Feelings on Napster?

Like the "preview" systems in some record shops Napster and similar services provide a welcome opportunity to try new music and, in turn, they might even drive sales of some works. That's a good thing, especially for new artists and those in non-mainstream categories. The problem is that the online services encourage people to violate various laws which, in my book, at very least makes them an accessory to the crimes. Don't misunderstand. I don't take a position for or against Napster. If an artist and company is open to distribution of their property they provide clearinghouse that makes it possible. But as someone in the software business, an industry that has fought against the pirating of our products for years, I completely empathize with the musicians and record companies' positions. In fact, armed with that history, it may be that what the opponents fear is not just what is occuring today, but what is inevitable if it isn't brought under control: a complete abandonment of respect for copyright laws and the legal and moral right to be paid for one's artistic work in music.

An eloquent response. It is indeed a complex issue. My personal opinion (and it changes weekly) is that most people assume that artists act out of profit motive and are therefore inspired to create-- Take away their control and they will be less inclined to produce. All of the artists that I know, including myself, do not act out of a profit based motive, but rather a basic need to be creative. This is the essence of being an artist. The artist creates for the greater good. Thus, I think the control of artistic products is less an issue of the artist and more an issue of the industry that has built up around the artists. I think a real argument can be made that rampant capitalism has in fact degraded music, suppressing that which is less "marketable" and promoting the tastes of the "masses." It has created an appetite for the mediocre. Certainly, artists do need to be able to make a living, but do they and their record lables need millions upon millions? I don't cry for the likes of Metallica...certainly some of the profit oriented folks may drop out, but I don't think that it is necessarily a bad thing if we trim off some of the pork at this point in time. And start with N'Sync.

I see this as a much less complex issue than the posters above. If you download music, listen to it, and do not pay the artist or distributor for doing it you are a thief. This idea that this is all a creative activity and all humans have a right to share in it is absurd. Music is an intangible that results from persons creativity and hard work and they need to be paid for it. Would you download a document, image, or software program that was clearly owned by a party and not in the public domain that was intended for commercial sale and claim you had a right to it? would you steal a patented product design or novel and download it and consider it ethical? If so, you are a thief. Napster is much more involved in facilitating this crime (theft) than a money launderer, a pimp, or the owner of a crack house. All of these people are criminals and the owners of Napster are too.

Hmmm. I never thought of myself as a thief before. But maybe I'm wrong there. You obviously take the hardline capitalist viewpoint that all art is also a commodity and therefore should be regulated. I agree to maintaining an artists right to make money on his art should he wish. There is also a point to which the urge to control and make money begins to affect the quantity and diversity of non commercial art. No doubt that something created to reflect a person's/group's perspective and a product meant to appeal to masses of people will probably look very different. Just look at Hollywood, every film with the same proven formula. Not by chance for sure. Thus there is a need for a forum to give wider access to music and art, beyond the control of labels, corporations, etc. The internet is this media. To control Napster would set a precedent to control all the Internet, turning it into one giant business forum. The answer is somewhere in between. But surely you must see that there is more to the question than just "property rights." If not, oh well...By the way, it's not illegal to use Napster...so I'm not a thief yet.