Re: When is an MP3 file like a lighthouse?

From: Robert J. Bradbury (bradbury@aeiveos.com)
Date: Wed Oct 24 2001 - 19:12:50 MDT


In answer to Alex's question about

"When is an MP3 file *not* like a lighthouse?"

The answer is when people really feel "entertained"
and want to contribute to the people who provided that.

I've been listening to Venessa-Mae's Storm the last
couple of days (I may take days to weeks to change
a CD). I purchased it once and can enjoy it many times.

People should be clear that the RIAA/MPAA are trying
to move to a model that denies me that ability
(in violation of the "personal use" rights of
copyright law). See:

http://www.geek.com/news/geeknews/2001oct/gee20011022008460.htm

"downloads will cost 7 cents per song and must be tied to a
 particular computer, where they will expire after a month"
[i.e. they are trying to take away the ability for you to
permanently purchase the copyright -- they want to move
to a pay-per-listen/view rather than a permanent licence
model.]

I would be happy to utilize a program that *I* controlled
that monitored what songs I played and based on my subjective
assessment of my enjoyment of those songs did micropayment "tipping"
directly to the artists (I'd tip Vanessa-Mae more than I'd tip
Marilyn Manson -- but thats just me).

I think Emlyn's point about who pays the producers or Lee's points
about "good" marketing people adding value are important.
People who "tune" rough artists and people who can develop
non-intrusive means of educating the public about good
artists *do* provide value. It would be a very different
world if they were paid by the *artists* rather than by
the record or movie companies.

I think the extropic focus of the thread should be on how
to develop systems (education, distribution, etc.) that would
support artists to a greater extent while at the same time
maximizing the pleasure that listeners & viewers obtain
from various entertainment sources.

Free bits are not inherently extropic bits.

Robert



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