Boing Boing editor Cory Doctorow issued a stern warning to Ralph Lauren yesterday on the website, saying that the company's attempt to silence their criticism has only inspired them to step up their efforts in the future:

"Copyright law doesn't give you the right to threaten your critics for pointing out the problems with your offerings. You should know better. And every time you threaten to sue us over stuff like this, we will:

a) Reproduce the original criticism, making damned sure that all our readers get a good, long look at it, and;

b) Publish your spurious legal threat along with copious mockery, so that it becomes highly ranked in search engines where other people you threaten can find it and take heart; and

c) Offer nourishing soup and sandwiches to your models."

This article can be found here:
http://shine.yahoo.com/ch...ge-521480/

What I take from this stance is don't let Prince bully you like Boing Boing editor Cory Doctorow. You need to take a stance, assert your rights, not bow down to unreasonable demands as many Prince fan sites have (or even closed re. housequake.com). While many our fans and don't want to fight Prince because they appreciate his music so much, the reality is if you don't fight then what will be left? Food for thought.

What the Hell are you talking about ?

People need to stand up and fight for what is right in general, look how the world is ending up... Don't back down!! Why couldn't half of america fight for George Bush not to be president(i still can't get over this), everybody knows Al gore won, but still we let this go on just because a higher power has deemed it right, Don't be pushed over by someone just because of their bank balance!


Man its late in Aussie.. Time for bed!

andykeen said:

Exactly, stand up!


Andykeen watch Capitalism by Michael Moore, you would really like it based on some of your comments.

Has Prince ever taken any action other than ones involving copyright issues?

OnlyNDaUsa said:

He's pretty much fucked us over on Lotu$flower, but the year's not over yet, so I remain the eternal optimist.

Re. Ralph Lauren article:

"As Wendy Seltzer from the Chilling Effects project said, "Sounds like a pretty solid fair use case to me. If criticism diminishes its effectiveness, that's different from the market substitution copyright protects against. And I've rarely seen a thinner DMCA form-letter."

http://www.boingboing.net...hat-r.html

To sharpen my point, I think using Prince photos, especially ones intended for publicity on this site or and other Prince fan site is fair use. I would not have bowed down and removed them so easily.

RodeoSchro said:

Yeah, but after the NPGMC you should have known. But still that is not the same as going after people for being critical.

EXCELLENT!!!!!

This makes me smile.

muskiediver said:

I love MM, I'm reading "Stupid white people" Which is a awesome read, Wish we could all have the guts to do w

OnlyNDaUsa said:

I had zero problem with NPGMC. i always wonder what people mean when they say that.

already a thread...

http://prince.org/msg/100/319765

Vendetta1 said:

The .wma files offered on npgmc were drm protected and no longer worked...except in bootleg form.

Vendetta1 said:

Oh it still works for you? Funny I went there one day and found it closed. Only to find out he planed to open a new web site and charge me again. Lifetime membership? He can not offer a lifetime membership and then arbitrarily get tired of it and close it down.

Imago said:

that too! Oh you want to listen to the albums you bought in good faith? Too Bad!

OnlyNDaUsa said:

Lifetime of the club. Prince is fickle and him shutting it was not a shock. Prince was planning to rip you off four years ago?

Prince can do whatever he wants.

Vendetta1 said:

He KNEW he would rip me off before I was born! He is Jesus.

OnlyNDaUsa said:

Vendetta1 said: