Record Labels to Sue Vuze, Limewire and SourceForge

Written by Ernesto on November 14, 2008 

French record labels have received the green light to sue four US-based companies that develop P2P applications, including the BitTorrent client Vuze, Limewire and Morpheus. Shareaza is the fourth application, for which the labels are going after the open source development platform SourceForge.

appsSociété civile des Producteurs de Phonogrammes en France (SPPF), an umbrella group for several record labels in France, claims that the four file-sharing applications facilitate mass copyright infringement. Although the companies (and applications) themselves have nothing to do with copyright infringement, SPPF believes it has a strong case.

The record labels argue that the Vuze and the others are knowingly distributing software with the purpose to permit unauthorized access to copyrighted works. In essence they are saying that everything, or every application which allows a user to share files, will be indeed used for illegal purposes. In contrast, in the US, companies that don’t encourage their users to commit copyright infringement with their applications, are not acting illegally.

SPPF had already sued the various companies and organizations last year, but until now it has been unclear whether the US based companies behind the applications could be prosecuted under French law. A French court has now ruled that this is indeed possible, which means that they can proceed to court.

Recent French legislation which inspired the labels to go after the P2P companies, suggests that all P2P applications must have a feature to block the transfer of unauthorized copyright works. The clients that are sued by SPPF obviously don’t have such a feature. In fact, it is questionable whether it would be technically possible to develop such a filter. Nevertheless, SPPF demands it, and is claiming millions of dollars in damages for lost revenue.

Vuze CEO Gilles BianRosa stated in a response to TorrentFreak, “While we appreciate the intent of the new French law, we believe SPPF’s complaint is misguided. Vuze is dedicated to the distribution of legitimate content using new technology. In that sense, our interests are aligned with the interests of all content owners, including SPPF’s members, against piracy.”

“We are disappointed that SPPF has taken this approach, given that our business is dedicated to the distribution of legitimate content,” BianRosa added. “SPPF’s claims against Vuze are simply wrong. The Vuze business complies fully with both French and American law. The recent ruling of the French Court was solely on a jurisdictional issue, not on any merits, and we believe it is in error.”

Interestingly, SPPF is also going after Sourceforge, the open source development website, because it hosts the P2P application Shareaza. Putting aside the discussion on the responsibilities of application developers for their users activities, the decision to go after SourceForge for hosting a application that can potentially infringe, is stretching credibility beyond all bounds”

Meanwhile, Vuze has appealed the decision. Separately, the company is suing SPPF for defamation based upon several false and harmful statements made by SPPF about Vuze. A different French Court has denied SPPF’s attempt to derail those claims recently , and is allowing the defamation lawsuit to proceed.

If SPPF succeeds in their case against organizations running the four P2P applications, FTP software and Internet browsers might be next, if they don’t go after Ubuntu and other operating systems first. Perhaps it is even better to shut down the Internet entirely.

Previously: Anti-Piracy Group Hints at Disclosure “On Demand”

Next: Toyota Claims Ownership of Fan Wallpapers

151 Responses

1 Nov 14, 2008 at 20:30 by Triple D

First!

When will these record labels learn that their business model is over. It’s over!!! The damn is leaking profusely and it going to blow (that’s what she said).

2 Nov 14, 2008 at 20:38 by mauk

that’s just retarded.

their d-day clock just went a minute closer

3 Nov 14, 2008 at 20:41 by Sert the magic and awezome dragon of doom and death!

Lol, retards…

4 Nov 14, 2008 at 20:42 by prem1er

…lame duck

5 Nov 14, 2008 at 20:42 by Eduren

Now they’re going after Sourceforge? not cool.

6 Nov 14, 2008 at 20:47 by ada

omg, unbelievable! absolutely outragous. they are simply not from this earth anymore, they live in a diffrent world. such retartedness. their IQ must be below 0 to think this up. indeed, whats next? sue the inventor of the internet? here in my little country they would put you in the looney house for sayig that and mean it!

no other words for this: unreal!

7 Nov 14, 2008 at 20:52 by hmm

i think im going to sue them for being douche bags..

i think i have a strong case.

8 Nov 14, 2008 at 20:53 by Ghostofchris

What!!! sueing sourceforge…. them idiots.

9 Nov 14, 2008 at 20:54 by hmm

While your at it..

Sue VCR’s
Sue TIVOs or DVRs
Sue CD Players
Sue DVD players
Sue the Post office
Sue anyone who has a brain that could possibly copy something in there mind.

10 Nov 14, 2008 at 20:55 by Guru

Damned retards. Money has the power to make people to delude.

11 Nov 14, 2008 at 20:59 by Crandom

Sourceforge? Obvious fail is obvious.

12 Nov 14, 2008 at 21:03 by mu57i11

Better go after companies like wd and maxtor while your at it, I mean think how many mp3’s there knowingly letting there customers fit on those drives?
I usually get a bit nervy when I say that the right person will win in caught when it comes to p2p stuff, but this time, they surely can’t loos? If they do, it will be down to ignorance on the part of the caught not down to facts.

13 Nov 14, 2008 at 21:05 by anon

lmfao…I needed that.

14 Nov 14, 2008 at 21:06 by That Guy

Another example of stupid thinking doing and doing stupid things. These people can not control the internet and they cant control what people do, but that doesnt stop them from trying.

Visit P2P Tech Time
http://www.p2ptechtime.com

15 Nov 14, 2008 at 21:09 by French music? lol

French record labels? Hmmm not exactly known for their music the French.

Still, once they are done with the 4 clients, and all the other software and hardware already listed, they will ofc need to go after Yahoo and MSN for their messenger clients also, can’t wait to see them take on one of the big boys.

