Well, this didnt last long!!! I had a certain gut feeling that something like this was gonna happen!!

Also, the fact that this opened up to such massive and extensive media coverage, it obviously came to the attention of Princes Estate that they felt that they needed to take some sort of legal action!!

Damn. I hadn't gone all the way through yet.

Hope it comes back, I really enjoyed visiting.

That was going to be my project this weekend. Sorry to say, but in the spirit of the Estate yanking it off-line, this is why teenagers don't know Prince's music. For over 20 years he fought what he thought was a righteous battle, but most younger, social media-savvy kids never learned about him. If the Estate wants to make money in the future, it better open up the social media doors ASAP.

wow this is really sad. couldnt they keep it up and just transfer ownership?

Makes sense - the estate is probably the owner of the sites and their content now that Prince has passed. When you develop something for your sponsor (or patron), it is their property ala "work for hire". Going rogue w/the best intentions may not result in the best business value. The developer should have just kept their work in a "portfolio" exhibit, unless they signed an agreement saying they would not do so.

1Sasha said:

That was going to be my project this weekend. Sorry to say, but in the spirit of the Estate yanking it off-line, this is why teenagers don't know Prince's music. For over 20 years he fought what he thought was a righteous battle, but most younger, social media-savvy kids never learned about him. If the Estate wants to make money in the future, it better open up the social media doors ASAP.

I've been saying this for years.

=(

FUNKNROLL said:

Makes sense - the estate is probably the owner of the sites and their content now that Prince has passed. When you develop something for your sponsor (or patron), it is their property ala "work for hire". Going rogue w/the best intentions may not result in the best business value. The developer should have just kept their work in a "portfolio" exhibit, unless they signed an agreement saying they would not do so.

.

Exactly. I'm not a bit surprised by this.

Good intentions, even if not monetized, need to go through the legal hoops. Bremer Trust and the two attorneys are scrambling to figure out how to pay the tax bills.

All they had to do was contact Bremer Trust first, explain what they were doing, and work out an agreement. I can't imagine that they were making money on it -- but things could be downloaded and sold.

P went too far in removing himself from the internet. Even an official YouTube channel with a FEW things on it would have kept him in the public mind. Sure, he wouldn't have made much money from THAT but that's not the point: it would have been a seed that would have planted.

NOW...I think it's impossible to take down everything that's flooded the 'net since his death. It's like millions of whack-a-moles.

.

Didnt it occur to Sam that he would probably have to go through certain legal channels FIRST before he could open up this site?? Plus the fact that the sites themselves state quite plainly that they are the intellectual and creative property of NPG Records and/or Prince so, hence, they are copyrighted to them, NOT Sam himself even though he had all the software and computer templates or whatever in his property, they do NOT belong to him for him to do whatever he pleases with them!!

1Sasha said:

That was going to be my project this weekend. Sorry to say, but in the spirit of the Estate yanking it off-line, this is why teenagers don't know Prince's music. For over 20 years he fought what he thought was a righteous battle, but most younger, social media-savvy kids never learned about him. If the Estate wants to make money in the future, it better open up the social media doors ASAP.

Yes, because younger people are not able to look up any information they want about Prince from the internet!!! Younger people are too cheap to buy music from I-Tunes or just go to the damm Target!!! and you know us old people are not media savvy at all.

Look young one the estate has to pay a big tax bill in January and they need to start monterizing now. Perhaps will get an actual website that brings us unrealeashed music to stream or actually purchase we will see.

This action tells me they are already looking to move towards money making ventures. Which is a good sign.

PurpleSpirit319 said:

Didnt it occur to Sam that he would probably have to go through certain legal channels FIRST before he could open up this site?? Plus the fact that the sites themselves state quite plainly that they are the intellectual and creative property of NPG Records and/or Prince so, hence, they are copyrighted to them, NOT Sam himself even though he had all the software and computer templates or whatever in his property, they do NOT belong to him for him to do whatever he pleases with them!!

