Previous page Getting people to upgrade to the limited-function software could be tricky. Shear predicts some CDs will have a dozen or so conventional tracks, plus perhaps two more that can be decoded only with software that complies with record-industry standards. Some authorized recordings may come with graphics and video interviews that won't be available if the music is pirated.
New formats take up less drive space and sound considerably better, backers say.
Record labels haven't sued many individual downloaders yet, in part because consumers have few lawful ways to buy big-name artists' music online. That may change once legal downloads are available. Napster is a relatively easy target for such tools, because it keeps a directory that can be used to shut off individual users or shut the service itself down. It's less clear how the industry will track down users of systems like Gnutella, which isn't based on a central directory. Another debate concerns the packaging and pricing of new Internet services and questions about whether such schemes might hurt industry revenue or stimulate new demand.