Over the coming weeks I’m going to be writing a in-depth look at the digital music landscape. It will include the current climate of music, as it relates to the Internet, including who the major players are, what their role is and how they will shape the future. Another part will cover digital rights legislation and other legal stuff that may bore you to tears. I’ll give a high-level overview of the actual technology that is being discussed, debated and hacked. What good would all of this be without a call to action? The final piece will cover how you, as a consumer (or thief) can take action and get involved in what’s going on, whether that be sitting in front of your computer or going into a record store armed with stickers.
I know I’ve covered this topic before, but never with as much detail as I am about to present to you. Why am I doing it? For one thing, I think it’s important for people to get off their ass and do something. Hopefully what I have to say will motivate you to do something. It’s a pretty serious issue that consumers are facing right now, and it’s going to be vital for you to be educated about the issue. Knowledge is power, and your freedom is at stake. Sound a little dramatic? It’s not. How would you like it if you went to a record store a and purchased a CD, only to find out you couldn’t rip songs from it to make a compilation for yourself. What about not being able to transfer the music to your digital music player of choice? That could very well become a reality.
Though I will be focused primarily on music, the topic certainly is one that effects the film industry, especially with the growing number of consumers with a broadband connection and computers with a DVD burner as a standard feature. Hopefully these articles will spark a little discussion and debate, but more than anything, my hope is that you learn a little more about what’s going on with digital music.