--------

Exactly NPG inc has not ceased to exsist as a business and the estate may want to use it to put out more music at a later date and use some of the stuff on that site for a future website.

PurpleSpirit319 said:

Well, this didnt last long!!! I had a certain gut feeling that something like this was gonna happen!!

I just can't believe it. Furtunately I was able to visit the whole web site the day it came out.

Oh come on, this is ridiculous!

.

'The Estate' have bigger problems to worry about. What about all of the crap CDs on Amazon - there are 9 so far for sale!

.

This is just a museium of work. it's not being monetised in any way!

.

Also, what about people selling stupid Love Symbols on t-shits and jewelry on eBay. That is a registered trade mark and such items should be banned, but I bet they don't as eBay gets a kick-back!

.

What about all of the orders yet to be fulfilled from Funk4U?

.

Very sad indeed as they are picking on the wrong person!!!!

.

They should get their priorities right!!!!!!!!!!!!!

.

.

Incidentally, the individual websites from the TDL have been password protected, so hopefully we will all get to know that soon - someone send it privately to everyone!!!!!

.

[Edited 7/15/16 8:35am]

darkroman said:

Oh come on, this is ridiculous!

.

'The Estate' have bigger problems to worry about. What about all of the crap CDs on Amazon - there are 9 so far for sale!

.

This is just a museium of work. it's not being monetised in any way!

.

Also, what about people selling stupid Love Symbols on t-shits and jewelry on eBay. That is a registered trade mark and such items should be banned, but I bet they don't as eBay gets a kick-back!

.

What about all of the orders yet to be fulfilled from Funk4U?

.

Very sad indeed as they are picking on the wrong person!!!!

.

They should get their priorities right!!!!!!!!!!!!!

.

.

Incidentally, the individual websites from the TDL have been password protected, so hopefully we will all get to know that soon - someone send it privately to everyone!!!!!

.

[Edited 7/15/16 8:35am]

.

eBay only takes down what's reported to them, unless they get a legal order. But I'm surprised the estate hasn't send one to online marketplaces.

.

An explanation from The Prince Online Museum on their Facebook page!!

Shame no contact was made with the Estate before it was launched or better yet before it was announced. Hopefully it will return.

It will be back up, but I do feel that it will be monetized now.

Maybe a lifetime membership for $10 or something like that. I can't see any other reason that the Estate would take it down . . . unless it's to review every bit of content for something that might've been offensive to Prince in later years (but, by the time he was online, he was curse-free anyway).

Even in death, Prince still has total control over everything!!

That's a shame it is taken down. This was an awesome project to honour his legacy. I hope it comes back

Prince ain't playin..I'm kinda glad his estate is keeping an eye on things. I can just imagine it could get out of control, commercials, re-enactments, Real Housewives of Paisley Park! I am sure many more of the Never Been Seen videos, pictures and recordings are going to disappear. Enjoy them while you can.

1Sasha said:

That was going to be my project this weekend. Sorry to say, but in the spirit of the Estate yanking it off-line, this is why teenagers don't know Prince's music. For over 20 years he fought what he thought was a righteous battle, but most younger, social media-savvy kids never learned about him. If the Estate wants to make money in the future, it better open up the social media doors ASAP.

That's not exactly true. Plenty of people over the age of 30 know music from earlier decades because they heard it on the radio (radio app), parents/family members played it around them and other people played the music, and watch music videos.

Cable and general TV was a BIG part of that because back in the 80's, 90's and early part of the 00's, you could see Music Videos of artists on stations. I remember when MTV and BET played mostly music videos and MUSIC related shows. But now, if I'm 15-21, I'm watching some reality show or Teen Wolf on MTV/VH-1.

Generation X didn't have the Internet or "Social Media" and we knew of alot of music from the 70's, 60's and before that.

And a lot more Younger people knew of Prince more than you think. Remember, alot of Younger (under 25) played and brought Prince's newer music.

Well at least that answers the question on millions of people's minds: Is there internet in heaven?

PliablyPurple said:

Well at least that answers the question on millions of people's minds: Is there internet in heaven?