5 Free Songs - GameStop / EB

stoned99

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There was a coupon on the counter of my local GameStop advertising 5 free song downloads from connect.com. The Code is unique on each coupon so grab a bunch. Unlike some other download sites, this one is run by sony and seems to have a lot of GOOD music on it.
 
I was going to ask what file format those songs are, but the web site doesn't even want me there unless I use microsoft's browser. So, no.
 
hardly a deal, you gotta download their software and use it to play their sony atrac files. Then you can only play them on that computer. Lame
 
IS TEH ROOKITS?

O RLY? YA RLY

Not bad, I might look into this, but Sony + music = oh noes I NEED AN ADULT

:(
 
Crap crap crap, no mean to sound bad OP but anything Sony music I will never touch just because I don't want to support them, support their proprietary format, have to install anything, etc. etc. etc. not to mention who needs them to install any spy or rootkit crap on your computer. I'd recommend to all, stay away,.
 
As far as I can tell you can burn the downloaded tunes onto cd, I can't test this from behind my work firewall, but I will tonight.

And just to respond to all the Sony haters, surely getting something free at their expense is not helping them in any way.

I have about 10 of these free promotions, which is 50 songs = 5 albums = 50$ worth of free tunage.

And please don't respond with limewire, torrent, etc, etc, those are illegal, yes I said illegal. And just for the record I know this because I was visited by the feds for exactly that crime. So wise up, free music is only free when its legitimate.
 
At their expense? Do you think the artists get paid for tracks you download for free?

P.S. is copyright infringement a crime now? I thought it was a tort.
 
[quote name='eldad9']At their expense? Do you think the artists get paid for tracks you download for free?

P.S. is copyright infringement a crime now? I thought it was a tort.[/QUOTE]

There was a time when it wasn't? :/
 
Not confused, just uneducated. There's a difference, though I guess confusion is applicable since I'm just thinking about all the court cases and things.

I'll take a look at your link when I get some free time today at work. Which essentially means after I get back from the post office. :) Is ok?
 
Grabbed a stack to download onto my PSP. Sony connect isn't half bad. It's easy to use, connects effortlessly to my PSP and they have a good selection of music to choose from. Thanks OP.
 
[quote name='eldad9']At their expense? Do you think the artists get paid for tracks you download for free?

P.S. is copyright infringement a crime now? I thought it was a tort.[/QUOTE]

I'm sure Sony/Gamestop/Artists are getting paid somehow. Nothing is free.
 
[quote name='Purkeynator']hardly a deal, you gotta download their software and use it to play their sony atrac files. Then you can only play them on that computer. Lame[/QUOTE]

Yeah, as soon as I saw "Sony," I knew it would involve rootkits and DRM. Thanks anyway OP...
 
[quote name='Fire']Crap crap crap, no mean to sound bad OP but anything Sony music I will never touch just because I don't want to support them, support their proprietary format, have to install anything, etc. etc. etc. not to mention who needs them to install any spy or rootkit crap on your computer. I'd recommend to all, stay away,.[/QUOTE]

Sony connect isn't a virus. :lol:

You don't have a PS/PS2/PSP or are planning to get a PS3/BluRay-DVD are you? You also might want to check with the Patent Office, because a lot of the electronics that you purchase might have a Sony Patent included...that will help you with not supporting them. Also if you have a CD that you own or want to listen to, especially on the radio, might want to check if it's Columbia Records or Sony Records Label...No support means no support, right? Also stay away from Columbia/Tri-Star/Sony Pictures...Movies = big profits! And Seinfeld reruns on TV...can't watch them either!

:roll: :roll: :roll:
 
[quote name='stoned99']As far as I can tell you can burn the downloaded tunes onto cd, I can't test this from behind my work firewall, but I will tonight.

And just to respond to all the Sony haters, surely getting something free at their expense is not helping them in any way.

I have about 10 of these free promotions, which is 50 songs = 5 albums = 50$ worth of free tunage.

And please don't respond with limewire, torrent, etc, etc, those are illegal, yes I said illegal. And just for the record I know this because I was visited by the feds for exactly that crime. So wise up, free music is only free when its legitimate.[/QUOTE]

It's not getting something for free at their expense. Sony installs junk on your computer without your permission. If you use any of their newer CDs on your computer, it will do this and you will be none the wiser... until your computer breaks.
 
