Ever since the birth of Music sharing programs like Napster and Limewire the music industry has been busy trying to figure out a way to stop them. They've tried everything from court orders, shutting down sites, to finding offenders and jailing them. Yet free music still found it's way into the world. Today marks a new era in their tactics. The music industry decided that if you can't beat 'em..join 'em.
Starting today anyone can download almost any song using Qtrax, a new music industry approved and ran site allowing users to find what they want and download it as much as they want, with no limits on the number of songs. The music industry hopes that users won't mind the ads and that in turn will help them pay royalties where due.
Times Online:
Ford, McDonald’s and Microsoft are among the advertisers signed up to support what is thought to be the world’s largest legal music store. The service says that adverts will be nonintrusive and will not appear each time a song is played. As with iTunes, customers will have to download Qtrax software. They will own the songs permanently but will be encouraged to “dock” their player with the store every 30 days so it can gather information on which songs have been played.
Here is the add on that allows this program to work with the Apple Ipod,supposedly. I do find it hard to believe Itunes is happy with the potential money loss this could create for them.
I have just downloaded the software and am installing it at this very moment, so look for updates on what I think. If you've used it (or plan on using it..or don't) let me know what you have to say about it!
1 comment:
I was wondering when something like this would happen.
You've been tagged. Come over to my place to see what it's about!
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