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Universal to Offer Music for Free
wild_berry writes "The BBC reports that Universal Music has signed a deal to make its music available for a free and legally-licensed download. Available from a new music site called SpiralFrog, the deal will allow users in the USA and Canada to listen to Universal's music, which Reuters' news site reveals is paid for by targeted advertising, but no details of possible community or playlist sharing features of the SpiralFrog service. Is the immunity from litigation enough to make up for having targeted advertising on each page and not being able to write the music to CD or a portable player?"
So now, instead of "stealing" when I download music without permission, I will be "stealing" when I skip the ads without permission, right? Just checking.
I've got a MUCH better idea, RIAA. How about, instead, we just skip the ads altogether? No, really. I'll just download the music like I did before. You pretend you sent some ads to me, and I'll pretend I watched them if anyone asks. Honest! You go collect some cash from the advertising companies for "showing" me the ads, wink wink. (If they don't pay, sue them -- you're pretty practiced at suing your customers/clients now!). With the extra cash, you can even keep on pretending to pay your artists something, just like you pretend to do now!
No, no, it's not racketeering, it's a business plan! Besides, when did YOU start drawing such peksy distinctions? Sheesh.
Free as in speech, Free as in beer and Free as in targeted advertising