Timbaland Court Case starts on Wednesday

Talk freely about the scene, the world of remixing, or anything off-topic unsuitable for the "Fun Forum".
Post Reply
Chris Abbott
Forum God
Forum God
Posts: 5307
Joined: 22/11/2002 - 12:21
Location: Dubai. No, not really.
Contact:

Timbaland Court Case starts on Wednesday

Post by Chris Abbott »

Helsinki district court plays host to Glenn Rune Gallefoss vs Universal Music in a Helsinki courtroom on Wednesday 17th and Thursday 18th December. Witnesses for Glenn appearing personally include ... me ;-)

Outcome should be known by Friday.

Chris
Won't somebody PLEASE think of the children?
User avatar
Vosla
General Pain In The Forum's Ass
General Pain In The Forum's Ass
Posts: 3600
Joined: 02/12/2002 - 0:12
Location: On the same little planet as you. Be VERY afraid!
Contact:

Re: Timbaland Court Case starts on Wednesday

Post by Vosla »

At least I hope it's a bit embarrassing for Timboy...
All is lost.
Chris Abbott
Forum God
Forum God
Posts: 5307
Joined: 22/11/2002 - 12:21
Location: Dubai. No, not really.
Contact:

Re: Timbaland Court Case starts on Wednesday

Post by Chris Abbott »

Well, the judges shall decide :)
Won't somebody PLEASE think of the children?
User avatar
beyond
Forum God
Forum God
Posts: 1312
Joined: 22/11/2002 - 19:57
Location: 2nd star to the left
Contact:

Re: Timbaland Court Case starts on Wednesday

Post by beyond »

Two things come to my mind when hearing this:
1) Evidence is hard to ignore - it would not be reasonable if Timbaland is found not guilty. But the judge will decide, I guess.
2) Thinking of the amount of "real" people being sued and fined beyond reason for damages and losses because they happened to be small pirate fish(!) I hope the court sets an example stating that copying other people's material without an agreement is a complete no-no! He shouldn't walk away being fined ridiculously low, so to speak. Again, it is up to the judge.

Let's hope Timbaland doesn't give the judge too many Lamborghinis before friday :)
Chris Abbott
Forum God
Forum God
Posts: 5307
Joined: 22/11/2002 - 12:21
Location: Dubai. No, not really.
Contact:

Re: Timbaland Court Case starts on Wednesday

Post by Chris Abbott »

Since the case is against Universal Music Finland (initially), Timbapants won't be showing up :) But Finns are not ones to be swayed by flashy pants hip-hop producers.

Chris
Won't somebody PLEASE think of the children?
User avatar
k_rostoen
Forum Loony
Forum Loony
Posts: 210
Joined: 29/11/2005 - 14:52
Location: Norway
Contact:

Re: Timbaland Court Case starts on Wednesday

Post by k_rostoen »

So what happens if GRG should lose this? Would he have to pay the costs for Universal Music as well? I guess with their attourney army that could be quite expencive.
Experto credite!
User avatar
Misser
Forum Loony
Forum Loony
Posts: 235
Joined: 15/09/2003 - 15:13
Location: Rotterdam (NL)

Re: Timbaland Court Case starts on Wednesday

Post by Misser »

Ahhh best off luck Chris, hope the judge knows his stuff.
Old programmers never die, they just get lazy and distracted.
User avatar
Amok
Forum Celebrity
Forum Celebrity
Posts: 401
Joined: 17/02/2008 - 21:54

Re: Timbaland Court Case starts on Wednesday

Post by Amok »

Im very curios about the result. I hope you will kick their arses back to Timba-Tukka-Land... :bash:
dan gillgrass
Built from Stella and KFC
Built from Stella and KFC
Posts: 1399
Joined: 07/04/2003 - 19:52
Location: Azeroth
Contact:

Re: Timbaland Court Case starts on Wednesday

Post by dan gillgrass »

Hope things are going well...
Image

<fnordpojk> Dan_Gillg: Is WoW down, or what brings you here? ;)
Chris Abbott
Forum God
Forum God
Posts: 5307
Joined: 22/11/2002 - 12:21
Location: Dubai. No, not really.
Contact:

Re: Timbaland Court Case starts on Wednesday

Post by Chris Abbott »

OK, evidence finished yesterday, decision expected Jan 24th. No one knows how it's going to go in the legal system, though if they actually consider the evidence properly, it's a no-brainer.

Chris
Won't somebody PLEASE think of the children?
User avatar
beyond
Forum God
Forum God
Posts: 1312
Joined: 22/11/2002 - 19:57
Location: 2nd star to the left
Contact:

Re: Timbaland Court Case starts on Wednesday

Post by beyond »

I agree totally, Chris. And if they rule in favor of mr Timba they will only add fuel to the fire of any music/software pirate...
Chris Abbott
Forum God
Forum God
Posts: 5307
Joined: 22/11/2002 - 12:21
Location: Dubai. No, not really.
Contact:

Re: Timbaland Court Case starts on Wednesday

Post by Chris Abbott »

Well, it all comes down to two disputed points:

1) Can someone with modern equipment but no SID produce a complex SID which sounds _exactly_ the same?
2) Is bitwise comparison of output relevant when applied to the output from an analog source? And can someone escape bitwise comparison by doing enough post-production to change the original waveform?

To believe that there was no sampling means believing two knowledgable witnesses over one witness who insists that Timbaland can indeed produce an almost cycle-exact SID replication without a SID (without providing any evidence at all about how it would be done - "it's old technology - of course you can do it with modern technology" says he). As usual, in the legal system, there's no telling who the judges will believe, and who they won't.

There was no contest to the assertion that SID composing wasn't a creative act: I played five different Popcorn SIDs from different authors to prove that the end result was very much dependent on individual creativity. And the guy from TEOSTO (Finnish Performance Copyright Society) on their side actually spoke highly of the creativity of the SID scene (while implying that it was outside the experience of TEOSTO: not exactly true, since SID composers belong to STIM, the Swedish version). Which kind of blew major arguments the other side were making (that MOD -> SID was just a converter, essentially).

Court action is annoying, since you think "oh, I'll be able to not think about it when it's over", but then you occasionally reply stuff in your mind at odd moments. I just want to get on with Xmas.

Chris
Won't somebody PLEASE think of the children?
User avatar
Analog-X64
I Adore My 64
I Adore My 64
Posts: 3518
Joined: 08/12/2002 - 3:50
Location: Canada
Contact:

Re: Timbaland Court Case starts on Wednesday

Post by Analog-X64 »

Thanks for the update Chris, it is very much appreciated.
d[-.-]b (+[___]x)d(>_<)b 52656d697836342e636f6d2073696d706c7920726f636b732120
Image
User avatar
LMan
R64 Founder
R64 Founder
Posts: 3634
Joined: 21/11/2002 - 12:44
Contact:

Re: Timbaland Court Case starts on Wednesday

Post by LMan »

Chris Abbott wrote: To believe that there was no sampling means believing two knowledgable witnesses over one witness who insists that Timbaland can indeed produce an almost cycle-exact SID replication without a SID (without providing any evidence at all about how it would be done - "it's old technology - of course you can do it with modern technology" says he). As usual, in the legal system, there's no telling who the judges will believe, and who they won't.
That's ridiculous. Could as well say:
"Vinyl records are old technology - of course you can press them with modern CD burners."

If sampling is denied in this case, and he gets through with it, you might as well deny sampling of any other piece of music made with synthesizers. You could take any Kraftwerk song and deny sampling, because the synths they used were "old technology."
Post Reply