[quote name='Purkeynator']hardly a deal, you gotta download their software and use it to play their sony atrac files. Then you can only play them on that computer. Lame[/QUOTE]

Actually that is both true and not true at the same time...You can only download from one computer originally, but you can play them from as many computers as you want, provided you download the Connect software, and get the songs that you downloaded already from either your PSP or from you downloaded list. But if you then try to copy form the second computer, you can't.
 
[quote name='Number83']Sony connect isn't a virus. :lol:

You don't have a PS/PS2/PSP or are planning to get a PS3/BluRay-DVD are you? You also might want to check with the Patent Office, because a lot of the electronics that you purchase might have a Sony Patent included...that will help you with not supporting them. Also if you have a CD that you own or want to listen to, especially on the radio, might want to check if it's Columbia Records or Sony Records Label...No support means no support, right? Also stay away from Columbia/Tri-Star/Sony Pictures...Movies = big profits! And Seinfeld reruns on TV...can't watch them either!

:roll: :roll: :roll:[/QUOTE]

You have no idea what people are referring to. Go read up on rootkits and come back.:roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:
 
[quote name='MorPhiend']You have no idea what people are referring to. Go read up on rootkits and come back.:roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:[/QUOTE]

OK, BRB...

Hi, I'm back.

A rootkit is a set of software tools frequently used by a third party (usually an intruder) after gaining access to a computer system. These tools are intended to conceal running processes, files or system data, which helps an intruder maintain access to a system without the user's knowledge. Rootkits are known to exist for a variety of operating systems such as Linux, Solaris and versions of Microsoft Windows. A computer with a rootkit on it is called a rooted computer.
The word "rootkit" came to public awareness in the 2005 Sony CD copy protection controversy, in which Sony BMG music CDs placed a rootkit on Microsoft Windows PCs.

OMFG!!! SONY IS TRYING TO INTRUDE ON MY COMPUTER!!!!!!!

Thanks for the tip!
 
I'm sure they also hope you'll like their e-music method/selection and be paying customers.
Blockbuster Online doesn't give away two-week trial memberships for free just to be nice.
It's part of their marketing/new-customer-drive type budgets.
I would assume the artist gets paid whatever they normally get paid, Sony takes the hit.
And yes, I believe taking something that's not yours, that's not given to you, is wrong and illegal in most cases [such as illegally downloading music]. If Sony gives them to you, it's legal--the coupon is free and doesn't require purchase--it's legal. The morality of grabbing 50 coupons could be debated by some.
 
[quote name='Number83']I'm sure Sony/Gamestop/Artists are getting paid somehow. Nothing is free.[/QUOTE]

From what I know of the industry, artists are not getting paid when you download free ("promotional") tracks.
 
You know I'm not really sure why your so paranoid about the Sony rootkit. You clearly know of it's existance, so I suspect you have the skills necassary to remove it if such a thing shows up.

This thread is really about FREE music, the cost to you, the recepient, is the need to install the connect software and register an email. Then you get 10 songs per registered email (using 2 coupons).

Just for the record, each account is only allowed the use of two coupons. Enabling a new account requires you to register a new email, and to "Remove" the pc from the earlier account. I found this to be a pain, because I uninstalled and reinstalled the software only to find out the actual PC identifier is associated to a specific email until you deregister it on the connect website. Once I did this I was allowed to logon as a different user and enter two new codes for an additional 10 songs.

So I will be richer by 5 albums by the time I finish my song and dance.

And for the record I removed any nasty DRM, by burning them to CD and then reripping them to my mp3 library.
 
Sigh.

I'm not "paranoid" about the rootkit; I know what it does. I know what the company did. Knowing this, I will never buy music from them - DRM-encumbered or not.

I probably could remove it, but why should I have to? And what about all the people that can't?

If the rootkit is installed on your system, you cannot get rid of it by deleting content. It doesn't really sound like you've looked at the links posted above.

Sony BMG president Thomas Hesse said "Most people don't even know what a rootkit is, so why should they care about it?". You prove his point.
 
[quote name='eldad9']Sigh.

I'm not "paranoid" about the rootkit; I know what it does. I know what the company did. Knowing this, I will never buy music from them - DRM-encumbered or not.

