In today's SF Chronicle, there was an article on the Supreme Court's decision regarding music downloads. ". . . the high court ruled unanimously that developers of file-
sharing software could be held liable if consumers used the program to
download copyrighted movies and music from the Internet."
A 22-year-old senior at San Francisco State was quoted, giving his opinion that music downloads do not hurt CD music sales - ""I'm not going to buy a CD for $16, $17 or $18 just to hear one or two
good songs," he said Monday while his 40 GB iPod played music through external
speakers on his desk at San Francisco State's student association office."
In his music-buying lifetime, he's always been able to choose not to buy the CD.
The consumer recording industry has definately gone around in circles with the changes in technology. From 78's, both one and two sided, where Broadway musicals came in a 3 or more record set to LP's, 33 1/3 'long playing" records with the material on one disc that you just flipped over. About the same time we get 45's, kind of equivilant to downloading, since you only had to buy the one song, getting a bonus track on the flip side. Then tape, the short-lived 8-track to cassettes--now the consumers can make their own compilations from existing albums. CD's are next--you can't record, but you can access any track in any order. But now, you can make your own CD's from either your prerecorded selection or individual tracts you download.
Back and forth, back and forth--the technology goes round and round.
With my birthday approaching, I am forced to realize that I am middle-aged..........
Not such a bad thing, but something to get used to..............
Comments