I am at work and haven't had time to read all these threads (and being new to slashdot i'm not up on them from go), so bear with me.
I am a musician and a napster user. I agree that it COULD in theory keep the artist from being given his due recompense for his hard work. I believe that there are "responsible" napster users, who use it as if they were borrowing a cd from a friend to SEE IF THEY LIKE IT. I feel obliged to give an artist money if i like them, and i don't believe i am the minority. Yes there are people that will use it to avoid buying the CD, but any bets that they wouldn't buy it in the first place?
Which leads me to my next thought: Using napster as advertising. My friend and i are PLANNING on marketing our music, open sourcing part of it, freely distributing whatever, and charging for a "full package" to be sent (with extra/ bonus tracks, jewel case, J Card, etc). Granted, it may be difficult for a band like Metallica to put a monetary value on what this "advertising" would cost, but i would think it could be done.
Personally, and emotionally, i would be really angry if napster was squelched. I am so sick of the assembly line crap that is on the airwaves. I have found bands on napster (whose CD I WILL purchase, for the record) that i never would have come into contact with otherwise. Good, talented bands that are in niches that don't get much exposure. Really. These bands are MAKING MONEY OFF ME, like they're supposed to. I am SUPPORTING THE ARTIST. If half the people on napster do the same for me... then i consider it a win
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I am at work and haven't had time to read all these threads (and being new to slashdot i'm not up on them from go), so bear with me.
I am a musician and a napster user. I agree that it COULD in theory keep the artist from being given his due recompense for his hard work. I believe that there are "responsible" napster users, who use it as if they were borrowing a cd from a friend to SEE IF THEY LIKE IT. I feel obliged to give an artist money if i like them, and i don't believe i am the minority. Yes there are people that will use it to avoid buying the CD, but any bets that they wouldn't buy it in the first place?
Which leads me to my next thought: Using napster as advertising. My friend and i are PLANNING on marketing our music, open sourcing part of it, freely distributing whatever, and charging for a "full package" to be sent (with extra/ bonus tracks, jewel case, J Card, etc). Granted, it may be difficult for a band like Metallica to put a monetary value on what this "advertising" would cost, but i would think it could be done.
Personally, and emotionally, i would be really angry if napster was squelched. I am so sick of the assembly line crap that is on the airwaves. I have found bands on napster (whose CD I WILL purchase, for the record) that i never would have come into contact with otherwise. Good, talented bands that are in niches that don't get much exposure. Really. These bands are MAKING MONEY OFF ME, like they're supposed to. I am SUPPORTING THE ARTIST. If half the people on napster do the same for me... then i consider it a win