In computer news this week, 06/21/2000

The problems with MP3 and Napster ...........

For those of us of the older generation, who might have listened to Elvis and the Beatles on car radios and 45 records, then later on 8 track tapes, then regular casette tapes, and finally cd's, we're still not with the current technology.

The new music format is called MP3, and it's a new computerized version of music which has almost cd quality. However, MP3 music files are in computer format, and can be stored and played on almost any computer. There are hundreds of internet sites related to mp3, and you might start at Mp3.com. There you can download - for free - all the software you will need to play and record mp3 music.

Once you've downloaded a free mp3 player and recorder, you can then stick your own cd in your computer, and record it onto your computer in mp3 format. Then you can put the cd back in its case, and play your mp3 format of that music anytime you want on your computer. Hey, how about if I email this one recording to Aunt Edna in Iowa ? You could do that. How about if I borrow a friend's cd and copy the whole thing to my computer? You could do that

How about the copyright laws? Ah, there's the rub. And that's been the big hot issue related to MP3 music in the past months. You see, making copies of copyrighted materials, be it music, books, or whatever, is illegal. The MP3 music format invites copyright infringement, because all the software makes it easy to copy cd's. Then the internet makes it easy to distribute illegal copies of copyrighted music.

MP3.com was sued by record companies and musicians, and now has changed their practices. Now they will distribute mp3 files only with permission of the artists. The whole issue, of course, is that musicians want to get paid for their work, which they should be. On these mp3 sites you will find huge libraries of music you can download.

Napster however, works in a complete different manner. The first time I went out to Napster.com and read about it, I couldn't believe anyone in their right mind would participate. All the mp3 files that Napster keeps track of are stored on individual people's computers ! Napster simply provides their own free software that allows you to locate the music you're looking for, and then download it, if of course those people are online. You don't know anything about these people, and they might be hackers, and their computers might be infected with viruses and software bombs etc. but hey - go ahead - help yourself....

By this time you might be saying "I 'd rather pay for the music" rather than run these risks. Good idea. Statistics show that the majority of Mp3 and Napster users are very young people, mainly students, with a huge appetite for music, and very little money. So Mp3 and Napster make it easy for them to satisfy their musical appetites, and I don't think these folks are too worried about the copyright laws or computer viruses.

Let me emphasize that you can legally use mp3 files, and you can even buy portable mp3 players. And it's probable that music will soon be mass distributed in some kind of electronic format other than cd's, and you will probably be able to buy and download it from the internet. Maybe just in time for Christmas.

For Raw Bytes, this is Frank Delaney

POB 222

Spangle, WA 99031

(509) 245-3736

fdspokane@aol.com