Napster
For many years the record companies have fixed record prices to avoid competing with each other and to maximize their profits. Currently, the record companies are collaborating in order to force Napster to shut down. The record companies are claiming that Napster is breaking copyright laws. Napster is a peace of software available for free on the Internet, which allows you to download almost any song you can think of. All you need to get Napster is a computer and Internet connection, the faster the better. Should people feel sympathy for the record companies because of the supposed starvation as a result of Napster file sharing? Or should the sympathy lie with the users of Napster? Let us examine who is trying to shut down Napster and for what reasons. Let us also determine the reasons why people want Napster to remain open. The Record Company is strongly opposed to Napster for one reason and one reason only. Apparently, the record companies are losing more and more of the market to Napster file sharing on the Internet. Record companies justify their lawsuits against Napster with the line so often used in press conferences, "Napster breaks copyright laws." This phrase seems like a legitimate argument. One could understand the
The record companies have maintained fixed prices on albums for years to avoid competition with one another and now that they have some competition they are "crying foul." It is the responsibility of the record company to change their ways of selling music to stay alive in the world today. The public should not feel sorry for them. Record companies are a multi billion-dollar industry with increasing profits. They are still trying to grab more and more of the market place. If Napster shuts down, what is next? Radio? Television? Censorship of the Internet? Is the public just going to stand by and watch these large corporations toss a blanket over the people's heads and raid their pockets? I feel it is up to the consumer to decide if he or she wishes to support the record companies and other large corporations; however, I will never buy another CD for the rest of my life as long as record companies continue to squeeze every penny from the music loving public like a sponge and continue to ignore the real intention of music. It seems this essay has talked about every group involved except those who matter most in this debate, as have most other forms of coverage on this topic. The people who use Napster are by far in favor of keeping it open. User support for Napster could be for the reason that the user gets free music. Also, support for Napster could be because this subject contains issues, which relate to freedom of speech and freedom of the press. Also, the user feels that he/she is breaking no laws when using Napster since no one is making money when a song is downloaded. Should a person be charged with copyright infringement when recording a song from the radio, or burning a CD of all their favorite songs? There has been no discussion of shutting down radio or banning CD burners so why is Napster so different? Napster users download files from one another for personal use. The files are not packaged and sold on the open market nor do these files in anyway compete with the record companie
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Approximate Word count = 1350
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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