16 Nov 14, 2008 at 21:17 by PunkMojo

Kinda like sueing a car manufacturer because a criminal may use it to transfer stolen goods…

17 Nov 14, 2008 at 21:19 by Frederique W, Piccart

The world is going mad once again.

They should remove the doors of my house as well, seeing it allows me to head over to my neighbor to show of my new music CD I bought to see if he likes it as well.

I’m such a pirate :(. Yargh! Oh boy, it has already started.

18 Nov 14, 2008 at 21:25 by Anonymous

all the programs are shit anyway

19 Nov 14, 2008 at 21:26 by logos

WTF?

Vuze and Limewire i might understand but SourceForge?!

and somebody who knows something about international law, what would happen if these ->US<- companies where successfully sued in France? cant they just ignore it or appeal to the US justice system or something?

20 Nov 14, 2008 at 21:39 by Anonymous

#16
And then also suing the company which owns the building in which the car company builds the cars which might be used by the customer to transport stolen goods. ;P

21 Nov 14, 2008 at 21:41 by Jordan

LOL @ the thought of using Sourceforge.

22 Nov 14, 2008 at 21:44 by in.cog.nito

just another reason the french fail

23 Nov 14, 2008 at 21:51 by Anonymous

lolol sueing vcr producers is far more reasonable than this. does any of those organizations actually have a branch in france? otherwise it’s like crowning themselfes; they can sue and judge all they want, no one will care because they can’t entforce it at all.

24 Nov 14, 2008 at 22:01 by Ibod Catooga

This is what happens when you are into buggery.

25 Nov 14, 2008 at 22:01 by jebus

Why not just sue the internet you stupid garlic eating surrender monkeys.

26 Nov 14, 2008 at 22:09 by JFred

Ridiculous!! They had better sue Google and other search engines for not blocking searches for unauthorized copyrighted content. Just a ploy to get rich quick, what a bunch of lamers.

27 Nov 14, 2008 at 22:10 by Anonymous

I suppose they’ll be trying to sue people that create IM clients next for having the “Send File” option…

28 Nov 14, 2008 at 22:11 by Anonymous

Let’s close the internet, because thats what they want.
And forbid CDr and DVDr and VCR’s etc….

And the next thing thet want is, if you sing a song, say Happy Birthday, and you don’t pay, you go to yail!
http://www.unhappybirthday.com/

29 Nov 14, 2008 at 22:14 by Anonymous

I hope all three of them sue for defamation.

30 Nov 14, 2008 at 22:24 by Mr.Afghanistan

Sourceforge ? ? ?
muhahahhahahahhaah

French Gov went Crazy, somebody should teach them what’s Sourceforge for :P

French F**K FACE, learn then talk !

31 Nov 14, 2008 at 22:34 by Anonymous

Thanks for the good giggle man. appreciate it. damn french.

32 Nov 14, 2008 at 22:41 by djdrunky

this is really stupid…this stupid people keep trying to sue every p2p application, theres no way that people would stop piracing. while u guys sue a company theres other companies comin up…and by the way whats the f***ing matters of downloading software, music etc…nobody will pay 500 f***ing dollars for a cd…and make the person who maded more rich…thats stupid…i give props to those who do piracy…and the people who are making the p2p applications.. yeah i am a dj and i pay for music and still buy cds at $ 3.00 to play at some parties, and software at 4 dollars…come on we are in a new generations, u old guys gonna die and there still goin to be piracy worldwide…take care of something else like, people writtin on walls, kids doing drugs, and men insulting women, but whats wrong with a cd copying?…go to hell man….

33 Nov 14, 2008 at 22:51 by Julian

So they could sue, say, a pen factory. Because with pens you can copy what others wrote. Copyright infringement, oh no!!!

34 Nov 14, 2008 at 23:15 by Mysterious Stranger

Next thing, why not sue ISP because internet facilitates mass copyright infringement.
Why not incarcerate truck drivers because trucks facilitate drugs and weapons traffic…
Seriously, I’m scared for the future when I see this display of stupidity.

35 Nov 14, 2008 at 23:17 by AnarchyNow

Fuck the government, let’s sue weapon makers, they make tools that facilitate assassination and they know it…
hmm I think the sppf (an old fascist organization, hitler’s lovers btw, like its twin, sacem) is going to be ridiculous again.

It’s a fight between whether we are going to be fucked in the ass forever by people who are so busy doing nothing else but destroying the whole world or we gonna stand up to reclaim all our stolen freedoms taken away in the name of money and security (for the richs only)

36 Nov 14, 2008 at 23:45 by #YLS#

Surely this means companies like media defender should be sued under this law suit as they’ve used modified shareaza clients to look up clients on the trackers before.

Sorry if my facts aren’t 100% correct on that one.

37 Nov 14, 2008 at 23:49 by Anonymous

wipe them off the face of the earth, we don’t need scum like these

38 Nov 14, 2008 at 23:54 by Hydra

The SPPF expects to request an exequatur (if the French court rules in their favor, they will ask an American court to enforce the decision in the US). Given the DADVSI law in France, the SPPF can indeed win. Note that after Shareaza[dot]com was hijacked (and distributes an iMesh and BearShare clone rebranded as ShareazV5) now the SPPF claims that Shareaza doesn’t exist as a P2P app anymore. Pure coincidence?
You may want to read the related thread on the forum of the real, open source Shareaza :
http://pantheraproject.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=2619

And hey, Shareaza is the project of the month (November 2008) on SourceForge!

39 Nov 14, 2008 at 23:56 by ALIS

This is getting ridiculous. If they continue like this they’ll probaply sue the creator of the internet and all internet service providers too. Why not the people who install your cables or phonelines too, they give you a way to connect to the internet… Fucking retarded.

Even the moronic mafiaa members here in finland are doing stupid stuff like this. We need to pay more for anything that can be used to hold “illegal” material, like harddrives, usb sticks, mobile phones… We pay TEOSTO(finnish mafiaa type organisation) because we could use the devices for “illegal” material but the material is still illegal, wheres the logic in that?

