaming, so it’s not like they’re particularly better at it. They made zero improvements to network reliability issues since their streaming service was launched, which is totally laughable considering that network is the core of streaming.

As an Apple user, I’m aware of the insane limitations I have in every part outside their garden. Have you tried adding a ringtone?

Re: I'm done with Google

#227

Post by choeger »

jspaetzel wrote: post #92
choeger wrote: post #44

I said it before, but I'll repeat myself: For digital possessions, we need a clearing house. Everyone offering music, videos, etc. for sale or long-term rent, needs to register a digital copy in a standardized format with said clearing house. Every sale has to be registered there as well. Whenever the seller disables DRM or does locks out the buyer in any other way (not supporting new or old devices, closing down acc…

This isn't the problem, it would actually make this problem worse. The issue here is long-term device support which google is negligent about.. take away their vendor lock in and the whole platform stops making financial sense at any level of quality.

It is the problem. Removing device support is akin to revoking the license. Google sold this license, demands some harsh conditions on devices and DRM but then doesn't care about keeping up its own part of the deal.

Imagine buying a car just to figure out that a couple of years later you can't fill it up anymore, because "that particular model of inlet is not supported any longer." You are not allowed to change the inlet.

Re: I'm done with Google

#228

Post by dmantis »

leehuffman wrote: post #223
dmantis wrote: post #196

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No problem, Send me Eminem, last Cypress Hill album and bitcoin address to pay, I'll pay you in public, put tx hash here and the whole HN will be able to see that. Please also send here the invoice photo with yourself and nickname on hn as proof, so it's not some torrent downloaded content already and you really supported artists. Though I won't do that process on day-to-day basis for each track I listen, that's kind…

Just copped The Slim Shady LP for you. That one is a classic. His later records are trash (ok he had one more decent showing on The Marshall Mathers) and Cypress Hill is laughable I won't do it. Holy fuck of course you picked those two artists lol. For real though your shit is purchased straight up & on it's way and now that you've mentioned BTC I don't even want to be reimbursed I just want to send you the lossless…

There is no proof that you bought it, you can save for yourself if you don't want "reimbursement". I know how to use torrents, you know. The point was to support artists, not to get anything.

If you change your mind and would like to get the payment, the offer conditions is still valid, I don't deny to pay.

Actually your attitude is more or less the same as in other current distribution platforms - they kinda might support artists, but don't respect the client. And that's the reason that they will continue to loose money.

So we have a nice cosplay of modern labels, really!

Re: I'm done with Google

#229

Post by indrora »

silisili wrote: post #24
indrora wrote: post #9

The issue here isn't that it's Google, it's that Google is doing what they're told to do. Movie and music licensing has been absolutely destroyed recently and the hoops that you have to agree to are becoming untenable. Recently, I mentioned to a band it was sad they pulled their music off Spotify. Puzzled, they were not even aware that the licensing was pulled, and they had to go yell at their record label (who was u…

With all due respect, I feel like Google is large enough to refuse to be told what to do. If they really cared...

I thought this too for the longest time. Then I heard an anecdote from one of my colleagues that does licensing: The music licensing industry heads (RIAA/MPAA/ASCAP/etc) are tiny fish monetarily, but they own everything and control it. If the RIAA doesn't like you, they can make you go away. The issue is that if anyone wants to fight them on Antitrust grounds, this turns the big light of Antitrust litigation around on those big fish that depend on Very Carefully not being in the spotlight.

Putting it differently: if Google tried to do anything, their counter would be calling the licensing bodies anticompetitive, which puts Google in the crosshairs next.

Re: I'm done with Google

#230

Post by 22289d »

cableshaft wrote: post #215
tluyben2 wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> And they have. So they get my money. Sure, as long as that holds. I like the music services as they have all the weird stuff I listen to. I like the book services as they have all the weird stuff I read. But movies/tvshows are a different ballgame; if i'm watching some series or saw some trailer and I want to see it but it doesn't appear in the netflix/hbo/disney/apple in my country, I am not going to wait or not w…

It's almost completely gone in the US on Netflix also. I've had better luck watching older movies on Youtube 'Free with Ads' service, especially 80s and 90s movies, than I've had on Netflix. And there's no ads if you get Youtube's premium service (I currently don't, but don't mind the ads). Currently on there is Wrongfully Accused (funny Leslie Nielsen movie), Glengarry Glen Ross, Robocop (1987), Ghost in the Shell,…

If you haven't, you might checkout HBO Max. It's got a much better lineup of movies than Netflix imo, especially in that timeframe.
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