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Exchange Rates Play With Online Music Prices
EconolineCrush writes "Those looking to purchase songs online may find that the price of music downloads varies quite a bit from country to country. Most vendors seem to be favoring 0.99/track pricing schemes, but $0.99CDN is worth quite a bit less than 0.99 British Pounds. When indexed to the US dollar, Canadians using Puretracks are getting a bargain with tracks costing only $0.76US, while UK residents using Coke's new music store are getting ripped off at nearly $1.80US per song. iTunes and Wal Mart sit between the two, with tracks selling for $0.99 and $0.88, respectively."
Because we don't like 12 year olds screwing with filenames, ripping at horrid bitrates and sorting through looped sequences. P2P is a wasteland nowadays. I'm sure someone will point to me to a new service that is currently 'cool' because it is undiscovered but for the most part P2P is all the same. If you're cheap you'll find a way to steal music, but the mainstream appeal really takes its toll on the overall quality.
I'd rather work an hour more a week (which I usually enjoy doing) and buy the CD with a clean conscience. Good CDs come with extras nowadays as well. And when music is good I have no problem paying for the CD.
Then again most users on Slashdot use P2P networks thinking they are fighting the man. How convienent that these "freedom fighters" can also indulge their need for free music at the same time.
These folks buying tracks in the UK are not getting "ripped off". Hopefully some of you have heard of economics. The UK economy is inflated, and those who work there recieve inflated income. The price of music set at .99 sterling pound is right on track with the economy.