Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.

Napster usage stats support RIAA claims

Author:Jacob Levy
Posted:8/2/2000; 1:47:56 PM
Topic:Napster usage stats support RIAA claims
Msg #:19407
Prev/Next:19406 / 19408

... according to this Register article.

I sent the following email to the author of that piece:

(These are my private POVs, and do not represent my employer, Sun Microsystems Inc.)

You write (http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/1/12332.html):

It's very hard not to conclude that the sudden burst of download activity wasn't anything more than an attempt to grab as many free tracks as possible before the service was terminated.

I have to disagree with you. You're implying that all Napster users are thieves and pirates. Not a very good attitude to have if they also happen to be your clients and source of income, eh?

Napster is the only easy way currently for users to get music into their computer. If I want to listen to music on my computer, and I only have the vinyl record, I can't do it because I have no easy way of converting from the record to an MP3 file. However, 9 times out of 10 I can find the music on Napster. Note that in this case I already paid for the music, because I own the record.

Another reason I personally use Napster is because it lets me sample music in ways that were impossible before Napster existed. I discovered many artists that I didn't know about and have bought their CDs as a result.

In summary, the major reason people are using Napster is not beause they are criminals in search of a free lunch, but rather because Napster provides a service that's unavailable elsewhere. The service happens to be free because noone is there to take my money, even though I am in fact interested in paying. That's the RIAA's fault, not mine, and their loss.

If such a service was offered at a reasonable price by the big labels and with the selection of music available to match what is on Napster as well as the ability to sample music freely and pay later, I am sure the majority of Napster users would use it. Why shouldn't the big labels try and see whether people are honest? What have they got to lose? Their music is already available online for free anyway, and that's not something that's likely to cease even if Napster Inc. is shut down. They might not want to admit that, but that will not make their problem go away..

To SN readers: as an aside, this article demonstrates effectively why the proposed buycott, although a cute idea, is ineffective and will be misused as evidence against Napster users. No matter what you do, you're screwed :(



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