Napster

2 Pages 458 Words

There’s no such thing as a free lunch, but due to open peer to peer architecture music is. In 1998 a group of college students launched this innovative Napster technology. Since then the software has generated great controversy within the music industry due to alleged copyright infringement. However, the music industry has failed to see Napster’s potential as a valuable tool in helping them where previously they had been unsuccessful. The purpose of this program was to give everyone a chance to listen to music without paying.

Napster is a program that allow a user to download various mp3s from other users on the Napster Network. An Mp3 is a song, in C.D. quality, which has become easily accessible through programs like Napster. Napster has become so famous for all of the copyright laws it breaks and an alternative to buying the artist’s CD. There is no longer a need to buy CD’s. Many who own CD Burners simply download their favorite MP3’s and make their own music CD’s.

Despite this fact, Napster actually benefits artists and record labels in many other ways. It distributes all different types of music, professional and local to millions of people at no price. It also gives unknown artists a chance to have their music listened to. In this way it acts as a free marketing tool. There are many famous artists that favor the use of Napster. They believe that it lets their music get out their and heard thus capturing more fans which can generate income in other ways such as concerts. One of the greatest benefits is that it saves people from having to go out and buy a 15-dollar CD. Instead people can download their favorite songs from the comfort of their own home.

Regardless of this, Napster also has its bad attributes. Many artists are against Napster. They believe that hard working artists get cheated out of money because people simply download the song rather than going out and buying the CD. Nap...