Reply #45: There's a simple solution. But the music industry is too greedy for it. [View All]

[Merlin]

The solution is for them to make available TO EVERYBODY downloads of single songs at reasonable prices, just like they're doing now for IPOD users.

That will be the defense offered, I'm sure. In other words, since the industry already has this deal with Apple, they've effectively defined the measure of their damages. So if they win these suits, all they're entitled to will be roughly $1 times the number of songs downloaded. Can't be that much.

That, I predict will be the outcome. If defendant John Doe has downloaded 1,200 songs over the past 2 years, he owes the industry $1,200. Hardly worth the lawsuit. Hardly a disincentive for downloading when you factor in the odds against any one individual being sued.

The lesson from the outcomes of these suits will be that continued downloading will subject you to the remote possibility of paying a relatively minor amount for the music you've downloaded. The industry will have shot itself in the foot once again.

IMO, 85% of the people who download over Kazaa, including me, would be more than willing to pay a reasonable price for the individual cuts downloaded. But the industry has stonewalled because they want you to pay an inflated price for the entire cd. Their greed has blinded them to reality. Too bad for them. The more the merrier for the rest of us. Kazaa (Lite) forever!