HP told to pay 3.5 years' CD-R drive royalties...

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Posted by	Robin
Posted on	23/09/01 20:23
Number of views	1109

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HP told to pay 3.5 years' CD-R drive royalties...

Already a year ago we reported about plans from Germany to let hardware producers pay a fee for their hardware. Why? Because with a CD writer u can copy music... and producers of that music need compensation for that. In my opinion complete bullshit, but who am I?

Unfortunately things don't always go like I want them to go. Last november HP was sentenced to pay $1.60 for each computer they sell. And if you sell hundreds of thousands computers, that's a lot of money. They also needed to pay $5.40 for every machine it ships with a device that can store music (which device can't??).

But HP isn't the only one. Several months ago also they also asked Fujitsu Siemens to pay US$26 for each PC. The case is still running...

You think this is enough for Germany? HP has now been ordered to reveal how many CD-R and CD-RW drives it has sold in the country during the last three and a half years.

The case centred on the use of CD recording equipment to duplicate music CDs. Germany levies a per-unit fee on other types of recording equipment, and the music industry wanted computer-based drives to be included too.

However, HP has clearly since decided it doesn't want to pay up. It was sued again in June this year after negotiations to set the levy broke down.

And the case continuous. We will keep you updated when new news arrives...

Source: theregister

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Posted by the111 on Sunday 23 September 2001 22:33

Perhaps they should be charging each time someone buys a tape deck? And that guy who whistles those tunes... he should be charged public performance royalties.

Posted by Nila on Monday 24 September 2001 00:34

This is BS.
I personally back up more DivX's than music and so the music industry shouldn't get ANY of the money because I barely ever burn Music.
Plus, I use my burner as much for backing up my own data as I do for music and so to say I should pay the music industry is lame as fuck.

I cant believe how pathetic the world is that they can just decide they want some extra free cash and then actually be told they're aloud to ask for it.

Just shows how corrupted the world is.

And not meaning to sound too prejudiced, but America sure sets the way for greediness on a large scale. You can sue for anything you want and win.

Posted by WeezeR on Monday 24 September 2001 06:11

If I was HP I,d be pulling out of germany but more likely they will just pass this on to the consumer. So who is wrong here, HP or Germany?

Nila, I don't think it is quite as easy as you make it sound, just because you sue someone doesn't mean you win... you have to prove your case. However you are correct that is the American way.

Posted by Nila on Tuesday 25 September 2001 01:32

I heard a true story when I went to america this summer:
A burglar was robbing this house, he got trapped in the garage while he was robbing it and got stuck there for a week till the owners returned. The only thing in the garage to eat was dog food and coke, he sued the house owners for trama and won.

U cant tell me that any country where that can actually happens is sane??

Posted by WeezeR on Tuesday 25 September 2001 03:04

lol, You must be a fool to believe tale. Doors are made to keep people out not in. There is no way a garage door can lock you inside, you have access to all the locking mechanisms. Pretty funny dude.

Posted by on Thursday 27 September 2001 22:07

F~ck the music industry. They are always causing trouble. We buy music only when we try it out first. It seems to me, the music industry wants a piece of share in the internet world. The music industry should be condmaned for there evil acts and doings to the public.

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