MP3's are highly compressed audio files that can be stored on any computer storage medium. Anyone with a general knowledge of computers and the Internet can make an MP3 file. All one needs is a CD ROM drive, a CD "ripper", and an MP3 compressor. CD rippers and MP3 compressors are available free on the Internet. First an audio CD is placed into the CD ROM drive and then, using the CD ripper, any amount of audio tracks can be converted into .wav form and put onto a computer's storage medium. A typical audio track in .wav format is 30 megabytes, meaning that a whole CD would take up 360 megabytes of space on average. This is a tremendous amount of disk space to be taken up. This is why the MP3 compressor is used next. The MP3 compressor can take a 30 megabyte .wav file and convert it into a 3 megabyte .mp3 file with only

With all the illegal MP3 use and the attention the media has focused on the illegal usage of MP3's, it is easy to forget that MP3's by themselves are not illegal. If someone owns the copyrighted CD from which the MP3 is taken, they are allowed to have that song on their computer in its entirety. It is the same as if someone records a song from one of their CDs onto a tape and then listen to it in their car. MP3's can also be downloaded and transferred if the artist has given their express permission. This is why websites like MP3.com exist -- to distribute MP3s and promote artists who give their consent to their song being previewed by people via MP3.

minimal loss of sound quality. The MP3 compressor takes all the 1's and 0's in the .wav file and uses a highly advanced system of compression and encryption to convert the .wav files to .mp3 files which are usually 1/10 the size of what they were.

Another problem with MP3 files is that artists are losing money on the pirated MP3s that are distributed. Defenders of MP3 say that they have little sympathy for the record corporations, since they have been drastically overcharging the public for CDs for a long time. They also contend that someone have to spend 10 to 20 dollars on a CD for only one song. Although these problems are evident, it still is not right for the artists not to get paid at all for the effort they have put in to making the songs.

MP3 files by themselves are not bad. MP3s are a great technological advantage and should be embraced, but not at the expense of the artists. MP3 software should be more highly regulated so that copies cannot be easily made and so that artists and companies get royalties. Perhaps enforcement of piracy should go so far as fines or jail sentences.

MP3 files have become a big topic of controversy, because their small size and high quality make them very easy to be pirated. Many people get MP3's via pirate websites, mIRC (a chat program which allows users to send files), ftp servers (files on a remote computer that are only accessed with a valid login name and password), and sent to them through e-mail. With the recent introduc

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