Tracking Downloads Instead Of Stopping Downloads

from the different-strategy dept

Lots of music industry stories today. This latest is an article about a company that has designed some technology to track downloads so that the appropriate music lable can be paid (who does the paying isn't exactly clear). The company had a deal with Napster, and were supposed to be included in the famous "relaunch" of Napster that never really got off the ground. The guys who run the company point out that it's easier to track downloads than to stop them. However, that doesn't mean it's any easier to get people to pay for them. The problem, again, is a misunderstanding of the costs involved. Downloadable music should be seen as a promotional item instead of a product that can be sold. As such, it has much more value, and suddenly the "free" nature of it is a benefit to everyone.