That and the fact that Napster use continues to grow even as it enforces filtering software to block copyright material. During the last week of March, Napster users downloaded 593 million files, up 25 percent from the week before, according to online entertainment tracker Webnoize. The same legitimate song that will be sold through the MTV web site in a few months is already available for free on Napster. Napster claims it has blocked 275,000 file names from its service. According to the letter of the law the recording industry must provide not only the song and artist name, but also the exact name of the file they want banned.
Users change file names, the song remains the same.
Free downloads continue as sales of CD recorders spike upwards. The collision of politicians, copyright lawyers, artists and business has left an ugly impression. Their unwillingness to step forward and propose new models meant they weren't part of the equation. Software developed by teenagers created new distribution models in a matter of hours, not years. It took decades to work through albums, eight-tracks, cassettes and finally digital CDs.