From: "Michael S. Lorrey" <retroman@turbont.net>
>Ross's idea is sound, where people have legally purchased copies
>of their music downloaded to their system. If they want to make it
>available to all (and make some money off of late return fees),
>they need to use an app that not only uploads the single copy of
>the music to the library server, but maintains some sort of
>'overlord' log of all activity using that music file on the
>persons system, so they could not upload it to the library if
>there is a record of them retaining a copy on a backup tape, CDR,
>floppy, etc. The app would allow them to 'check out' music files
>that are properly licensed, and the library server can only allow
>as many downloads as it has legal licenses for. Users that don't
>return the files they downloaded on time pay late fees, which are
>split between the library server company and whoever purchased the
>original file and made it available to the public on the server
>(which could be the server company, a music listener, or even the
>artist or his recording company). In this case, an artist or
>recording company could presumably make 1000 licenses available to
>the server library, and make money off of late fees. Users that
>incur late fees are given the option by email to either return the
>music, pay the late fees to hold onto the music for x amount of
>time, or buy the music license outright.
>THIS could potentially be a money making dot com idea, although I
>am concerned about news that Napster has distributed its server
>source code over the net and others are now setting up their own
>servers elsewhere to run independent of Napster and US Courts.
This is all related to some ideas I had several years ago.
Everybody was entranced with the idea of video-on-demand, and I
thought they had overlooked a much easier and possibly more
profitable idea, music-on-demand.
The first idea was to create a "Universal Jukebox" basically a
computer based interface linked by XDSL to a central server complex
containing every piece of music ever recorded. Royalties were to be
paid to the artists or their trusts on an instantaneous (or at
least daily basis. I've seen this idea appear now in the media as
a QWEST commercial.
The second related idea was for "Personnal Radio Station" basically
an at home version of the same, you would pay a basic service
charge, and could order up anything you want, no need to buy CD's
anymore.
Anyway I wrote it all up and sent it to my bosses at the phone
company, and got a "thanks but don't call us etc" in return. Of
course the idea I sent before that back in 1991 was "call blocking
refusal" which they didn't like either, but as "privacy manager"
was international telecom product of the year last year.
Anyway I think both ideas are still valid. When I came up with them
it was pre-WWW so today's version instead of relying on central
server farms might merely download the appropriate materials from
servers controlled by the various artists themselves. And of course
any modern PC with appropriate software could function as either
device. (platform independent.)
The really cool part was all the value added profit involved, who
is listening to what where is extremely valuable information. Just
having a setup like this puts you in the Nielsen ratings business.
If a particular band is popular in a sufficiently sized city they
could decide to do a concert there. ETC,ETC,ETC.
Brian
Member:
Extropy Institute, www.extropy.org
Adler Planetarium www.adlerplanetarium.org
Life Extension Foundation, www.lef.org
National Rifle Association, www.nra.org, 1.800.672.3888
Mars Society, www.marssociety.org
Ameritech Data Center Chicago, IL, Local 134 I.B.E.W
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