JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION
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- Financial Advisor
- Select Asset Management KK, Tokyo
- Salary: ¥100,000 ~ ¥999,999 Paid Training Commission Based
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- Corporate Business English Trainers
- ACT Systems, Inc.（株式会社アクト・システムズ）, Tokyo
- Salary: ¥269,500 ~ ¥280,000 / Month
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- English Instructor (Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe)
- Berlitz Japan, Inc. (ベルリッツ・ジャパン株式会社), Kansai
- Salary: ¥125,000 ~ ¥250,000 / Month
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papasmurfinjapan
If I have unlimited supply of the goods, it requires no extra labour nor cost to produce regardless of whether I sell 1 or 1000, the delivery method is free, and perhaps most importantly, if most/if not all of the people who take my product are those who would otherwise never have access to my product, then honestly - they are welcome. If the possibility that my product will be noticed by someone that matters leading to other more profitable ventures increases, then that is a risk I am willing to take.
I'm not telling everyone to put music of indie bands on the internet without permission, and I don't do it myself, even though I am being painted as a villain here. I'm just saying piracy will never go away, regardless of what laws are in place or how you feel about it. Instead of whining about it, adapt your business model to deal with it and take advantage of it.
8000 people dowloading your stuff on a file-sharing site? How about making your own website, and upload free samples, with the catch that they have to sign up for your newsletter. Get their address or at least city so you know where your fan base is. Offer discount CDs. If people REALLY like your music, they WILL buy it, especially if they can get it directly from you. There are plenty of ways to combat piracy other than just complaining about it.
Posted in: After The Beatles, who remains an iTunes holdout?
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papasmurfinjapan
Actually, I submit this as the most clueless post of the day.
You are only losing income if those thousands of people are the same people that go to the local CD shop where you sell your CDs. Of all the hundreds of millions of people on-line, what are the chances of that? You have no idea who downloaded your music. For all you know, it could have been some sheep herder in Mongolia. He was never going to buy your music because it was never available to him. Who cares you say?
What if it happened to be someone from a major record company who stumbled across your music? Then you'd care, and you'd praise the Lord for the internet that turned you from a nobody to a rock star.
Posted in: After The Beatles, who remains an iTunes holdout?
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papasmurfinjapan
Well, let's say you are a struggling indie band in Tokyo, and someone decides to record your gig attended by 200 people at the local pub on their phone, then uploads it to YouTube. A week later 20,000 people around the world have seen your gig, including one scout from a major label. The next thing he is going to do is search the net to try and find some better quality demos of your music - the first place he will no doubt look is a file-sharing site, because that is where you find stuff in this day and age. If you aren't on youtube, and aren't available on-line, then you need a miracle to make it big.
Do you honestly think music scouts still spend all their time in pubs looking for the next big act? Maybe some dinosaurs do, but I wager the younger generation of scouts will spend a hell of a lot of time on youtube looking for someone with talent. They can check 100 bands in one day instead of 1. If they think you have promise, they will make their way to your next gig. If you are no good, then quit complaining, it wasn't youtube or file-sharing that destroyed your chances, it was your music - it's a brutal world out there.
Posted in: After The Beatles, who remains an iTunes holdout?
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papasmurfinjapan
They should have changed their business model to compete with the internet age. Bad management and inability to adapt to new technology is at fault here.
Posted in: After The Beatles, who remains an iTunes holdout?
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papasmurfinjapan
I understand your dilemma. However, the twit who illegally put your music on a file-sharing site just increased your potential listeners from a few thousand people that still frequent record shops to quite literally millions of people. That is 8000 extra fans that who would have probably never have heard of you if your music wasn't available on-line. If by this person's actions you suddenly became the next U2, would you still be complaining?
Sorry, this has nothing to do with people copying CDs. It's because they have no idea how to market their music. Do you expect to make a living from music if you only let people hear it after they pay for it? Very few people will buy a CD of some unknown artist unless they have already had exposure to the music from somewhere. If you are an indie band and want to get noticed, the best thing to do IS put it on the internet for everyone to see/listen to. If you are good, your chances of getting noticed by someone that matters increase dramatically. If you suck, you'll be ignored and well, you shouldn't plan on making a living playing music anyway.
I understand ultimately it should be your choice to do what you do with your music - it is your business model - but I have doubts that someone making it available for free on-line would really hurt your CD sales that much - they were doing you a favor.
Posted in: After The Beatles, who remains an iTunes holdout?
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papasmurfinjapan
Of course, a rental DVD store is the obvious place to buy blank DVDs for any purpose other than illegally copying movies.. Silly me..
Posted in: After The Beatles, who remains an iTunes holdout?
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papasmurfinjapan
@noypikantoku
"Dude", read my 03:02 post again.
Isn't it strange that copying CDs/DVDs is illegal, yet the same place that rents out the DVDs sells blank DVDs by the counter?? If you were a movie distribution company, wouldn't that bother you? It doesn't seem to bother any company that puts their products in Tsutaya. They are turning a blind-eye because no doubt the rental market is lucrative for them (not so for the artists, however).
No, does anyone?? I couldn't care less what the FBI says because I'm not American and I'm not living in America.
