# Malaysian Government Tells Public to Quit Buying CDs, DVDs **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 29, 2003, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malaysian-government-tells-public-to-quit-buying-cds-dvds/178369 "2003-05-29T21:16:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sqube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aca169/32.png) [@Sqube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sqube)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2003, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malaysian-government-tells-public-to-quit-buying-cds-dvds/178369/1 "2003-05-29T21:16:13Z")
In [this](http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/6/30938.html) article, it would appear that the Malaysian government is doing what everyone has been saying that everybody’s government should do: try to get the companies to lower the prices on CDs and DVDs. I say: It’s about time. What do you say? ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2003, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malaysian-government-tells-public-to-quit-buying-cds-dvds/178369/2 "2003-05-29T21:32:27Z")
I say they’ll continue to buy them. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2003, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malaysian-government-tells-public-to-quit-buying-cds-dvds/178369/3 "2003-05-29T23:17:58Z")
The prices of CDs and DVDs are set to maximize profit. If they were any lower, the people who create them would make less money. If they were any higher, fewer people would buy them. So instead of laucnhing national campaigns for reducing CD and DVD costs, why not buy some shares of the studios and share the wealth? ---
**Author:** ![MonkeyMule](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc348/32.png) [@MonkeyMule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeyMule)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2003, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malaysian-government-tells-public-to-quit-buying-cds-dvds/178369/4 "2003-05-29T23:39:13Z")
**OR** Do like I do and NOT buy CD’s, just borrow them from friends if you _REALLY REALLY_ have to have them. Other wise just use what ever napsteresque program you want and enjoy the free music while it lasts. ---
**Author:** ![verbenabeast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c4cdca/32.png) [@verbenabeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/verbenabeast)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malaysian-government-tells-public-to-quit-buying-cds-dvds/178369/5 "2003-05-30T01:14:07Z")
> [@](#): > > The prices of CDs and DVDs are set to maximize profit. If they were any lower, the people who create them would make less money. If they were any higher, fewer people would buy them. So instead of laucnhing national campaigns for reducing CD and DVD costs, why not buy some shares of the studios and share the wealth? actually prices are set to screw the consumer as indicated by: > [@](#): > > NEW YORK — The five largest music companies and three of the USA’s largest music retailers agreed Monday to pay $67.4 million and distribute $75.7 million in CDs to public and non-profit groups to settle a lawsuit led by New York and Florida over alleged price-fixing in the late 1990s. screw 'em… napsterize all the tunes you can stand. ---
**Author:** ![Sqube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aca169/32.png) [@Sqube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sqube)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malaysian-government-tells-public-to-quit-buying-cds-dvds/178369/6 "2003-05-30T03:28:40Z")
**verbenabeast** , where did you snip that quote from? Also… I don’t think stealing more music will stop them from upping that prices, seeing as that at least (partly) gives them some of their justification for high prices. Remember how they were complaining that the various P2P programs were leading to the downfall of the music industry? ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malaysian-government-tells-public-to-quit-buying-cds-dvds/178369/7 "2003-05-30T04:17:09Z")
Unfortunately, **verbenabeast** , the fact that a party settled in a lawsuit brought by increasingly letigious state governments is not proof (legal or otherwise) of any wrongdoing. If there was sufficient evidence that music retailers had engaged in price fixing there would probably have been criminal charges filed by now.