File Sharing Collides with Pay Services
Recently, I read an article that was posted on www.divx.com about Napster teaming with major record lables to create a file sharing service where you could get your music with a liscense. This seems like a step in the right direction, but there are problems with it. It seems to me like the record lables are taking advantage of a new medium to put stricter rules on how we can enjoy our music. For example, I am a fan of mixing the music that I own, but with the types of files that are offered here, this will be impossible, at least legally. See what you think of my suggestions and complaints.
The service will fly if Napster technology improves, if the file format does not have to be altered, and if the number of downloads per month are not greatly limited (aka 10 for a $10 per month fee).
The technology is outdated, with many more efficient systems existing (i.e. FastTrack). The system will have to allow these improvements to exist.
The file format will be a bear. My car CD player plays MP3 files, not NAP files. Converting and copying is something that I do not want to deal with. This is why I bought a CD/MP3 player in the first place. Also, if it uses a new codec, you had better believe that it will not sound as good as MP3 (i.e. Ogg Vorbis).
The whole reason file sharing networks exist is because a wealth of music is available for download at almost no cost. This saves record lables many costs, especially since they don't have to serve their own music through the system. Bandwidth, in addition to CD production, is expensive. I'm guessing that anywhere from 1/10 to 1/25 of the cost for the music will be acceptable to people downloading (based on a $12 CD cost, hehe). Perhaps the recording industry could sell liscences as the software industry does.
The last thing is this. If there are companies making profit off of the bandwidth that I have paid for, I am going to want some compensation for it. You can be sure as hell that my ISP is going to want some compensation, too. If I have a T1, and I am sharing several gigabytes daily, I am definitely going to want some help paying for my fat pipes. Perhaps Napster could allow free downloads based on the amount that people have uploaded until a payment service can be put into place.
Until these implementations are incorporated, I do not support such a service. If we are going to start something new, let's start it right people. I, personally, would love to see a service like this fly.
Peace,
Chris
Go here to see what I think that the ultimate file sharing program would be if it existed: