Zeiner, blog 29, downloading

 

Today in class we talked about copyrights, and how we nowadays can download all kinds of stuff from the internet. More or less anything is out there, and with a few clicks you can have it on your computer. And in most cases, this is free. There are multiple programs on the internet with which you can download files to your computer completely free, or pay a small fee. For example, the program Lime Wire allows you to search for music files, audio files, pictures and all other kinds of stuff. And all of it is free. iTUNES is another program, which charges you for everything you purchase. You can buy albums, songs, new and old releases and videos which you can have on your iPOD. And somewhat surprisingly to me, a lot of people use their services, instead of downloading for free from any other program you can have.

            There are no doubts that artists and record companies lose money on how today’s industry has developed. Earlier, when there was no such programs on the internet where you could find anything you wanted, people had to go to the stores in order to get the different media files they wanted to consume. Of course, there are multiple laws and restrictions on this whole issue about legality; legal and illegal downloading from the internet. But honestly, most people don’t really care about this whole thing. Practically everyone that I know uses programs such as Lime Wire, and get what they used to pay money for in the stores, completely free.

            But are there only cons about this whole issue? No, for sure not. I mean, of anything: the artists get downloaded from the internet, and obtain popularity and a growing fan base because of this. Maybe they lose money on the amount of sold records, but at least they get publicity and attention for their work. The music business has completely changed over the last years, and artists and record companies are the ones having to work out the challenges that come along with such a change. The music business has most definitely not moved to the end – it has only moved into another phase.