This lays it out a bit one-sided, but it does so quite persuasively. I don't own a computer, so burning mp3s and such is not really an issue for me. But as a youth minister, it is frustrating that the guys in my youth group see no ethincal issue in copying files or cds or whatever.

I like album art. That makes me buy albums. I don't like burnt CDs, because they end up looking all the same. I'm silly that way.

My ideal situation would be that the record companies run pay sites to download the album you want, then maybe a little extra to get the labels. They'd be cutting the overhead of finding distributors. But then you've got the retailers upset, because they don't have the product in their stores bringing their cut.

It ends up like talk of tax revolutions (i.e., ideas like a universal flat tax or sales tax to replace all the stupid tax code that the IRS runs)--thousands, maybe millions whose jobs are instantly jeopardized. There's no winning side. These things just stink.

mi *optimistic* ke