Meet Napster's Lawyer

uqbar writes: "Sunday's New York Times Magazine had this short interview with David Boies (registation required). In it he explains how he has chosen his many high profile clients over the years. Pretty light on content, but he makes a pretty vivid point about just how well loved Napster is among the young. Still, he says nothing substantiative about why he believes in Napster's case."

Lawers & Opinions

[jyuter]

Still, he says nothing substantiative about why he believes in Napster's case

He doesn't need to explain his opinions or even believe in Napster. He's just a lawer who is probably getting paid really well.



Being with you, it's just one epiphany after another

Skip the registration

[billcopc]

For the hell of it..

http://www1 0.nytimes.com/library/magazine/home/20000813mag-qa boies.html [nytimes.com]

Re:Lawers & Opinions

[Zan Thrax]

Lawyers aren't supposed to believe in their cases. They're just supposed to argue their client's side to the best of their ability.

Re:Lawers & Opinions

[radja]

[post above +1, insightful]
damn.. just used up my last mod point.. remind me to give you one next time..

//rdj

Napster Technology

[onion2k]

Napster are being sued over the creation of free distribution software that allows people to share MP3s, right? So, if I create a virtual private network in Win2k, and make everything open with no passwords or security, bung a bunch of Metallica tunes on and leave it to fester, does that mean the RIAA will sue Microsoft?

Re:Napster Technology

[the italian]

no you jack ass.. that means they would sue you.

This says it all.

[sulli]

I was on an American Airlines flight from L.A. last week, really oversold, not a single free seat -- they were paying people to get off. Long story short, it's one mechanical problem after another and we're sitting on the ground for hours. One guy sitting a few rows ahead keeps turning around and eyeballing me. He waves and says, "Hey, aren't you Napster's lawyer?" I tell him I am and he announces, "Napster's lawyer is on the plane!" Everyone in coach cheers. Right then I knew the record industry was in trouble.

20M Napster fans can't be wrong!

sulli

Re:Napster Technology

[onion2k]

No it doesn't. The RIAA aren't sueing the people who put up the MP3s.. Napster didn't put up any copyrighted MP3s.. The RIAA are suing the people that made all the copying possible. It'd be like someone sueing Ford for making cars if they got run over.. coz like, duh, if Ford hadn't built the car then it couldn't have happened.

Re:This says it all.

[onion2k]

Ghandi once said 'Even if you're in a minority of one the truth is still the truth'.. Just coz 20 million people deem something to be right doesn't mean it is. Napster was/is being used to steal stuff. That can't be right. (I do kind of agree that the RIAA are wrong to go after Napster.. they should sue the pirate scum) Onion

Re:Napster Technology

[the italian]

you can't compare the two.

Re:This says it all.

[Eccles]

I tell him I am and he announces, "Napster's lawyer is on the plane!" Everyone in coach cheers.

Did the people in first class boo?

Re:Lawers & Opinions

[Talonius]

He states why, in a roundabout way.

It basically boils down to:

1. He can, because he's high priced.
2. His kids wanted him too.
3. He believes it impacts the future of technology. (Paraphrased quote: "This case is important, if not one of the most important.")

What more do you want, a breakdown on his moral and ethical beliefs on how Napster is a service provider and no more liable for the content than a publisher, telephone company, or ISP?

-- Talonius