Feelings on Napster?


Hi, Since this is in part a forum about music, I'll put this statement and question on the table. In the past few months, I've begun to use Napster online. I'll look through the forum for reccomendations on good albums and tracks, then I'll download it on Napster, take a listen and, if I like it, purchase the album. My opinion is that Napster is really opening up accessibility to music for alot of people, allowing them to try new things that before they wouldn't have access to or simply wouldn't be prepared to invest in. It's helped expand my own horizons I know and I think it's good for music overall. Any opinions?
issabre
It's not a matter of "soon", it's already happened. Do you not watch the news broadcasts? There are many others that will and are filling the Napster vacuum, but the government will obviously whittle the largest of them down also, over time...................I think there are other things going on in the USA that are more important than free music on the internet.....................Issabre, your guy claims he invented the internet, so "if" he's elected, maybe he'll solve all that worries you, heh heh heh.
Do you not watch the news? Napster was allowed to stay up and running on appeal as of late Friday afternoon. It wiil probably be in service until at least September when it goes to court again.
I am surprised and relieved so many people feel the same way I do about this issue. Mr Gridlock has hit the nail right on the head IMHO. As for the notion that this will somehow lead to the decline of the Western Civilization - Give me a Break! If good sounding recordings were to be given away, with no money paid for that product, who would ever put up the $$$ for studio time, sound engineers, recording facilities, etc, etc - not to mention the musicians. To think that musicians are ONLY motivated by the artistry of their music is naive. From some kids in a garage band to the guy composing on his keyboard, musicians want their music to be heard but they also want to be paid for it if their dream is to do that for a living. Napster could potentially rob them of that dream. They may be able to share their music with a wider audience but if they don't get paid for it how can they keep doing it? Remember, Thomas Edison didn't invent the phonograph to share music with the world - he made it because he saw the potential to make money and sell a product he thought people would buy. He has been right for 100 years now. It's funny how people who advocate Napster are pointing their fingers at the evil, capitalist record companies whose only goal is to make a buck. What do you all think Napster's in it for? And they didn't even help make the product they are offering. That's theft.
...Edison! He stole from Tesla...and GE ripped him off too. How about Microsoft and DOS? Michelangelo "stole" his "style" from ancient Greece. And Picasso said once: "If anything can be stolen....i steal"
Eldragon, funny how two of your examples are artists. The point though is that you're talking about ideas which can always be built upon, so long as there is no patent or copyright infringement. If this weren't the case we wouldn't see much advancement in anything. With your line of thinking (with the exception of Microsoft) we've all stolen someone elses idea - how far back do you want to go? Rome? Greece? Egypt? Babylon?