40 Nov 14, 2008 at 23:58 by Anonymous

I hope the bums who took over the Shareaza domain are the ones actually sued. Serves them right.

41 Nov 14, 2008 at 23:59 by ALIS

Forgot to add http and ftp too, they are used to share files, why not sue people who created them? And windows, linux and solaris too because they enable you to use the programs.

42 Nov 15, 2008 at 00:03 by Anonymous

It’s about time for the next revolution. Off with their heads!

43 Nov 15, 2008 at 00:05 by Michael

Wow, i mean seriously dont they realise its not the program or people who made the programs fault- its the people that upload their music and give it out *on* the program. Torrents and limewire were just programs to transfer anything but people decided to make that movies, music, etc…. its got nothing to do with the people who made it!

44 Nov 15, 2008 at 00:24 by Yali

Hello from France!

This is mostly a desperate lobbying act from the spff: if the 3strike law is not voted, we will pursue everybody! They also claimed they will pursue at least 10 000 internet users per day…BS, just a childish threat.

45 Nov 15, 2008 at 00:26 by Ray076NL

As the first poster stated, the should stop complaining and spent their time to find ways to get along with it, but they are just whinig because they don’t make enough money (yeah right, 20 dollar for a cd is not enough? oh it isn’t!). They should make new models and use the internet, but no, they are to retarded to see their own faults, or to arrogant to admit that they made mistakes. The only thing you can do about this kind of things is let your voice hear and demonstrate…

In the end, record companies are going to die because they aren’t needed anymore, atleast not in the way they are here now.

(the funny thing is, I watched an episode of southpark today where they dealed with the piracy story, they get it, now the record companies)

46 Nov 15, 2008 at 00:33 by Phlox

They don’t smell blood.. They smell MONEY.. a much stronger smell.

47 Nov 15, 2008 at 00:48 by Does the EFF know this?

…….although the EFF isn’t in France, but….wonder if there is a related non profit organization there

48 Nov 15, 2008 at 00:50 by Anonymous

i dont get how they can sue them from france plus even when their servers are in U.S.

49 Nov 15, 2008 at 01:09 by Jeff

Suing Sourceforge?

Maybe they need to take a close look at the original “litigious bastards” the SCO Group, who tried to sue the makers of open source software, and failed miserably.

I put “litigious bastards” in quotes because at one point if you Googled that phrase, you would get SCO’s homepage as the first hit. Maybe a similar campaign needs to be carried out against the MAFIAA. (Though Google no longer allows such Googlebombs to stay on their site for very long.)

50 Nov 15, 2008 at 01:26 by Roze

I do not think that it is good for us to take any of this lightly. When people do such morally wrong things as this, it cannot be tolerated. Do not you think that there should already be proper retribution? There must be some way to attack them back.

Roze
http://www.10ch.org/

51 Nov 15, 2008 at 01:40 by Anonymous

Why not make computers illegal entirely?

Nip it at the bud, riaa, ifpi, etc, you can do it!!!

52 Nov 15, 2008 at 02:00 by Anonymous

Wait a minute. this is fucked…downloading isnt a crime…but depends what u download, p2p was common back in the day when u used to copy tape to tape or vynil to tape.

But still people bought music, as it was the artists/bands effort and hard work. imagine u doing hard work with ur blood n sweat that went into it n sum1 didnt pay u. its like their job. ok and if ur an artist in todays world, so be it but itll be a hobby, not a living…and if the internet totally shuts down, oh great…havock it is…once again well nbe meeting the middle earth days…and back to the days like the industrial revolution…thats wen ppl kinda slowly took it on board about having steam cars…and now when digital technology is evolving its stopping. rediculous…but then again, the more smaller we get in terms of size of music players…the shitter the quality same with videos…but im telling if theres 1 thing that is not gunner get small, that is my DICK!!!!!!!!! so in ur face FRENCH CUNTS!!!!

53 Nov 15, 2008 at 02:04 by Redicules

People jsut want free stuff…stupid really, inflation, credit crunch, jobless people, unemployment… it is ignored but this all plays a part in everyday life and what u do. ppl snt realise. difference from one man can differ the whole world…

Ppl dnt work, if they do they spend it on other stuff irresponsibley. if u really wana download, use the bloody iTunes or something. that way both the freaking artists and public are happy…….uve met teh surplus.

54 Nov 15, 2008 at 02:27 by Cujothemadog

they could sue Microsoft too ….cause we’re useing thier OS!!! :P

55 Nov 15, 2008 at 02:34 by How to stop piracy SPPF style in three simple steps:

BAN COMPUTERS!
TURN OFF THE INTERNET!
KILL ALL HUMANS!

56 Nov 15, 2008 at 03:51 by Anonymous

WOAH WOAH WOAH.

YOU DON’T MESS WITH SOURCEFORGE.

Why? All the developers will go rouge and pummel France’s interwebs if they do.

57 Nov 15, 2008 at 04:28 by Anonymous

I haven’t read all the comments but I trust that many have already pointed out that they might as well go to the root of the problem and sue steve jobs, bill gates and Linus Torvalds. These people have created products that are frequently used to commit copyright infringement, and I can’t imagine that any of them are unaware that this is a possible use of their products.

actually, any company that provides
any of the following products or services should be sued: electricity, internet, harddrives, processors, ethernet cables, USB sticks, dvds, cds VHS tapes, dvd/cd/blueray/hdvd/vhs readers and burners, video cameras, microphones, search engines, scanners, printers, photocopiers, paper, pens, pencils and musical instruments (if you publicly perform a copyrighted song without playing, you’re cpyright infringing. While we’re at it, maybe everyines vocal chords should be destroyed)… I could go on.

