pearLyrics: too easy to be legal?
updated 06:10 pm EST, Tue December 6, 2005
pearLyrics shut down
, a Mac OS X tool for displaying song lyrics of the track currently being played in iTunes, is no longer available due to a cease and desist order from Warner/Chappell Music. "As a freeware developer I can not afford to risk a law suit against such a big company, although personally I don't see where pearLyrics should infringe any copyrights handled by them," pearLyrics creator Walter Ritter said today. "After all pearLyrics only searches and accesses publicly available websites, displays, and, at the users wish, caches its content."
"I feel very sorry for all users of pearLyrics who provided me with such great feedback - I would have loved to provide them with even further enhanced versions," Ritter said.
The legal threats by Warner against Ritter are part of a larger campaign by the company to rid the Internet of lyrics websites. "What disconcerts/disappoints me most is that now, after fighting against illegal filesharing (something I can fully understand) and trying to shut down lyrics sites, Warner/Chappell seems to want to dictate Internet users what applications they are allowed to use for searching and browsing content on publicly available websites," Ritter said.
"I am not sure if they actually checked pearLyrics for what it does, or if they just thought, hey, let's try and just send a cease and desist letter, after all, this is just a little freeware developer and he won't risk standing up against us anyway," Ritter complained.
A quick check at Apple's widget download center also reveals that most of the lyrics widgets are gone now, too.
Ritter has asked that anyone in the online community with any legal advice regarding this topic to contact him with suggestions.
From the mu$ic companies
12/06, 07:25pm reply
to their customers:
You are a criminal. Even though you already paid our exorbitant prices and we were forced by the US government to pay some money back because of price fixing, YOU ARE THE CRIMINAL.
I no longer listen to mainstream music. I've found a world of indie music that I wouldn't have found if it weren't for the RIAA, so thank you RIAA for turning me off from commercial music!! I now go to 2-3 concerts a week and spend even more money on music that isn't produced or in any way associated with the RIAA. SO SUCK ON THAT big music.
cmoney
Dedicated MacNNer
Joined: Sep 2000
Boycott Warner Media
12/06, 08:05pm reply
I am no longer buying any Warner media product. I have also written to Warner at:
Warner Bros. Records Inc. 3300 Warner Blvd. Burbank, CA. 91505 ph: 818-846-9090
To let them know that stopping this product means stopping me from buying theirs. I suggest all users of pearLyrics do the same!
rspress
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Dec 2002
Open Source
12/06, 08:45pm reply
I suggest the author of pearLyrics open his source to the public and somebody somewhere will make sure that the program is maintained and available to people who want it.
I now avoid buying CDs from big record companies. I go to concerts, buy indie music, and download live shows from bands that know their fans are important, not some A&R guy in a suit.
vander
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Mar 2000
What was the latest ver?
12/06, 09:18pm reply
I have this app... was it ever updated past 0.5?
Now I know I have to keep the download forever or I'll never get it back.
f*** you, Warner.
Buran
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: May 2000
I second that...
12/06, 09:26pm reply
F*ck you Warner. Eat sh*t and then choke on your lyrics!
sorry the language.. I wont hold back next time.
eldarkus
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Feb 2004
Just unbelievable.
12/06, 10:22pm reply
While I don't necessarily agree with the major labels haggling over DRM, this issue is absolutely ridiculous. What possible harm or financial loss could they incur from people being able to download lyrics?!? Insanity. Fsck those b*******!
So glad I got pearlLyrics when I did! (and singthatiTunes widget as well.)
crooner
Senior User
Joined: Oct 1999
perLyrics 0.6
12/06, 10:29pm reply
I have this version. If someone wants it pm me your email.
Londor
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Feb 2004
Let me get this striaght
12/06, 10:35pm reply
pearLyrics is illegal, but google isn't?
If one uses google to look up lyrics to a song that is perfectly legal, but if one uses a piece of software, like pearLyrics which will search google, and other sites for you that is illegal.
So, kids remember do not rely on anybody else doing your search for you... do it your self or you might get sued. Also remember that if you are going to write a search engine for any copywrited material make sure you become a multimillionaire and own a multi-billion dollar company then you will not have any problems.
mouseketter
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Sep 2004
it's not illegal
12/06, 10:59pm reply
they simply sent a letter threatening to sue and usually that's all they have to do. you don't need to have a legal footing to threaten somebody. i don't see how their bullying tactics are legal. they basically threaten to sue someone into poverty and what's the average person to do except say i give up?
cmoney
Dedicated MacNNer
Joined: Sep 2000
I agree with Warner.
12/07, 12:39am reply
I know it is fun to trash "big music", but you people need to be reasonable. I fully understand Warner's wish to stem the tide of the lyrics sites and software popping up on the web. These are a direct threat to the profitability of their corporation. Im sure they realize that when a consumer reads lyrics from half of the sh*tty bands they put out on their sh*tty lable, that person won't want to buy the sh*tty album. What are rap/pop lyrics these days anyway? "UH Explitive Explitive Racial Slur UH UH Sexual Referance Explitive UH UH..."? F*ck em.
nayr x
Forum Regular
Joined: Dec 2001