Napster To Go begs the question: buy music or rent it?
So Napster To Go debuted last week, enabling subscribers to not only stream and download the service's million-plus songs, but also copy them to their portable players. Personally, I hate anything that charges me a monthly fee, but the more time I spent fiddling with NTG, the more I liked it. And it got me thinking... Is this the future of music? Will we subscribe to digital libraries instead of purchasing individual songs and albums? I'm really starting to think we will. (Cue Dave: "Have you been abducted by mind-controlling aliens again?")
posted by Rick Broida @ 3:47 PM
3 Comments:
At February 22, 2005 2:03 PM,
Rick Broida said…
Silly, silly, silly Dave. How can you compare Napster To Go with a photo collection?! For one thing, the service enables you to download the songs to your PC (and portable player); they don't solely reside on Napster's servers. (OTOH, I do agree that relying on a functional Internet connection in order to access personal material is a crisis waiting to happen--but that's another argument.)
I think you left your Crank knob turned up to 11. Even you, with your 20GB music collection, have to appreciate the option of packing your 40GB iPod with twice as much music for a mere $15 a month. You listen to more music than anyone I know; what's your problem with Napster's service? Do you honestly think they're going to close up shop and leave people in a music vacuum?
At May 10, 2005 7:46 AM,
Rick Broida said…
"Oh, Rick, I don't want to use Napster To Go because I'm scaaaared. Something might go wrong. Ooooh, this Internet thing is so frightening!"
Your sky-is-falling mentality is apparently keeping you from seeing the big picture. Using NTG to stock your portable player with tunes is not the same thing as storing a photo library online, wrangling with iTunes over DRM issues, or misplacing your Powerpuff Girls doll collection. By your logic, I should never have used a Walkman because the battery might die, rendering my music collection utterly useless!
What bugs me about NTG is that only a few players are compatible. And Microsoft seems to be tightening its DRM grip even further with this Plays For Sure business. But I suppose the reality is that DRM is necessary, however ugly.
That, of course, is fodder for a different debate. As for Napster To Go, it's still a brilliant idea that other services will undoubtedly emulate (Rhapsody already has). Get with the program, Chicken Little.
At May 11, 2005 12:18 PM,
Rick Broida said…
Mwa ha ha ha! You're right, my evil plan to pay a mere $15 per month to fill my portable player with music has come to fruition. I have embraced change. Nothing can stop me now!
You really need to put down that copy of "1984" and chill. How many times do I need to explain to you that Napster To Go has NOTHING to do with digital photography?! You have so missed the point that you're now on a different continent than the point.
Honestly, there's little reason to continue this debate, because apparently the idea of renting music (which, for the last time, is an entirely different animal than buying music) is so anathema to you, it short-circuits the logic center in your brain.
Sorry, I didn't mean that. There IS no logic center in your brain.
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