(2008-01-30) U2 Vs Hippies

PaulMcGuinness, long-time manager of rock band U2 (Bono), on Monday launched a verbal attack against illegal music downloaders (File Sharing), as well as internet service providers (ISP), device makers, Silicon Valley and even hippies in a speech at a conference in France... "It is time for ISPs to be real partners. The safe harbours of the 1990s are no longer appropriate, and if ISPs do not co-operate voluntarily there will need to be legislation to require them to co-operate."... "Hardware makers should share with the content owners whose assets are exploited by the buyers of their machines," he said. "The record companies should never again allow industries to arise that make billions off their content without looking for a piece of that business."... McGuinness said much of Silicon Valley arose out of "hippy values" that did not include a respect for copyright and established business models. Many of the area's entrepreneurs don't consider themselves "makers of burglary kits," he said.... "There are plenty of private equity fund managers who are Deadheads," he said, a reference to hippy icons The Grateful Dead. "And embedded deep down in the brilliance of those entrepreneurial, hippy values seems to be a disregard for the true value of music."