[shuttertalk]

Online music stores have only just recently come to Australia (and I'm talking about mp3 downloads, not physical cd ones), and I've been investigating...

I personally prefer to listen to and use only music which I've purchased or obtained legally, but the idea of DRM (digital rights management) that most of the major companies use really sux. DRM basically means that you need a license to play the music, but the catch is that the license is usually locked to one computer. So if say I wanted to play it on my work computer as well as my home computer, I'm out of luck.

Unfortunately, I won't be purchasing any of that music with that sort of DRM.

I can't see why the companies can't follow a similar model offered by ereader.com (my favourite ebook store) - which encrypts the books, but uses your name and credit card number to unlock it. So I can use it on any machine I like, but I'd be hesitant to share the books with other people for obvious reasons.


Anyway, I did some research this morning, and came across this very useful page with lots of links and tips
http://www.goingware.com/tips/legal-downloads.html


Amongst them was this site - www.allofmp3.com, which amazingly, offers paid, legal music downloads for all of the mainstream music, sans DRM! How can they do it? Well, they're based in Russia, which has relaxed laws with regards to this area. And another boon - they charge 0.02 per megabyte downloaded - not on a per-song basis. Quality as well is selectable and encoded on the fly for you - ranging from mp3 to wma to various lossless formats (although the higher quality, the higher the size of the download, and hence the higher the price). Anyway, I might seriously consider signing up to that service.


Another piece of software I found on that goingware page:
http://irate.sourceforge.net/index.html

This is a "collaborative music filtering" system, which basically downloads a random selection of open source / free music, and allows you to rate it. It then uses some logic to match your preferences with other people's ratings, to find more similar music. Apparently the longer you use the software, the better the "quality" of music will get as it learns your preferences.

I think this is pretty cool, as I've been wanting to get into the scene of free / independent music, but don't know where to start. This way, I can listen to stuff which other people already like, which has a higher chance of me liking it too.


Anyway, just thought I'd share that... does anyone have any experience with online music downloads? Thoughts? Rants? Tips?

[shuttertalk]

More info on allofmp3.com...

http://www.museekster.com/allofmp3faq.htm
http://smh.com.au/articles/2004/04/26/10...75556.html

[slejhamer]

Apple's iTunes is the end-all, be-all of music downloads. Yes, it has DRM, but I don't find it inconvenient - I can play the songs on my computer, any other computer on my network, on an iPod, on my stereo via optional wireless connection, or I can burn the songs to disc, either in standard CD format or in MP3 format. And once they are burned to disc, the DRM disappears ...

I'd say 95% of my music purchases in the last 18 months have been through iTunes.

Also, the stuff you are doing with that Russian site is NO DIFFERENT THAN STEALING. There is no way the artists are getting paid.

This is from a law-related site, specifically regarding allofmp3.com:

The site is not licensed by any labels. However, currently there is an exemption under existing Russian copyright legislation (Article 39 for the aficionados) allowing phonograms to be performed publicly without the authorisation of the copyright owner for broadcasting and cable transmission. The Internet could be deemed to fall under this exemption

So basically, the Russians allow "broadcast" of music for free, and that site conveniently encodes this "free" music so you can save it to your computer. The artists don't see a dime.

Also, the site says you can't use their service if it violates any regulations in your own country! Guess what? You are breaking the law.

[shuttertalk]

Hm... looking into it further, it does appear that way... I mean they're offering full albums for around $1 - $1.50... which sounds too good to be true. I suppose just because there's a legal loophole which allows it, it doesn' t make it right.

p.s. I said I was looking into it.. I didn't say that I used it. (This is for the FBI, if you're reading this). And for everyone else - please use your own judgement and legal research before using these services...


iTunes eh? I might look into that again. Apple just launched the iTunes music store in Australia a couple of months back...

[Wedding Shooter]

Another vote for iTunes.

[slejhamer]

p.s. I said I was looking into it.. I didn't say that I used it. (This is for the FBI, if you're reading this).

[slejhamer]

PS There is a HUGE selection of worship-oriented music on iTunes. On the front-page menu, choose the "inspirational" genre. Everything from gospel to Christian metal.

[Petographer]

I had registered at allofmp3 and Paypal is not available. I wouldn't consider giving them a cc number. No way, notta! I tried to buy from itunes but they won't accept paypal from a Canadian subscriber. Whats a guy supposed to do?

[Rufus]

Rufus opens one eye, yawns, stretches and says, in a sleepy voice:

NO DIFFERENT THAN STEALING........... Cool. Let's have a pirated software argument.
Maybe it'll win a prize!!

[slejhamer]

I had registered at allofmp3 and Paypal is not available. I wouldn't consider giving them a cc number. No way, notta! I tried to buy from itunes but they won't accept paypal from a Canadian subscriber. Whats a guy supposed to do?

I'd just give the cc info to iTunes. I mean, it's Apple, not some Russian internet company.

[shuttertalk]

Russian Mafia?

[Petographer]

I had registered at allofmp3 and Paypal is not available. I wouldn't consider giving them a cc number. No way, notta! I tried to buy from itunes but they won't accept paypal from a Canadian subscriber. Whats a guy supposed to do?

I'd just give the cc info to iTunes. I mean, it's Apple, not some Russian internet company.

I don't even like to do that. It's not just the fact of another on-line company having my cc number its just making unnecessary purchases on the card. I'd much rather use Paypal where I always have a small balance and if not it comes from my bank acc.

[Petographer]

I did it. I went ahead and gave them the cc number and bought The Rolling Stones- A Bigger Bang.