I probably could remove it, but why should I have to? And what about all the people that can't?

If the rootkit is installed on your system, you cannot get rid of it by deleting content. It doesn't really sound like you've looked at the links posted above.

Sony BMG president Thomas Hesse said "Most people don't even know what a rootkit is, so why should they care about it?". You prove his point.[/QUOTE]

Thank you my fine eldad for sticking up to me and continuig my point. And you posted exactly what I would posted in responce to him. Why should I have to download the music only to have to go through the trouble of removing the rootkit etc. It just is not worth my time nor my money.
 
I wouldn't care if my music got out for free (i.e. downloaded on Limewire) as long as I didn't spend much time making it and my name was still on it.
Copyrights should only protect from people taking credit for the work of others.
 
[quote name='eldad9']Sigh.

I'm not "paranoid" about the rootkit; I know what it does. I know what the company did. Knowing this, I will never buy music from them - DRM-encumbered or not.

I probably could remove it, but why should I have to? And what about all the people that can't?

If the rootkit is installed on your system, you cannot get rid of it by deleting content. It doesn't really sound like you've looked at the links posted above.

Sony BMG president Thomas Hesse said "Most people don't even know what a rootkit is, so why should they care about it?". You prove his point.[/QUOTE]

Yes, I know what a rootkit is, yes I even know how to remove it and yes I know what sysinternals.com is. So don't be an ass and try and elevate yourself above your fellow posters.

My original Post was about FREE music, take your anti Sony crusade somewhere more appropriate such as slashdot.

Last time I checked Apple was installing itunes when I download quicktime. Maybe you should be pissed at them too. If your mad at DRM in general, you may as well howl at the moon. Or burn to CD and rerip to PC, that removes DRM just fine for me.

Sony fucked up, no doubt, but my post is about FREE music, for little effort and trivial risk. I've downloaded 10 albums for FREE so far using the cards easily obtainable at GameStop. That equals about 50$ in FREE music. I picked up another 4 cards today for another 20$ worth.

If you hurry you may be able to jump on to the sue Sony bandwagon, I'm sorry they hurt you personally, or anyone else for that matter.

I hear Bush is tapping your phone calls as I type. Pick you battles, there plenty to choose from and some are more important than others.
 
[quote name='Fire']Thank you my fine eldad for sticking up to me and continuig my point. And you posted exactly what I would posted in responce to him. Why should I have to download the music only to have to go through the trouble of removing the rootkit etc. It just is not worth my time nor my money.[/QUOTE]

Jeez, If only connect.com actually installed a root kit, then maybe you might have something to complain about.

You guys are just plain nuts, I bet you complained about your mothers own breast milk.
 
[quote name='smalien1']I wouldn't care if my music got out for free (i.e. downloaded on Limewire) as long as I didn't spend much time making it and my name was still on it.
Copyrights should only protect from people taking credit for the work of others.[/QUOTE]

Not sure I get you on this reply, I guess if you release your music as opensource, the license allows reproduction as long as your given credit for the original work.

But copyright allows the owner to make that decision for themselves, I guess you would be in the category of "I will make a living touring". I hear thats where most artist make their real profits. In that case there are plenty of free MP3 sites that host your songs, mind you I'm often offended by horrendous and inappropriate flashing commercials / popups. But thats the cost of looking for stuff for FREE.
 
Um... music isn't source, so open source doesn't apply; the creative commons licenses do, though.

Flashing commercials? You mean, flash ads? Why not just install the flashblock extension? Or if you mean animated gifs, just disable the animations.

Take back the web.
 
[quote name='eldad9']Um... music isn't source, so open source doesn't apply; the creative commons licenses do, though.

Flashing commercials? You mean, flash ads? Why not just install the flashblock extension? Or if you mean animated gifs, just disable the animations.

Take back the web.[/QUOTE]

Dude, I'm sure your the life of the party, just waiting for that opportunity to shine.

If you were paying attention I was using the opensource license as an example of how copyright was dealt with in that arena (ie software). Frankly all I care about is a paycheck. If people want to give away for free what they create, that is their own business. In the software world that is pretty much what they are doing, as it's a rare case that someone who gives away their code, ends up profiting from that code (at least in a financial manner). But I know a lot of people feel that they need recognition, especially from their peers.