58 Nov 15, 2008 at 04:45 by ju

how funny is it gonna be when they inevitably get told to go f**k themselves, lol.

59 Nov 15, 2008 at 05:10 by Anonymous

“I do not think that it is good for us to take any of this lightly.”

Why not?

This little misadventure of the Société civile des Education Spéciale en France is doomed to failure from from the word ‘go’.

That said, if half the government isn’t being shot and strung up at gas stations for letting the legislators and court system enable this kind of jawdropping idiocy, there’s something wrong with France.

60 Nov 15, 2008 at 05:17 by Anonymous

Torrentfreak, you’d better follow up on thins story. I can’t wait to see how they get laughed out of court.

61 Nov 15, 2008 at 06:11 by Grok

You know they’re absolutely crazy when they’re going after SourceForge.

Record labels are doing far more damage to themselves than any other group might potentially be doing.

62 Nov 15, 2008 at 06:22 by Anonymous

stupid media companies you have no case hit the road retards…

63 Nov 15, 2008 at 06:39 by 1nf

real hard LOOOL!

they’ll fail miserably if they go ahead with it…

64 Nov 15, 2008 at 06:44 by roy

“Meanwhile, Vuze has appealed the decision. Separately, the company is suing SPPF for defamation based upon several false and harmful statements made by SPPF about Vuze. A different French Court has denied SPPF’s attempt to derail those claims recently , and is allowing the defamation lawsuit to proceed.”

Go for it!

65 Nov 15, 2008 at 07:01 by annoyance

viva la france

66 Nov 15, 2008 at 07:32 by Anonymous

“Vuze has appealed the decision. Separately, the company is suing SPPF for defamation based upon several false and harmful statements made by SPPF about Vuze.”

Good luck with the case.
Some needed revenue during a downtime would be nice for the co..

67 Nov 15, 2008 at 08:24 by Henry Emrich

This is why nobody in their right mind gives two liquidy shits about “copyright” or “intellectual property” anymore. The only way you can still believe that IP “law” is about “providing financial incentives to innovators”, is to completely ignore the facts:

1. Historical roots of copyright (not a pretty picture, “Statute of Anne” on down.)

2. Lobby-pigs extending and extending copyright terms to infinity-in-all-but-name. (NOT the original intent by any means, even though even the ORIGINAL idea of copyrights/patents was pernicious.)

3. Continuous, runaway lawsuits.

4. Patents primarily used so that megacorporations can browbeat smaller competitors. Patents are evil, but copyright is infinitely worse.

5. Attempted suppression of home video, tape recorders (!!!!!), Tivo, etc. Forcing useless shit like “region coding” into the DVD standard just so that the MPAA can (supposedly) control where you are “permitted” to play the DVD’s you supposedly “bought”.

On and one.

There is absolutely no excuse for any sort of IP “law” to continue to be permitted any longer. I actually used to favor some form of genuinely “limited” term like the original 14 years, but now even that smacks of capitulation. If we cede the PRINCIPLE here, then everything else is ceded as well. IP law AS SUCH is — NOT merely in need of “reform”, but rather in need of TOTAL REPEAL.

68 Nov 15, 2008 at 09:30 by common man

someone sue sppf for using english and its alphabets and for using internet(coz internet is not a medium for people who want to dress themselves in copyrights).

69 Nov 15, 2008 at 09:36 by Cc

not a wise choice .
whether will win or not ,if go on this case may lead many sites to ban french users .

70 Nov 15, 2008 at 10:25 by Zwartbaard

Ghehe, the morons!

It’s like suing the metal industry when your car doesn’t work.

We don’t need to look at this lawsuit, we need to look at the morons working at the SPPF. I think the people with a higher position, have at least borderline, if not a splitten personality…

71 Nov 15, 2008 at 10:58 by MeepMeep

http://www.turnofftheinternet.com/

72 Nov 15, 2008 at 12:12 by Loui

this is disgusting going after sourceforge. i’m sure these companies use free software!

73 Nov 15, 2008 at 13:11 by FranceBlows

France makes the EU look bad. Do you really have to make a point about it that you really are just about the last country in Europe to GET A FUCKIN CLUE. Someone needs to bitch slap that judge for practicing a job he clearly has no idea on how to do right. Sourceforge ? Are you fuckin kidding me? Can you be more ignorant?

74 Nov 15, 2008 at 13:21 by ALIS

How is it even possible for people to be so stupid that they sue a technology because it can be used to something “illegal”? And even the french court says that they can sue people in US, i didnt know they allow braindead people to become judges… If i dont remember wrong the french have done this before and won, so they might have a chance to win again… I say ban france from the internet if they win.

75 Nov 15, 2008 at 13:25 by dslme

Maybe they should sue Mozilla and Microsoft for making an browser that is CAPABLE (key word here) of downloading illicit material.

So, assuming their logic, they should also sue Dell, HP, Apple etc. for making hardware that is used for obtaining pirated material.

suing Seagate, Western Digital, Samsung etc. for making hard disks that store or burn these materials.

And finally, suing Imation, TDK, Memorex for making the DVD’s onto which they are burnt.

Or Why not sue Telstra, Optus, Verizon or Pipe Networks for transferring this material! (not wideband, they’re too awesome to sue!)

Hey, Just taking their viewpoint…

76 Nov 15, 2008 at 14:05 by Reee Reee's

Wow, and i thought the record labels couldn’t get any dumber..

77 Nov 15, 2008 at 14:07 by Durdedur

The French should go run away like they always do, and then PERMABANZ then from the interwebz

78 Nov 15, 2008 at 14:12 by Jess Wilson

Stupid French MORONS. What a joke.

jess
http://www.privacy.cz.tc

79 Nov 15, 2008 at 14:56 by Goku

They could have a case by sueing people for sharing copyright stuff. I think the copyright law is too strict and should be changed.

I dont think they will win.

Sourceforge is a respected website amongst academics and IT companies.

The music business needs to find other avenues to steal money from people.

80 Nov 15, 2008 at 15:04 by noko

Have you read the news?
RIAA is going to ban people to have a song in their head they haven’t paid for

81 Nov 15, 2008 at 15:15 by Noman

The artists only make about 8 cents per cd sold…so the only people who are getting stolen from are the fat rich bastards that run the record companies. Artists don’t need record companies anymore, its OVAH. We can write the music, record, distribute, market, and sell it all on our own without record companies. Then, the artist can make his revenue from touring, which is the way it’s supposed to be done anyway……

82 Nov 15, 2008 at 15:44 by Abor Edman

Sue Babylon and Egypt for using numbers.. those evil zeros and ones

83 Nov 15, 2008 at 16:11 by German

They loose again frog eaters.

Remember WW II ?. They were brought down after 4 weeks. French simply are no men. Stand up and read your papers (whoch reported about this for months), but then you got to drink wine and sleep with your neighobour wife. French = world wide suckers who are loosers. They deserve to be cut of from the future.

But it is ok to bring out vlc ( = major copiright problems ) ???

French life on an island whitout real proper language ( = they have already rules which force their radio station etc. to play french shit .. )

Go loose third world speakers…

84 Nov 15, 2008 at 16:32 by Ken

the only winner in this is the lawyers

85 Nov 15, 2008 at 17:10 by Eric D.

Let’s sue Al Gore for inventing the internet.

86 Nov 15, 2008 at 17:26 by Cheeky Chappie

Um, can I sue the SPPF for intimidation? I was thinking about using Vuze to download a Linux distro, but now I am scared! ;-)

Even better, lets make it a class action suit!

87 Nov 15, 2008 at 17:48 by MSSmallBizSpecialist

Notice they never go after a Mesh, Groove, FolderShare, SkyDrive products but always these guys that can’t defend themselves? Come on go sue Microsoft and let’s have their battle hardened attorneys show up with millions in backing. Not going to happen is it.

88 Nov 15, 2008 at 17:58 by JJ

LoL..i mean LoL
LoL..i mean LoL
LoL..i mean LoL
LoL..i mean LoL
LoL..i mean LoL
LoL..i mean LoL
LoL..i mean LoL
LoL..i mean LoL
LoL..i mean LoL
LoL..i mean LoL
LoL..i mean LoL

jeeeez LoL..i mean LoL

89 Nov 15, 2008 at 18:52 by Debianprime

so, a FRENCH judge says FRENCH companies can sure AMERICAN companies under FRENCH law. ok… well, in the words of a famous french “person”

now go away or I shall taunt you a second time!

90 Nov 15, 2008 at 20:00 by Gio

Yeah, right

And also sue Earth, you know why…

91 Nov 15, 2008 at 20:51 by daniel

Lololol! Suing SourceForge. Thank you for that laugh.

92 Nov 15, 2008 at 20:53 by Adrian

That they’re going after applications such as Vuze and Limewire, okay, i can understand that.

But to sue SourceForge? THE biggest and, in my opinion, most important website when it comes to opensource is ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS. This really infuriates me! SourceForge is a wonderful website. The fact that they want to shut it down means only one thing to me: Trying to destroy sharing in any way.

Adrian.

93 Nov 15, 2008 at 21:10 by dude

funny, how these 12-year-old retards here generalize country and anti-piracy people

94 Nov 15, 2008 at 21:11 by Anonymous

Which country doesn’t make Europe look bad? I can’t think of a single government that isn’t f/u/cked up beyond repair. Don’t blame it on the French people though. We don’t blame the US people for the MPAA or RIAA either. We only blame them for voting for Bush twice in a row and being mental retards.

95 Nov 15, 2008 at 21:27 by Dante Xaiver

Lets sue the creator of linux after all a good chunk of the software used to “STEAL” was developed on linux

This seriously is an attack on creative freedom if its none profit wipe em out i knew this day would come

96 Nov 15, 2008 at 22:24 by Maxer

When buying music and movies you are giving these bastards more money to sue you and your family.

Think about that next time you are going to buy a dvd, music cd …

97 Nov 15, 2008 at 22:26 by Anonymous

@6 “such retartedness. their IQ must be below 0 to think this up.”
————————————–

lol

ironic pirate is ironic.

98 Nov 15, 2008 at 22:41 by dude

And be honest, you’re angry that anti-piracy corporations are taking away the pleasure to free leech everything FOR FREE.

No pirate every supports companies as he won’t buy any of their products, no matter how good they are.

It’s a pathological symptom – they just can’t.

99 Nov 15, 2008 at 23:41 by Dan

Stupid fucks! Don’ they realize that they are killing their own business..

Sharing an extra 100GB of French Music today just to fuck with them!!

100 Nov 16, 2008 at 00:59 by shaggy

they need to go after ibm and apple for bringing computers to the masses and then sysco for making all this networking hardware, w/o them we would still be copying tapes.

101 Nov 16, 2008 at 01:24 by Anonymous

OMG, btjunkie.org is down ! I’ll commit suicide !

102 Nov 16, 2008 at 02:00 by Fei

Limewire is unbelievable

103 Nov 16, 2008 at 04:13 by MR

Tell the to go get real jobs and stop mooching off of the artists. Their service as middlemen is no longer needed.

