CAUTION: Long Blog Rant!

Everyone seems to be endorsing presidential candidates, which is not a topic to cover on the site, but I did think this was appropriate given the nature of file sharing and online media.

Napster has finally got their online store going. I know if you are fan of my site, you likely aren't fond of DRM and other copy protection schemes. I've never much liked them either, and CERTAINLY recognize the need to try to stop my own material from being mass distributed online (thank you for those honest people who not only join, but help me keep the mass distribution down to a low boil by pointing them out.)

I will never understand why a fan of the site or porn will upload whole videos to their blog. They get nothing from it but a "You're great!" from their viewers, who of course think they rock for breaking the law for them.  They assume all the legal risk, but dont get anything in return. Mass distribution kills our ability to make more porn.

I don't mind if members share their videos with a friend or two, that makes perfect sense. We all tend to move, lend, and borrow in small circles. It's the mass distribution that is wholesale slaughter to any business.

And could there be no finer example of a company that DID do wholesale slaughter to the industry than Napster?

Well, they are back and they have totally hit the right note with me.

They now have 6 million legal songs. You can use both Mac and PC with a web browser (No iTunes like application that takes over all your media).

And they are DRM Free.

If you know me, you know that I have only one addiction...GADGETS!

I love 'em. They keep me going while I produce this site. I look forward to a release of each gadget like a carrot on a stick.

I've had a half dozen iPods, some got dropped, while others ran out of room. I have Archos players to archive videos for the models to watch during their scenes (no more lube covered DVDs!). I even got a Zune to test to make sure the Windows Media versions would play on their player (Ugh..not really).

I do like iTunes. I dont watch TV and will download TV shows and music from the site. But I am limited to the number of devices I can copy them to, and they have to be iPod. Some songs I want to give to my mom to listen to on the Nano I bought her.  With me having so many different media devices, I am trapped using their content only on one range of devices.  I can't add an album to my Treo phone. Not that it would the best thing to listen with, but I have been trapped somewhere wishing I had some music to keep me occupied.

So when I saw Napster had really amped up their site, I knew someone was finally hitting it right. Trusting users to buy what they want instantly and to only distribute them amongst their own devices.

The store is far from perfect. I'm left guessing how to download items, the whole NapsterToGo thing is strange, and I have tried buying a single track but was forced to buy the whole album, which I didn't do.

The Search facility is really lacking. I was looking for a track by Ernesto vs Bastian. I typed in Ernesto Bastian, and nothing came up. I searched for Ernesto...nada. Searched on Bastian, and it finally came up. In fact I had to go to iTunes to find the track title. iTunes search is pretty amazing, and Napster could use an update in this area.

The other drawback, is the songs aren't super current. Lots of back catalog stuff. You can tell iTunes is in bed with major companies as exlcusive content like American Idol tracks are released and every star has a podcast.  But my guess is Napster will appeal to fans who dont want to buy into the iPod media hype.

I listen to XM radio in the office. BPM and the System are my main stations. Lots of cutting edge trance, techno and dance (I know, how gay!)  I think it is criminal that they play a song that I cant find the track on iTunes or Napster. In this day in age we should be able to buy on Demand. Not having it easily available to buy makes people want to search the under belly of the net for a ripped or bootleg track.

So getting newer stuff is also needed.

But go give Napster a try. I realize you all have limited entertainment dollars so I hope you save your money for my stuff as well. But if you want freedom with your music collection, Napster might be right up your alley.