And who said I am file-sharing things I copy from Tsutaya? Just because I copy it doesn't mean I share it with everyone.
I certainly hope everything on your computer was purchased from a reputable vendor.
Posted in: After The Beatles, who remains an iTunes holdout?
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papasmurfinjapan
So if I told you I go to Tsutaya on 100 rental days and rip hundreds of CDs and DVDs to my PC, it is okay, because I paid for it, right? Phew, that makes me feel so much better.
Posted in: After The Beatles, who remains an iTunes holdout?
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papasmurfinjapan
EMI already got my money years ago when I bought the CDs as well. I'm not going to pay them again just so I can listen to it on an iPod. It's much quicker to just download the lot rather than going through all of my CDs and ripping them to the computer. Stealing?? Maybe the law may say so but my conscience is clear. ^o^
Posted in: Apple's iTunes music store starts selling Beatles songs
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papasmurfinjapan
I can't speak for trulymadlyfukai, but my answer is yes and no. Would I buy an Elvis download? No, because he is dead and he isn't getting my money even if I did - I'm not supporting him as an artist in any way by paying for his songs. Would I buy a download from an indies band trying to make it big? Perhaps, if I felt their music was worth paying for.
If you think free downloads are bad, what about places like Tsutaya that rent out CDs, but at the same time sell blank media at the counter so you can copy them. To anyone but the slowest of individuals, Tsutaya is saying, go ahead, rent our CD/DVD and copy it at home.
To my knowledge the record companies (or movie companies) never complain to Tsutaya about that because they are getting revenue directly from them. Record companies don't care about their artists, they care about their bottom line. The truth is they couldn't care less if the profits that go towards artists signed to their label suffers, as long as they can keep their hands in the money pot.
Posted in: After The Beatles, who remains an iTunes holdout?
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papasmurfinjapan
Or just download the entire Beatles catalogue for free with one click on Vuze. That way EMI and Apple don't get their grubby hands on your hard-earned money.
Posted in: Apple's iTunes music store starts selling Beatles songs
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papasmurfinjapan
american_bengoshi
What's worse though, people who celebrate Christmas who don't understand it's true meaning? Or those who know the true meaning, but choose to ignore it and celebrate Christmas in secular ways?
whiskeysour
methinks you've had a bit too much whiskey for breakfast.
Posted in: Why do you think that Christmas decorations and illumination displays are put up so early in Japan?
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papasmurfinjapan
Japan is certainly no exception here, and I guess for retail outlets, putting up Christmas decorations in early-mid November is acceptable. Last time I went to Costco in September, they had all their Christmas decorations on sale - now THAT'S early..
The neighbourhood where I live is quite famous among the locals for the amount of Christmas lights put up (think National Lampoon's Christmas), and this year some houses have already put up theirs up - it's definitely at least a week or two earlier than last year, and feels a bit early imho.
Posted in: Why do you think that Christmas decorations and illumination displays are put up so early in Japan?
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papasmurfinjapan
For me the main thing that bothers me is kids that don't get in the line and walk straight up to whatever they want. These are kids who should know better. I blame not only them but their parents and schools for not teaching them proper manners.
As herefornow mentions, lack of protection against unhygienic customers is also a bit of a worry.
Posted in: What behavior by diners at buffets bothers you?
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papasmurfinjapan
I once applied for the JET program but was refused. At the time I had an MA in Applied Linguistics (TESOL), JPLT Level 1, and 3.5 years past experience working in Japan. They refused my application because they said I had lived in Japan for too long...
Now call me naive, but wouldn't it be smarter to hire someone who, first, at least has a bit of knowledge about teaching English, second, Japanese skills, and third - also perhaps most importantly - familiarity with living in Japan so they aren't going get homesick and suddenly decide to return home half-way through their contract? No, apparently not. It was then that I realised the JET program has nothing to do with the English education of Japanese kids, it is nothing more than a taxpayer funded cultural exchange program.
It should make every Japanese taxpayer's blood boil that the English education of our kids is being sacrificed so JET can continue this expensive, pointless cultural exchange program.
Posted in: Grounding the JETs
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papasmurfinjapan
Maybe he should convert to Islam...
Posted in: Obama's star fades in Muslim world
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papasmurfinjapan
@smithinjapan
Yeah I know I'm oversimplifying, but if they "moved" the war criminals to another shrine do you think China and Korea would stop complaining if politicians visited Yasukuni to pay respect to their non-criminal war dead? Perhaps they would, but my hunch is no...
Posted in: Maehara, Clinton discuss China, U.S. bases, trade issues
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papasmurfinjapan
Funny that it's okay for a Japanese politician to pay respect to US war dead, but if he tries to pay respect to his own country's war dead everyone has a hissy fit.
Posted in: Maehara, Clinton discuss China, U.S. bases, trade issues
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papasmurfinjapan
I have to admit, it is a fine looking flag.
I know this will probably start a barrage of criticism, but why shouldn't Japan use it? Sure we all know they did some terrible things during the war, but so did, ahem, the allies - are we as "victors" so quick to forget our own crimes against humanity?
If we expect Japan to change her naval ensign because of her wartime behaviour, the US should change hers as well.
Posted in: Show of force
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papasmurfinjapan
Nicer than the robot girl!
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