Downloading Music
A recent report by Microsoft suggests that efforts to stop music file-swapping programs is pointless. It’s interesting to read this, knowing of the efforts of the RIAA to fight it. And as a musician, I’m always conflicted somewhat over the copyright issue. Yet every struggling musician I meet wants nothing more than to make their music available over the Internet, and not necessarily for a fee. There’s even an boycott RIAA movement now.
It is fascinating to watch the record companies squirm, especially in light of the recent $143.1 US million dollars paid out by the planet’s five largest music companies and three largest music retailers to settle a two-year old antitrust case involving price fixing of CDs. And lest you think that successful musicians aren’t interested in this either, check out Janis Ian’s thoughts on the subject. Here’s her first essay, and the follow-up. Now I am going back to work, preparing my Materials Engineering 343 lecture…
