Peter Godly

Does the "$150 million in tax benefits" kind of mean we Americans are paying for Viacom's loss?

A shame if this kills Harmonix. I've put more hours into Rock Band than any other game. It's the only real social/drinking videogames out there that even non-videogamers tend to enjoy, even if they are apprehensive at first.

Put a couple of shots of Bushmills into anyone, and they'll happily sing Bon Jovi.

I have one, thank you very much.

The interface is pretty consistent with Korg synthesizers.

Probably the best review of the original if you're interested: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UB1AZPXJoA

I like Ministry and KMFDM, but they wouldn't be fun to play in Rock Band. Both of them are too repetitive with sampled guitars and copy+past beats. Good for clubs, bad for playing.

If you don't believe me, download "More Human Than Human" by White Zombie and see what I mean.

I don't think they're former founders. Once you create or form a company, you are always a founder.

They're former employees, or workers, or management.

#18 - Buckshot:

No one is going to debate that registering a copyright puts the creator in the best position for any potential legal issues, but you were completely wrong when you said that Tempest "has no recourse".

He has options, and multiple ways of establishing timeline.

#17 -

That's not how copyrights work.

In addition, Tempest was "first to market" when he publically released the music in a fashion that was available to anyone with an internet connection, and had a public performance of the music to over 5,000 people.

#14 -

All original work is copyrighted as soon as it's created. Tempest may or may not have registered the copyright, but it's still under protection.

Furthermore, the file was publically available and has been for years, and has been publically performed.

Tempest has a case if he can afford a lawyer to pursue it.

To me, it's pretty cut and dry.

Timbaland didn't sample the music for parody, or for historic/editorial purposes (which would be fair use).

Rather he stole the music and used it not as a reference but as a work presented to be an original composition.

That makes it blatent copyright infringement.

1) Jack Thompson stated that "(violence) has always been a vice."

Ever heard of the colosseum in Rome? What about The Crusades? What about virtually all wars before World War I, when war and violence were considered honorable and even noble?

While one can legitimately argue that we have transported real violence into television, movies, and videogames, it's quite difficult to argue the other way around. We have replaced our need of actual violence with simulated violence.

Personally, I prefer simulated violence existing in society than actual violence.