In the music industry, at least freely distributing a song can lead to notoriety which leads to concert dollars, producer opportunities or dj dollars.

And thanks again for raining on the FREE music parade!!
 
There is a difference between things which cost no dollars and those which are free.

As there is between, and forgive the cliché, free as in free beer and free as in free speech.
 
[quote name='eldad9']There is a difference between things which cost no dollars and those which are free.

As there is between, and forgive the cliché, free as in free beer and free as in free speech.[/QUOTE]


You know what I find funny about the Free Speech argument, is how people defend their annoying behaviour as a right obtained under the free speech banner.

Free speech is supposed to protect you from persecution because of your beliefs, not give you carte blanche to annoy other people with negative commentary.

On that note I'm going to go and enjoy my FREE music.
 
[quote name='eldad9']It's not really free... but if you can't tell the difference, then it's good enough for you.[/QUOTE]

I think he is saying it's free to him when he only takes himself into consideration, which is how most people will look at it anyway. Obviously nothing is free, but certain parts of the equation can be considered free, and in this case, assuming you have a computer and a decent connection already in play, for all intents and purposes it is "free" music.

That's how I would think of it...
 
If he values his time (installing the software, burning, re-ripping) at $0 per hour, and neglects to see any long-term effects (including the loss of freedom resulting from making the RIAA more powerful) then he's right, it is free.
 
Sounds like a slippery slope argument to me, but I do see your point. However I don't know if I can quite connect burning some free songs and ripping them back as MP3s as something empowering the RIAA. Unless, of course, the software does contain rootkits and this is a clever ruse to covertly install them in further attempts to bring the pirate house down.

I mean, where to stop on that extension? I'm reading a book (quite amusing btw, I might review it when I'm done) that states a few times directly that policemen, in an effort to preserve social order, also reinforce the status quo, and thereby inherently keep the non-rich sector of any community and society under the thumb of the rich, who apparently control all law enforcement to their own ends. I mean, we could bring that into this argument at least tangentially, but I'm not going to be the one to do it. I'm just saying it's possible and with a little flowery language, you could certainly make that claim straight faced. An interesting theory at least, I don't know how much I subscribe to it, if at all.

But I guess I have to activate Ockam's Razor (sic) and look at it simply - the music is ultimately free and I'm going to erase any installed software immediately.

Also (and this is just how I would do it), when I rip music, I tend to do it in the midst of another activity, such as playing Animal Crossing or something along those lines, so that my time is not totally wasted (as I don't think games are inherently void). Or, at least, do it during a tv show, while I'm cooking dinner, etc. No waste if you consider it (and treat it as) a secondary activity.
 
And the CD is rewritable, so you don't lose any money on media...

If there's no rootkit, you're right, it's virtually free. But you'd ultimately get music at a lower quality than if you'd ripped it from a CD - and how different would it be, really, from just downloading the music? (morally, not legally). If the promotion allows each person to download a total of ten songs, that's fine. But if somebody's using multiple coupons, making them unavailable to others and not complying with the terms of the offer anyway... might as well just download ten from Sony and the rest from one of those file sharing networks I keep hearing about. And really, what's the difference between illegally downloading 40 songs and 50?

And about the rest of it... listening to RIAA music, liking it, talking to others about it, is what gives them power. Which would be fine if they didn't misuse it. As it is, it's a personal choice for me not to listen to it. There's a world of music out there, you know.
 
Given the nature of some things discussed on this site, and given what some users blatently brag about, I think the best we can hope for is that people do things legally. This does not mean their actions are morally correct, but at least they are legal. So I care less about someone taking 10 coupons to get 50 free songs as opposed to someone buying something new, replacing it with their old broken system, and taking it back for a refund. Or any of the dozen other outright illegal activities that people are pulling.

There would even be those declaring that taking a lot of coupons isn't immoral, but possibly amoral, in that no value should enter the theoretical situation. I'm not going to argue either way. At the least, someone is going through a legal route, and that's about as good as I can hope for.

As for giving the RIAA power through word of mouth, I think that's a given already and is going to happen on a more widespread scale than anyone can hope to combat. So a lost war already. There's far more people to blame on that end than the RIAA - it's a combination of Clear Channel, MTV, VH1, any and every popstar show (including things like Superbowl, award shows, etc), etc etc etc.

There is a world of music out there, but I'm just fine with what I have access to (much like you are fine in what you choose to access and what to deny). Sounds to me like you are going for the indie versus non-indie argument here (at least that is how I would view it in a simplified manner), in which case I have no room to really talk because I don't keep up with it.

An interesting side question: If ripping free RIAA music is a waste time, how do you account for someone like me wading through millions of potential bands/artists/groups that are not known/little known/indie/non-RIAA/what-have-you description for this sector? If ultimately I end up with nothing, isn't that wasted time? Or even if I spent weeks and only found 1-2 groups I liked, isn't that wasted time? I won't call particulars, I'm just asking a question.
 
[quote name='eldad9']And the CD is rewritable, so you don't lose any money on media...

If there's no rootkit, you're right, it's virtually free. But you'd ultimately get music at a lower quality than if you'd ripped it from a CD - and how different would it be, really, from just downloading the music? (morally, not legally). If the promotion allows each person to download a total of ten songs, that's fine. But if somebody's using multiple coupons, making them unavailable to others and not complying with the terms of the offer anyway... might as well just download ten from Sony and the rest from one of those file sharing networks I keep hearing about. And really, what's the difference between illegally downloading 40 songs and 50?

And about the rest of it... listening to RIAA music, liking it, talking to others about it, is what gives them power. Which would be fine if they didn't misuse it. As it is, it's a personal choice for me not to listen to it. There's a world of music out there, you know.[/QUOTE]

You're killing me. So now I'm morally reprehensible for going into GameStop multiple times and picking up the coupon that I later use to legally download music. As far as I can tell the marketing deal between GS and Sony is working as I am entering GS more often than I have in recent months. Hell I even bought a used set on GC Bongo's yesterday and had a conversation with the clerk about the digital output on the gc.

And just to correct you a little, the RIAA is not an organization selling and promoting music, it is an organization funded by copyright holders to prosecute people who illegally infringe the copyrights holders rights. The same as the MPAA and BSA.

The RIAA represents all music copyright holders, so by you're definition above you should not listen to any music from any source, unless it's pre 1920, which I think predates copyright laws.

The music was not only FREE, but has created a fun diversion from watching TV.

p.s I hope you didn't print the BestBuy coupons and use them, I hear the original states "Copies not accepted".

There is nothing worse than thread crapping for the sake of thread crapping.
 
Legally download music? Are you complying with the terms of the offer? Read the fine print.

RIAA members are selling and promoting music; the RIAA represents them, not all music copyright holders.

We have already established that as far as you can tell, the music is free.

I have not printed the best buy coupons.

I hope this helps.
 
[quote name='Strell']
As for giving the RIAA power through word of mouth, I think that's a given already and is going to happen on a more widespread scale than anyone can hope to combat. So a lost war already. There's far more people to blame on that end than the RIAA - it's a combination of Clear Channel, MTV, VH1, any and every popstar show (including things like Superbowl, award shows, etc), etc etc etc.
[/QUOTE]
It's not win/lose; it's a matter of how successful they are. I can make them a bit more or a bit less successful. I can't make them go out of business and I can't double their sales. That's fine.

[quote name='Strell']
There is a world of music out there, but I'm just fine with what I have access to (much like you are fine in what you choose to access and what to deny). Sounds to me like you are going for the indie versus non-indie argument here (at least that is how I would view it in a simplified manner), in which case I have no room to really talk because I don't keep up with it.
[/QUOTE]
I'm going for non-evil, which just happens to coincide with (real) indie.

[quote name='Strell']
An interesting side question: If ripping free RIAA music is a waste time, how do you account for someone like me wading through millions of potential bands/artists/groups that are not known/little known/indie/non-RIAA/what-have-you description for this sector? If ultimately I end up with nothing, isn't that wasted time? Or even if I spent weeks and only found 1-2 groups I liked, isn't that wasted time? I won't call particulars, I'm just asking a question.[/QUOTE]
Your time is, of course, yours to spend as you please; hopefully if you can't find anything you like in a few hours, you'll call the search off. However, many sources have mechanisms - ratings, recommendation engines - to help you find something you'll enjoy.

And just for fun:

 
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