See http://www.janisian.com/article-internet_debacle.html
and her own follow-up at
http://www.janisian.com/article-fallout.html.

I found this article, looking for the lyrics of Janis Ian's song, "At
Seventeen". This author and artist has some fascinating things to say about
the benefits of free downloading, and the senseless strictures that the US
recording now enforces.

I am not trying to start a debate or even a thread. I just thought these two
articles are worth sharing on a slow Friday.

My own social and political views are conservative in the extreme, such that
I'm generally just a bit scared by those more conservative than I am. But I
think that the recording industry is seriously misunderstanding the free
market. I am quite persuaded that personal-use copying ought to be
hassle-free, and copy every one of my children's CDs for their use.

Furthermore, I am convinced that free sampling drives rather than damages
the market. As I understand things, those with "discretionary income" are
not only likely to buy a CD that contains something they can already hear
for free, they are more likely to buy what they've listened to for free. The
industry's failure to grasp this makes me wonder at how they think, and how
they manage their own money. The closest analogy I can think of is the
"direct to video" market, where the producer spends much, much less
promoting the work, and relies on more natural market forces to drive sales.

Greg Stigers
this space for rent

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