Napster Limits Users example essay topic

Napster A battle is being fought over how we access our music. Technology has greatly changed the days of going to the record store to purchase music. Now we are able to link to millions of music lovers around the world by hopping on our computers, getting on the internet and by using a file-sharing program called Napster. Now many questions arise: Is it stealing from the artists or is it stealing from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)?

It also brings about the questions of how 'free' the internet should be. Where do we even begin to regulate this giant beast called the World Wide Web? The way this technology works is it allows internet users to share and download MP 3 files directly from any computer connected to the Napster network. The software is used by downloading a client program from the Napster site and then connecting to the network through this software, which allows sharing (uploading and downloading) of MP 3 files between all users connected to the network. While Napster does not condone copyright infringement, there is no opportunity in the software to stop this, or for royalties to be paid to artists whose songs are being duplicated for free. Unlike similar file-sharing applications (Gnutella, Freenet), Napster limits users to uploading / downloading of MP 3 files only.

These files are compressed wave (. was) files. The advantage of MP 3 files is that they are approximately one-tenth the size of the corresponding. was file and can be close-to-CD-quality. It is for this reason that many artists, record labels and other music industry stakeholders are concerned by the MP 3 file format and applications like Napster that simplify the sharing of copyrighted material. According to web the RIAA is stating that napster allows approximately sixty-four million users around the world to steal music from the artists who created it. Yes, it is true that napster allows millions of users to download songs for absolutely free; however, isn't this what the artist want from there music? Don't they want their music to be heard worldwide?

Most of all, don't they want their music to be distributed for free so they don't have to pay out so much money to the record companies? I understand if the artist is worried about not making any money from their album, especially since they spend most of their record deal money to not only record their album, but to live off of while they record it. Even if the artist sells a million copies of their album it is still more than likely that they will break even. I mean just look at the technology behind napster it may not seem like a whole lot but even the government and military are using this new technology. According to the RIAA, most bands don't make their money by selling albums; they make money by touring.

Knowing this, the question of who really wants napster shut down fills my mind. Is it the artists or the RIAA? Being a musician myself, this topic interests me greatly. I am deeply concerned about how people get music in the future because it plays such an incredible role in my life.

In the article, I read napster is being forced to remove copyrighted songs submitted by the RIAA. It seems that this will be an effective approach by the RIAA; however, in the future I am sure there will be a way around it. Personally, I don't see how anyone is going to be able to stop programs such as napster. There are countless other file sharing programs being created everyday, just like napster.

It makes me wonder if it is truly fair that they try to stop napster if there are other programs just like it up and running. If they limit napster, shouldn't they do this to all the other programs? This topic interests me not only because I am a musician myself, but also because I am interested in what the future of technology has in store for us. I think right now we are witnessing the first step of the 'internet scare'.

People are starting to realize how powerful and unregulated the internet is. Is it time to start regulating what is on the internet and how we view it? Should we shut down programs such as napster? Only time will tell.