It's been a while since I've been able to talk to fellow Napsterites in this kind of forum, and I truely enjoy it. It reminds me of the things I wrote and read on the Nappy forum, and as I look back on a few of the threads that have been backed up (thanks for the link, Oscar) I remember the vague predictions that were made then and have actually come true. It sickens me how some of our most morbid dreams actually materialized. Here's a few examples from last year.
Quote:
Mazer:
...a new Internet music trading system that works like Napster but allows the listeners to "tip" the artists.
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This idea has been implimented to some extent, but it has never gained the kind of popularity that it should have, and no file trading program has ever integrated the tip jar idea.
Quote:
Mazer:
There is a real possibility that Napster will become a wholly owned subsidiary of one of the major record companies. Maybe that is a little pessimistic but the opportunity exists for the RIAA and the big five to take over Napster and turn it into an other way to exploit the artists and the public.
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I meant this to be a warning to Napster: Don't sell out. Appearently they didn't hear me. Bertlesman finally figured out that they had to address the music consumers differently. But when they bought Napster it was the begining of the end.
Quote:
TankGirl (to Napster, Inc.):
If you fail and vanish, this historical gathering of music-loving people will inevitably split between your numerous competitors - and things will never be the same. Instead of one community united and powered by the love of music and the spirit of sharing there will be numerous minor communities with much weaker unity and much less power of spirit. With the momentum of a global revolution gone, they will be much easier prey for the commercially motivated corporations whose interest is that mp3 music should not be free.
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As a result we've had to maintain this portion of the community through email, ICQ, and finally this forum, because Napster isn't the powerful binding force it once was.
Quote:
TankGirl:
I would like to see a representative of the company management - preferably from the highest level - to come forward and state that you believe in the future of the company yourself.
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That never happened until the primary injunction was brought down on their heads and they made a statement that was meant more for the press than for us. Since then Napster has been like Microsoft, treating it's user base as a bunch of nameless, faceless customers instead of the loyal supporters they were. That left me and others serously disenfranchised.
Izian once put together a very long thread on the subject of copyright law (it took me an hour to read it all!) and it had many good points in it. He quoted an article concerning eBooks and the way the Digital Millennium Copyright Act applies to the new technology. While real books will remain the same, eBooks will have some heavy rules tacked on. Appearently you will have to pay each time you read an eBook even after you've paid for already. If you give the book to a friend he has to pay also. What if CD's, DVD's, and MP3's were all pay-per-play mediums like eBooks are? Things are headed that direction. I wouldn't mind paying for a file trading service any more than I mind pying for my ISP, but pay-per-download would be ridiculous, especially if each file had a different price. Make no mistake, that's what's happening now.
I guess I don't really care about Napster anymore. The fire it started has died down but the coals continue to smolder, and for now that's enough heat for me. But it's too bad; it's turning out to be one of those good music years (tends to happen every five or so years for me) and I'm not finding the songs I want. But I'll be patient because at some point someone's going to pour some gasoline on the embers and the fire will rage. The community will find it's center once more and all those unconnected librries of MP3's will morph together. Probably Napster's paper ashes will float away and be forgotten.