I've written several things to use but none of them felt right. I either got to a point I could not get past or I just changed my mind and decided to use the idea somewhere else at a later time. I was sitting here working on Purr when my son came in to tell me he was running to a friend to burn a CD from his Napster files. My first instinct was to tell him no but I stopped because I preferred to sit back and watch and find out what the kids are actually doing. I've read some of the news on what all in going on but personally I really had no opinion because I've never looked in to it.

About 10 years ago I was listening to CD's and thought how great it would be if I could buy CD's that were a mix of several bands. Not just any bands but if there was a way you could set up an ordering system that you could order CD's that had the songs you wanted on them. I really did give it some thought. I was looking at it in a way that it could be done and I could get credit for the procedure and maybe make a profit from it. As I started looking at all the angles and all that would get involved it would get too complicated and the chances of me, pulling it off without someone I contacted to first get the Information from and then to try to get it to work would end up doing it before I got it off the ground. I didn't know enough about copywrite laws, the music business, or the flow of the CD production. I just knew to talk to people to get what I needed that someone who had more knowledge would bet me to it or find a way around it. So I dropped the idea.

Then there is Napster. In the description of it the only thing I caught was the ability to store files on-line. Ok, I can see it being used but I won't. I won't store files on-line with anyone. Not even music files. I never paid any attention after that or checked out the site.

Then I see outcries from the musicians. My first reaction is I guess I really don't know what Napster is about. I had not really checked anything out and still I have only slightly gotten into the subject. Then I found out that they could retrieve files from 'your' computer's hard drive when you are on-line. I am told you have to specify what folder they can access but you think I would trust that? (My son uses his laptop I would not allow my computer used for this.)

So, I watched him and asked questions. He told me that most the files he finds are bands he has never heard of before. One he likes so well he will go out and buy the CD. Ok, a point for Napster. But he is one in how many users? He is also looking at different stuff then well known bands.

The point here seems to be are the bands justified in what they are doing against Napster? Yes! The fact that my son may go out and buy this CD is only a small part of the big picture. No one has control over what music is downloaded not even Napster itself. When bands first started putting music files on-line it was either partial songs or just one or two songs from a CD. That was great. The first time I saw a complete CD on-line my reaction was "are you nuts?". I did not feel that was right because human nature now a days is to take what you can get free and not worry about the right or wrong of it.

Think about it. If I had a CD burner (as they call it) and could get a total CD without the cost at the quality of the CDs I could buy in a store, why not download it? Why would I then go out a buy a CD I already have? For the Cover? I don't think so!

They compare what is going on to the movie business and how they threw a fit when VCR's came out. It is different. Movies will still make money from being shown in Movie Theater, on TV or when you buy the movie. Movies also can wear out and get eaten by the VCRs. CDs last longer if taken care of. You have to buy a CD to hear it and its only through buying the CD and royalties from radio stations that musicians make their money. If we allow someone to get away with making CDs without paying the artist the artist has no real way of making up that money like the move business does. Very few radio stations play total CDs. Bands do go on tours but that is done more for promotion of a CD then anything else.

I really do feel Napster needs to either be shut down or made accountable in someway for the royalties. If a band wants to put a full CD on-line that is up to the band. Napster does not give the band a choice and that is what is wrong more then anything. The music does not belong to the owners of the CDs but to the bands and record companies that produced them.

I have also noticed most of the down loaders are young. A lot of them seem to be in college from the reports of college's shutting down access to Napster due to the overload. They have not as of yet gone out and supported themselves. They have not gone out into the reality of the work world. Even if they have worked before they have not totally supported themselves before. It can be dog eat dog and once you have had an idea ripped away and used by someone else for profit right in front or your eyes does copyrights or ethics sink in. It can be as simple as you typed a report to help someone out and the boss raves about it but to the person who handed it the boss not the person who did the work. It may not matter to some but to others it will change how they think on these types of matters.

There are some bands standing up for Napster but they too are young bands from what I have seen. They have not been around the music world very long.

So, I've made lots of enemies now but that is ok. I just don't feel it is right no matter what comes out of the courts.

Take Care!

Lynn Beck

LBeck99703@aol.com
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