Mark Solomon

Guildford

Coyote-like genius

This argument is now at the point of going way beyond common sense.

I specifically will not - as a matter of principle - buy so-called Compact Discs that have copy-protection mechanisms inbuilt.

I have paid £10.00 to buy a CD and expect to be able to hear 16-bit/44.1Khz goodness out of whatever set of speakers I choose to play it through, rather than having to endure WMA or any other compressed format that restricts my rights as the user of that music for MY PERSONAL ENJOYMENT.

So, for the information of BMG, I got all the way to the checkout with my copy of Dido's Life for Rent - and then removed it from my shopping. If the new SonyBMG group goes down this road, they can write off my business right now - not that I'm a lover of Jennifer Lopez, Michael Jackson, or any of Simon Cowell's pop monstrosities.

Compare this with the note on inside of Peter Gabriel's compilation HIT - a polite request pointing out that file sharing and illegal copying deprives all artists of income and reduces musical diversity.

I own nearly all of PGs catalogue so didn't buy, but I nearly did just for being treated like a law-abiding adult.

Maybe if the music business wants to increase volume (!), it should be recording music for a) people with disposable income and b) people who understand that stealing music is wrong. This combination doesn't apply to your average 10-23 year old, who can always find a better use for pocket money or student loans.

iTunes Music Store and its unbelievably equitable view of digital rights management is exactly the right solution; cheap enough for the right consumers, and just obstructive enough to put off the casual file-sharer. The RIAA and BPI should then pursue Kazaa users as is the case now.