104 Nov 16, 2008 at 04:33 by raidz

Wow! This is hilarious! I have never liked the French, this helps legitimize my reasoning.

raidz.net – a perspective

105 Nov 16, 2008 at 04:33 by raidz

Wow! This is hilarious! I have never liked the French, this helps legitimize my reasoning.

raidz.net – a perspective

106 Nov 16, 2008 at 06:32 by Download This Song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBkuiChImb8

It’s 2006, the consumer’s still pissed
Won’t take it anymore so I’m writing a list
Don’t try to resist this paradigm shift
The music revolution cannot be dismissed
$18.98 Iggy Pop CD?
What if I can get it from my sister for free?
It’s all about marketing Clive Davis, see?
If fans buy the shirt then they get the mp3
Music was a product now it is a service
Major record labels why are you trying to hurt us?
Epic’s up in my face like, “Don’t steal our songs Lars,”
While Sony sells the burners that are burning CD-R’s
So Warner, EMI, hear me clearly
Universal Music, update your circuitry
They sue little kids downloading hit songs
They think that makes sense
When they know that it’s wrong

Hey Mr. Record Man
The joke’s on you
Running your label
Like it was 1992
Hey Mr. Record Man,
Your system can’t compete
It’s the New Artist Model
File transfer complete
Download this song!
Download this song!
Download this song!

I know I’m rhyming fast, but the message is clear
You don’t need a million dollars to launch a career
If your style is unique and you practice what you preach
Minor Threat and Jello both have things to teach!
I’ve got G5 production, concept videos
Touring with a laptop, rocking packed shows
The old-school major deal? It makes no sense
Indentured servitude, the costs are too immense!
Their finger’s in the dam but the crack keeps on growing
Can’t sell bottled water when it’s freely flowing
Record sales slipping, down 8 percent
Increased download sales, you can’t prevent
Satellite radio and video games
Changed the terrain, it will never be same
Did you know in ten years labels won’t exist?
Goodbye DVD’s, and compact disks!

Hey Mr. Record Man,
What’s wrong with you
Still living off your catalogue
From 1982
Hey Mr. Record Man,
Your system can’t compete
It’s the new artist model
File transfer complete
Download this song!
Download this song!
Download this song!

You know, we just wanted a level playing field.
You’ve overcharged us for music for years, and now we’re
Just trying to find a fair balance. I hate to say it, but…
Welcome to the future.

Download this song!
Download this song!
Download this song!

Hey Mr. Record Man
The joke’s on you
Running your label
Like it was 1992
Hey Mr. Record Man,
Your system can’t compete
It’s the New Artist Model
File transfer complete

107 Nov 16, 2008 at 08:40 by SOmeone

I actually hope they succeed. I want to see how fast everyone will pull out of the market there.

Hard drives, CD manufacturers, MP3 players, Flash drives, cell phones (bluetooth’ing music over), ISPs… You’ll be left with the music industry and no players, because any music player used to play pirated content could be threatened.

Hell, you could probably toss in TVs for allowing playback of pirated content!

Either the music market would crash, or the people would start revolting.

108 Nov 16, 2008 at 09:30 by wow

i think the french should surrender once again.

109 Nov 16, 2008 at 10:30 by Annoymous

I’d say the chances of any ruling from this court actually being enforced in the U.S against these companies is slim to none. A French courts ruling on it’s jurisdiction in the U.S is meaningless.

110 Nov 16, 2008 at 10:47 by Ovy

If they are suing SourceForge for hosting Shareaza why not sue Microsoft for allowing the execution of Shareaza, I’m courious how will they sue Linux :D

111 Nov 16, 2008 at 11:22 by Michael

First; I believe the FPPS doesn’t represent the French people any more than the RIAA represents American people. I am amazed that more of us all don’t see the prideful attitudes (both good and bad) of French and US peoples are actually very similar under the surface. I’d normally explain further; but on to the primary subject:

Second, I worry we may begin to underestimate the social engineering at work in lawsuits like this. It is an all too usual formula; large organization use extreme statements and actions in politics, law, and the saturated media to distort reality. Such ways of pushing viewpoints, as if they are less extreme then the social norms, are helped in many ways in an environment like the Internet. And if the RIAA and the like have their way the exchange of ideas and information online will be as abysmal as TV and Satellite (and to some extent radio). I came here as surprised as many to see Sourceforge listed. Perhaps we should take the threats more seriously; and be sure not forget this ridiculousness.

112 Nov 16, 2008 at 12:18 by greenpete

Good points 6 and 16!
I hope these idiots get what they deserve!

113 Nov 16, 2008 at 13:17 by jacob

Oh man. Are those anti-piracy cgroups asking for trouble. I would not be surprised if internet trafic quadrupled and if all the anti-p2p groups where being ddos :D.

Man thats realy bad. You can not take down opensource. And if you do that then the other operating systems and internet browsers are next. Then they will force us to use their browsers. Only their browsers wont be free. And we will have to pay for an ip adress to use the internet. And their web browsers will be censored. And they will be like have lots of pop ups. :( i hope they rote in hell. They deserve to be ddos by the whole world. They are evil. WE be better of without them. I hate the media industry theyre all money hungry.

114 Nov 16, 2008 at 13:50 by Nyarnon

Shut down the internet. I vote for that. Shut it down. Give Usenet a chance. Let’s Go Onion. Sue Microsoft they are aiding them darn criminals to. Lets trow Gates in the Bastille I mean the guy not the doors. God forbid. While we are at the GOD question, can’t we sue the great maker in the sky for givimg us ears and equiping us with senses making it able to register illegal content? But lets get serious isn’t this all about that Bruni bitch and her gay husband that wants us to stop propagating her pussy :-)

115 Nov 16, 2008 at 14:38 by Terry

The French were miffed when we sunk their Naval Fleet to stop it falling into German hands in WW2. Maybe we should have waited to then later sue them for supplying weapons to an enemy!

116 Nov 16, 2008 at 16:31 by Mathew7

Sue your own ISPs because they allow the transfers.
Then the users sue ISPs because they will block it (and cannot separate illegal from legal).
So the ISPs will sue the record labels back because they imposed an embargo which technically is not feasible.
I’m sure in this way the ISPs will get their money back, the users will get some money and the record labels will LOOSE more money.
I like happy endings. Again the record labels think that their small sales are because of piracy and not quality. Even if you like 3 CDs, maybe you could afford only 1. So how do you choose which 1 to buy?

THE WORLD CRISYS IS BECAUSE THE PRODUCTION IS HIGHER THAN THE CONSUMPTION. BANKS COULD SUSTAIN THIS, BUT THEIR CUSTOMERS CANNOT GET ANY MORE CREDIT (BECAUSE OF EXISTING ONE).

117 Nov 16, 2008 at 16:44 by Danny Milosavljevic

hmm wrote:
> While your at it..
> Sue VCR’s

done, http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/B/htmlB/betamaxcase/betamaxcase.htm

> Sue TIVOs or DVRs

or “help” the FCC to see the error of their ways http://www.pvrblog.com/pvr/2004/07/tivo_you_can_on.html

> Sue CD Players

dunno…

> Sue DVD players

done, http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/3943.cfm

> Sue the Post office
> Sue anyone who has a brain that could possibly copy something in there mind.

probably up next O_O

118 Nov 16, 2008 at 17:18 by torrenter

Funny how they didn’t sue Bram’s BitTorrent/uTorrent.

I suspect the BitComet guys are untouchable in China so long as they keep the local political wheels greased.

119 Nov 16, 2008 at 17:54 by Bronto-JR

“The record labels argue that the Vuze and the others are knowingly distributing software with the purpose to permit unauthorized access to copyrighted works.”

Internet is knowingly distributing technology with the purpose to permit unauthorized access to copyrighted works too… When will they suppress it ?

120 Nov 16, 2008 at 18:47 by Bilbo

I hope the French record labels get thousands of big wet huge croaky green frogs slapped across their faces for this.

121 Nov 16, 2008 at 21:15 by Zermi

I’m French and ashamed of those stupid music companies.

PS: the guys who say “go surrender frog-eaters” (like #89) are morons.

122 Nov 17, 2008 at 00:15 by Anonymous

wget the SPPF! wget the SPPF! wget the SPPF! wget the SPPF! wget the SPPF! wget the SPPF! wget the SPPF!

123 Nov 17, 2008 at 01:27 by anon

Wow, this is one battle that most likely cannot be won

124 Nov 17, 2008 at 03:17 by RC

I’m guessing they should sue Microsoft and Mozilla. They both make internet browsers which can potentially be used to download copyright infringing files…

125 Nov 17, 2008 at 08:39 by alabandit

wait till they start suing music stores for selling to pirates.

viva le source forge

126 Nov 17, 2008 at 11:21 by Adam

So the ability to transfer/share files = copyright infringement ? In that case, they should sue Microsoft for OutLook which can send files as attachements. And for Windows which can share folders!

Sue the makers of ethernet cables while you’re at it!!

127 Nov 17, 2008 at 11:33 by Surcouf92

Hello,
I’m french and just want to say that not all french support our government…not at all. They’re just too stupid. But at the moment record companies and this Gvt try to make new laws like this, pure madness… they’ve been blocked by european council but they think they can do it anyway. Sorry for such stupid things. But dont think french support them.
(sorry for errors – my engish is rusty)

128 Nov 17, 2008 at 12:04 by Anonymous

Don’t forget that Mr Sarcozy is Pro American, which means he will try to appease them whenever possible. You can expect a whole lot more changes to come before he is thrown out of office.

Second point is that I read the other day about a bank robbery, the getaway car was a Ford Mondeo. So perhaps the bank should try to Sue Ford for making it possible for the robbers to get away???????????

Perhaps even try for a second suite against the Roads Ministry for making it so easy for the robbers to get away in their Ford Modeo?????????

Finally whilst they are at it, might as well file a suite against Texeco Oil Company since that is where the robbers are believed to have filed their Ford Mondeo with fuel beforehand.

My point is “JUST LEAVE VUZE THE HELL OUT OF IT” It’s not really their problem how people use their platform. Give them a break.

129 Nov 17, 2008 at 12:26 by Anonymous

This whole debate of piracy seems to be one great big grey area to me.

Sorry to go a little off topic here but The only way I can see it being actual stealing is if somebody makes an unauthorised recording at e.g at a music concert or festival then tries to distributes copies of that recording for money or reward. That is Piracy.

I mean if a i play music loud enough in my house or car where people outside can hear it, does that mean I’m making pirate broadcasts?

I tell you a what, this thread has really got me thinking.

I don’t don’t think anybody really knows where they stand in this whole thing.

Basically what we are all seeing now is what happens when a powerful organisation starts to loose its power. Think about it, hollywood etc etc has had us all by the balls for the last 40 years, riping us off year in – year out.
All of the established institutions really hate change, so the only way they can devise to stop change is to bully, threaten and scare.

As I say Sorry torrentfreak and all for going off topic but this one really got my brain racing.

130 Nov 17, 2008 at 16:26 by Robert

Just like Surcouf92 and Zermi, I’m French.

French government sucks. Right now, they don’t have any control on the Internet, and they try to.
Because of the DADVSI law, none of the French websites can’t share any application that could allow users to share files (Azureus, µTorrent, eMule, etc.). Yahoo Messenger, MSN, or whatever IM , FTP, browsers and all the Internet should be concerned but it’s not the case for now. For those people, P2P means illegal.

Moreover, we can’t use VLC, MPlayer and other stuffs. See http://www.videolan.org/eucd.html

In a few months, they will vote a new law so that a new private authority could stop the Internet of users if they upload copyright files. For example, they see your IP adress on µTorrent, they can get your name from the Internet provider and warn you that you’ve just uploaded their shit. And then, they can cut off your Internet connection (they estimate at least 1000 cuts per day), and you could also have to pay a fine.

