Technologies like Gnutella are also likely to step in if Napster falters, providing an easy way to move contraband ones and zeros over the Internet. It involves any files on anyone's hard drive. Stopping it is going to involve technological means, rather than legal means. Society will make a collective judgement that allows artists and producers to continue to be reimbursed for their work. The creator has put a lifetime of expertise and creative energy into that piece of music and should be able to set the requirements for how it's accessed.
Human beings make a lot of mistakes.
Human society makes a lot of mistakes. But over time, we've come to some collective judgments. If one of the keynotes of a digital economy is that all content is free, there are some severe repercussions for the global economy. Although one can faintly hear the legitimate businessperson's panic in Mr. O'Dell's words, he's right. And while there is an air of uncertainty hanging over those who trade in intangible stuff like music, many in the industry are optimistic.