I was just wondering what everyone thinks about this whole Napster vs. The music industry crap that is going on. I think you have to be a user of Napster to truly understand it. I hear a lot of people/politicians referring to it as copying files and making them availible to Napster users. Thats not what they do. The USERS of napster make the MP3s, and other users of Napster download them from eachother. The company/program of Napster simply provides a "platform" to make it easier for people to do this. Napster itself doesn't make the MP3's. Metallica tried to go after the users but that didn't work. I was one of the ones that Metallica got banned from Napster, I have all the songs I downloaded from other Napster users on CD! How is that illegal? Its just easier to open a file when I want to hear a song then it is to get the CD, put it in, wait for it to load etc. etc. I think Napster is good for situations like that. Napster is also good for "one hit wonders" because you don't need to spend 20 bucks on a CD for one song. That is why the industry hates it, because they can't rip us off anymore! It costs like 50 cents to make each CD. Well anyway I would like to hear everyones input...

just my 2 cents,
Jeff

i hear ya brotha. metallica sux.

I think it is a difficult situation, because it all depends on how you define the terms copyright, transmission, transmission of data, among others.

First and formost any copy derived from a mastered original is a violation of copyright, as I know it. However, if a person makes a copy for himself and himself only, then pursuits against the individual are rarely ever (read - not existant) pursued. It is in the situation that the individual makes a copy and that copy is distributed, via any means, where pursuits are taken.

There is a big difference between sound biting a song, to gain listener interest to have them to purchase a CD, and copying the entire song, then album(s) which circumvents the market.

I understand the entrepreneurs (bands and companies) not liking the circumvention of the market, because anyone who has downloaded, kept, and/or transferred it to someone has, in effect, stolen from the originators. And, this action is punishable by lawsuit and/or jail time.

However, I can also appreciate the consumer aspect of the market. Most consumers only want one particular song or a small assortment of songs, not necessarily the entire album.

Someone in the music industry needs to find a way to sell invidual songs at a resonable price with encoded, encrypted mechanisms that prevent copiing of the distributed material. Taking these steps would satisfy both parties, distribution would still be possible via the net, and their distributed songs could be protected. Unfortunately, industry and laws do not keep up the the advancement in technology, so someone somewhere is always going to violate someone's copyright on material.

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Gold-86SE (Fiero Collector)

I was also banned from Napster for having Metallica files on my system.. All of which were ripped from LEGAL CDs.. I use Napster to see what music I enjoy, and then most of the time I buy the cd. However there are some cases where I only like 1 or 2 songs, and don't want to blow $20 just to get those songs..

I would like to see a system where people can pay say.. $0.25 for a single song, instead of having to buy the whole CD.. There are sone CDs which I do completely like, but some where I only want a few of the songs. If the record companies were to stop being so greedy, and were to adopt a new way of distributing their music.. they would make far more money in the long run, and the pirating of songs would drop.. Ideally, the system would be set up so the artists themselves would get the profit.. not the record companies. Which is why this system won't come about for a while.. greed is a powerful motivator.. it's also why we don't have widespread use of fuel cell or electric cars yet.. but that's another story.

As for politicians not understanding the things they're making laws about.. that's nothing new, now is it?

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steve@fieroproject.com
http://www.fieroproject.com

Problem here has always been the record-industry. They have been filling their pockets over the backs of the artists. It's outrageous how little the artist actually gets from every CD sold. But on the other hand, programs like Napster are hitting the artist more than the record company. So I can understand they are upset, and I can equally understand they want to stop Napster. But they should really focus where the problem really is. If the record companies would drop their prices which they could easily, then this whole Napster problem would disappear automatically. I too download songs from Napster and burn my own Cds. Not because I can't afford to buy the actual CD, but because I hate it when record companies are trying to stuff music down my throat that I'm really not interested in. Most of the time I'm only interested in one song but because record companies only reprint complete albums, I'm forced to buy the whole CD instead of the CD single. And at $20 per CD, that's not even worth my consideration.

The ideal situation would be a combination of the two. Let the record companies sell their complete albums, but give the artist the opportunity to sell seperate songs over the internet. A user could then simply choose the songs he wants and download them as MP3. I wouldn't mind paying a buck a song. The artist would then make even more money per song then he would make when the record company sold a complete CD.

Another thing.. the whole napster situation would be akin to the "owners" of Central Park being sued because of dealers selling drugs there...

not quite the same situation, I know.. but still pretty ridiculous, isn't it?

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steve@fieroproject.com
http://www.fieroproject.com

For anyone banned from napster, here's how to get back on.

1) CLick start then run then type regedit and hit enter.

2)Press [F3] and search for "napster". Delete anything napster

3) Close all 'minus' signs(compact all folders) and search(control F) for these keys one at a time:

35D38C13-1434-AB7E-003483943341AA
A1AD8C13-1383-5343-DCC38E43FF0AAE
CAD8C813-1F34-1B3E-00CEAE43FF0AAD

4) Delete every instance that you find of those keys. Make sure you close any open folders then do the search again [F3]. There are about 2 or three instances of each of those keys.

5) Reboot your system.

6) re-install napster.

7)run the de-ban.reg file found at www.napster.org.uk/napster.htm scroll down the main page and find de-ban.zip

8)run napster

9) Re-register using beta 6(you have to) and a different nickname and e-mail.

Hope this helps some people out.

I finally got mine reinstated! I wish I would have known about that sooner!

Eventually, once technology allows, the record companies will move online and sell music. And they'll probably make more profit than they ever did before by reducing distribution costs and cutting out the retail stores. I've downloaded a total of 1 CD of songs from Napster. I was not impressed at all with the sound quality of my burnt CD. It may be fine for listening to over cheap computer speakers but in a show quality sound system, it just bites. Maybe I'm just too picky.

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"Born free....taxed to death."

If you get songs at like 190 bitrate or higher, they sound as good as regular CD's. If you get 128 you might notice a difference, 112 and lower sucks.

Yeah, I've heard that. I think most of the songs I downloaded were 128. One was 90 and it was real bad. The higher rate songs are pretty big so I'll just wait until I can get a cable modem. My 28.8 is just too painfully slow.

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"Born free....taxed to death."

Napster definitely rocks with a cable modem....I have found that most of the songs Ive gotten ahold of are incomplete. Usually have the end cut short by several seconds, but I cant really complain about the price.

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Dillon - Titusville, FL
Black '87 SE V6
"Matched Perfect and Staggered Special"

Ok, but what about bands like Phish and the Dead? They permit tapeing and tape tradeing. Or rare unreleased song that aren't on readily avable CD's? This is what I think Napster is all about and why it should never be banded.