They don’t understand anything at all. This government is just shit…

131 Nov 17, 2008 at 16:31 by Jayrome

As long as I remember, content filtering is done by trackers – and only those can be charged.

132 Nov 17, 2008 at 21:58 by FrenchGuy

Oh NO!! Wat a shame.
Not sourceforge.
I want to be sweddish!!

133 Nov 17, 2008 at 22:37 by Marc

These are the same people who claimed that the laws they lobbied for would never be used against FOSS. Yet within a few short months here we are. Smell that? It’s a rat.

I hope the French courts slap them down silly, but those courts have been known to interpret their civil code in extraordinary ways. Time will tell.

134 Nov 17, 2008 at 23:39 by Anonymous

ok this goes out to all american readers!! how many gun making companies did get sued for making guns that got used to kill, rob or otherwise missbehave ????? o wait guns arent made for such things … so lets make more guns… French record companies GROW A BRAIN!!! u cant put the paste back in the tube !

135 Nov 18, 2008 at 00:06 by Xiaowei1

I see their case for wanting to prevent piracy, but really, there is little chance of success.

136 Nov 18, 2008 at 03:02 by sue google

If u were to sue sourceforge for supplying an application, then how about sueing google for linking to sourceforge. U could also sue all ISP’s that connect to google which connects to sourceforge. Hell u could shut the whole internet down. Or u could just disconnect france from the internet and see if we care.

137 Nov 18, 2008 at 05:31 by anonymous

suing sourceforge is the most ridiculous thing possible.

138 Nov 18, 2008 at 06:25 by pampos

They drunk a lot of red wine and had gay sex before thinking that crap. p2p software and pirates are always 1 step ahead of them. Poor sourceforge, its the home of free projects, what the hell they are going to take out of it.

139 Nov 18, 2008 at 14:25 by Emmanuel

What the heck is going on? Sueing legitimate companies now.
What about all the companies that make MP3 players that can play the supposed illegal content.

Hey why stop there!!!

Lets go after Nero because their product can be used for potentially making illegal copies of programs.

Hey why not sue Microsoft, Borland for developing the software that could be used for the development of such programs.

No?…Not happy yet

Ok Let’s sue all the teaching institutions and all the book companies after all without the knowledge to program there won’t be any “illegal” programs to distribute that music.

DOH… we need knowledge to write the programs that interpret those ones and zeros otherwise we just have a whole lot of useless discs that when light hits them they make pretty colors.

Anyone for frisby?

140 Nov 18, 2008 at 16:36 by Anonymous

French law allows the internet. Thus the french government allows and even promotes a medium that enables p2p. I think the french music industrie should start with sueing their government!

141 Nov 18, 2008 at 17:26 by Mr Frech

What a bunch of BOZOS!

142 Nov 18, 2008 at 17:34 by wvhillbilly

Confucius say

he who screw customers

soon have no customers to screw

And they wonder why their sales are going down the tubes?

143 Nov 19, 2008 at 01:31 by kazkas

Then the first target for them should be Microsoft – Windows is THE easiest tool to do illegal copies of MP3 files :)

144 Nov 19, 2008 at 07:55 by cerebro

they should sue themselves for broadcasting there valuable product over public radio!

back in the past, they tried to sue Grundig for making the worlds first radio-cassete player,
they said it could record there copywrited music.

they lost – the judge decided that if they didnt want people to have the music they shouldnt have blasted it across the country with megawatts of RF!

145 Nov 19, 2008 at 14:55 by ...

This is crazy!
People should be sued for copying audio/video and not for _having_ the possibility to do so.
You can buy knife anywhere, and if you kill somebody, do you thing the guy who sold that knife will go to prison with you? Or better, will go to prison before you kill someone?

Absolutely crazy!

146 Nov 19, 2008 at 21:15 by bleh

Being held accountable for the potential use of the products they manufactor or distribute? hmmm..
I wouldn’t want to be in the weapon manufacoring business if this thing goes through.

147 Nov 19, 2008 at 23:41 by Atlankey

A quoi sert le web qui est sensée nous relier entre nous et faire des échanges, si on Supprime ces moyen d’échanges. il est clair que dans ce cas là, ils ont cas directement Stopper Internet.

148 Nov 20, 2008 at 11:20 by Anonymous

“…that everything, or every application which allows a user to share files, will be indeed used for illegal purposes.”

Looking forward for them to sue USB thumbdrive maker too, some time that’s how I shared my photos, they’re files too, you know…

149 Nov 21, 2008 at 14:37 by Jan Schotsmans

Good luck going after Sourceoforge. The companies behind sourceforge are a wee bit bigger and stronger (both corporate and in their legal departments) then a single nations copyright organisation.

150 Nov 25, 2008 at 18:41 by Zahariel

I read this stuff and wonder, if we were to raid, say, the SPPF member’s home computers, we wouldn’t find a single unlicensed program, not one illegally downloaded mp3 and definitely not a single pirated movie, right?

Right?

151 Nov 26, 2008 at 11:03 by Witnesserandactive

Kinda redefines the meaning of life, sue or be sued, what a load of bollacks, and there’s me thinking that to share was a good thing!!! Love thy neighbour as thyself, be good be kind, be greedy? Jesus would be sick of all this. Will all these so called artist be paying royalties to the families of those who inspired them to reach great heights? We are all here to love and serve each other – because I said so – and nothing, absolutely nothing else. How else will we get to live forever? Yeah surrender to JC Yes.
Lawyers, artists, recording co, inc etc, Fooking mad all of em. If I like what I see I will copy, just try and stop me.

ciao!

37 references to this post

Responses are closed

All remaining responses will continue to be archived. Use the TorrentFreak forums if you want to discuss something.