Tuesday, April 01, 2014

Absurd ain't even the word

I haven't been linking to anything at my 4shared account, yet I got a second nastygram informing me that my Granville Elementary School Christmas concert post (1964) is infringing on someone's copyright.  You can't make this stuff up, you really can't.

I deleted all files from my account and asked them to close/undo my account--probably to no avail, since it would require that someone read my note and respond in a manner consistent with its content.  You don't get that kind of personal service in Internet Land.  Anyway, I told them (quote): "I don't want to get a volation notice for any molecules still residing there."  Don't laugh.  It's entirely within the realm of possibility.

A 1964 Granville Elementary Christmas concert--wow.  Someone was losing his or her shirt over my long-unlinked-to post.  You'll recall that my first form-letter nastygram from 4Shared concerned a playlist that included (brace yourself) a 1950 Merv Griffin Christmas disc.  I think I've got it--Somebody holds the patent to "Christmas"!  The word, I mean.

And it's probably the Freedom from Religion Foundation.  They're more obsessed with the holiday than anyone else I know.

Anyway, 4Shared is the single most ludicrous and abusive experience of my Internet time.  Their pages are abominably badly laid out, causing confusion (and bucku pop up ads) for anyone trying to download anything from them, and you're pretty much screwed if you, say, upload anything.  In other words, if you use the service as designed.  This is pretty much the rule with 21st century technology--use it, and you're in violation of something.  Yeah, well, how come the INVENTORS of said technology aren't getting the notices?  I didn't create the dang Internet; I'm just using it.

This crap started with audio technology of the Sixties (buy an expensive tape deck, but don't tape anything!!!), progressing to the nameless idiocy of the VCR era, wherein units designed to tape stuff off of TV were not to be used for taping stuff off of TV.  At this rate, technology as we know it will implode and cease to exist, because we'll have designed it solely to not be used.  It's unreal.

Ah, all the amazing new devices and apps.  But don't you dare USE them, naughty consumers!

So, if you hate yourself a lot, go sign up for a 4Shared (or is it 4shared) "account."  Or, better yet, sign up your worst enemies.


Lee


7 comments:

vilstef said...

Lee, 4shared is just plain goofy. I got a free account there some years ago, uploaded some stuff and it won't let me download my own stuff and the stuff doesn't appear on their search engine either.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, it's like driving fast cars on low speed-limited roads. Why then these cars are even built?

rbarban said...

Love this quote of yours, Lee: "This is pretty much the rule with 21st century technology--use it, and you're in violation of something." Hope you don't mind if I use it...I'll be sure to give you credit, just don't complain to the Internet Police about me...LOL.

Unknown said...

Hi  -  Lee,  I just wanted to let you know I've been a silent but very
entertained  and  grateful  fan  of  your  blog  for  quite awhile and
although  I'm  late  sending  my  condolences  to you, I would like to
address the cowardly nincompoops directly:

"SHAME ON YOU 4SHARED AND SHAME ON WHOEVER-COMPLAINED - the ONLY thing
the  internet  is truly good for is the sharing of information and Lee
did  just that with a cleverness that made learning fun and for you to
take it upon yourselves to prevent the FREE exchange of information is
not just selfish & stupid, it's actually scary.

Perhaps  someday  my life will depend on something you've kept me from
finding out about -  for instance, what if someone puts a gun to my
head  and yells, "Quick! Tell me what Lee's file "Granville Elementary
School 1961.zip" contains or I will blow your brains out!" or "Quick!
Tell  me what 1950 song Merv Griffin sang in Lee's "Ghost on Christmas
Eve" sleighlist or I will blow your brains out!" and all I can say is,
"I don't know! The 4shared Support Team wouldn't let me download-" but
it's too late, I'm dead!

But, then again, who knows? Maybe it will be YOU 4SHARED or WHOEVER-
COMPLAINED searching for a life-or-death kind of information but Uh-
Oh!  it's not there anymore and it will be because YOU didn't want it
want it to be! SHAME on you both!"

Thanks  for all the smiles, Lee, and here's hoping that if technology
does implode, it will take a few of those cowardly nincompoops with
it.

"If a song plays and no one is there to hear it, does it still sound
like music? Only if you're willing to listen...

;-) ali

Lee Hartsfeld said...

Vilstef--Yes, their behavior is goofy--unmotivated, almost. Two cease-and-desist notices, yet they hope I come back! Have they ever explained why they won't let your download your own material??

Anon.,

I've always wondered about that. I especially wonder about the ads showing people, all alone in the middle of some large downtown, speeding at 80 mph and yelling, "Wooooo!!"

rbarban,

By all means. Yes, and don't make me sue you!

Alison,

Much to think about there! I don't think the information cops give such a possibility a single thought. Until it's too late, of course! (-:

Lee

Unknown said...

Dear Sir! Please do a good deed! Record anything from Russian or Jewish music!:)))
From Russia With Love!!!

Anonymous said...

These jokers truly have an entirely indefensible position. Here's the law, the real law, on the matter:

Article I, Section 8, Clause 8 of the United States Constitution, known as the Copyright Clause, empowers the United States Congress:

To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries.


Clearly, you were within the parameters of the (real) law, the Constitution, Lee. The copyright was designed to expire after a (relatively) short time.

Here's an article that you'll find interesting:

http://web.law.duke.edu/cspd/publicdomainday/2014/pre-1976