Pressplay or Realone subscription service - will Al particip

[Chuckthewriter]

Berm -



While watching Tech TV yesterday, I saw a discussion about the new record-company-organized subscription services, that will permit users to download a certain number of songs per month - including some that are "burnable" (you can transfer them to your CD).



I know we've had these discussions about Napster and mp3's for a while now - but with the advent of Realone and Pressplay and a few other subscription services on the horizon, I guess the question follows -



1. If Al's current or back catalog were made available to these services, on which service would they appear?



2. Of the songs that would be made available, what would be the criteria for a song being allowed to be downloded as a "burnable" title? (i.e., would it have to be a current song, an old classic like "Eat It," or maybe a popular album track).



3. From what I've seen of these "subscription services," you would have to subscribe to two or more of them to get all the songs you want (as some labels operate with pressplay and others with realone and others with a third subscriber service that currently slips my mind). Wouldn't it make more sense to have a "pay per download" system, where you only pay for the songs you download, not for some global number (as if the songs were cellular phone minutes, use 'em or lose 'em).



4. Some services only allow a user to download a song and store it on his/her computer for 30 days, then would have to reapply for a license to own the song for another 30 days (sounds more like "renting" a song instead of outright ownership). What is Al's feeling on this?



5. Couldn't we just go back to 45's and vinyl LP's and forget all this downloading malarkey?



Chuck

[bermuda]

As for which service and which tracks, those are probably record company decisions.



Personally, I've never used Napster, and I'm not likely to get my music from such sites in the near future. If I did need to get a song that way, I'd prefer to pay "per use" since for me, that would be sporadic. I suppose it would be nice to have different options though. Eventually, I'm sure we'll all be getting our retail music, videos and artwork via downloads, but I still enjoy a physical product on my shelf.



Vinyl is fine with me, my turntable is getting lonely!