File Sharing, Your thoughts?

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Flamebo
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File Sharing, Your thoughts?

Post by Flamebo »

I'm waiting....
Buzzman25
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Post by Buzzman25 »

It really all depends on what you are looking to do with it. I've tried eMule, for world wide P2P sharing, but if you want something that you can easily transfer files between friends go with mIRC. eMule does not have a quick friend to friend transfer. They say they allow one "friend" slot, but I've never seen it work.

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Post by Andrea »

I heard about this new DL program that will not get you caught supposedly. If anyone has heard of it let me know what you think but you DL bitorrent or bittorent.com and download this dude's software and then go to Suprnova.org and DL from there. I need to learn how to DL from Mirc.
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Post by Fvolfrine »

well, between Buzzman and myself, I think we have the gamut of file sharing covered. I use mIRC, eMule, bittorrent, iTunes, and Further.net, but I also am an avid proponent of supporting bands and buying the CD’s.

In terms of reliability and speed, I would recommend mIRC. However, to the casual downloader, mIRC is by far the most difficult to use, as it has its own nerd language that you have to use to get and find files. It’s like being stuck in the Matrix and taking the wrong pill. File requesting is difficult, and if you lose service, you have to find and request that file again. It is very good for sharing files instantly with friends, and there are many rooms specifically designed for what you want (i.e. #mp3passion for music, #mpgpassion for music videos, #buzzman25 for gay porn), but I would not recommend it to a beginner without the aid of someone who is very comfortable using it.

In terms of files available and easiness of use, eMule is a fantastic program. My only complaint with eMule is that some files take a while to complete, but that is a minor issue. eMule has a very easy to understand interface, file tracking is simple, and once you request a file, you don’t have to request it again until it is done downloading. And you can download ANYTHING from eMule, from movies and music to pictures, music videos, video games, movie scripts, you name it, eMule has it. I use eMule more than any other program, and even though I have been using it for a shorter time than the other programs, I have easily received more files from it.

Bittorrent is a great program for downloading live music. I use it on sites like sharingthegroove.org, where you can find many artists’ and bands’ live shows recorded in very high quality. If you want to get soundboard recording of some of your favorite live bands then that’s the place to go. However, you’ll need plenty of hard drive room available, as most of these shows are in a lossless quality. No one shares mp3’s on sites like sharingthegroove, only .flac and .shn files, which are almost as big as .wav files. And though it might seem like the safest program in terms of anonymity, your downloads can still be tracked on this program by other users. If you want more info about that stuff, just shoot me a PM.

iTunes is of course the biggest pay-as-you-play download program around, where you pay $.99 a song for legal downloads. For those of you who feel guilty about ripping off your favorite artist, but don’t want to buy their cd’s for the one song you like, programs like iTunes, Napster, and Rhapsody are the way to go. My chief complaint about these programs is that the files are encoded at 128kbps, so in terms of sound, it’s no better than radio quality. I predict that this is the future of music, and purchasing digital media is one day going to replace the CD. Bands are trying to get more "in tune" with the digital age, and releasing new cd's on iTunes at the same time as they release their CD's nationwide. Microsoft and Dell are preparing to launch their own pay for music programs, but until the quality improves to at least 192kbps (preferably 320 or .wav), I just stick to the other programs.

Further.net is a smaller program for sharing live music from “jam bands� like Dave Matthews Band, Phish, or Howie Day. Like sharingthegroove.org, the files are lossless, so be prepared for long downloads and big files, but great quality.

So, long story short:
mIRC – hard to use, fast to download
eMule – easy to use, slow to download
Bittorrent – great for live stuff, but big files
ITunes – pay for the music, low quality recordings
Further.net – great for live stuff, limited number of bands

And if you like the band, support them and buy the CD. As the owner of more than 400 CD’s now, I get so much more satisfaction in opening up a new case, checking out the artwork, and placing that little gem into my stereo on full blast than I do in downloading a free track. Keep in mind, mp3’s will never sound as good as a CD, even if they are on the verge of replacing them.

Any other questions, just shoot me a PM and we'll chat.
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Post by Fvolfrine »

wow, that was long winded. And so is this.

In terms of my thoughts on file sharing, I think it's a good thing. Sure, the bands are losing money, which is a tragedy. But the greedy, money hungry labels who line their pockets with the profits made by your hard earned money are losing even more money, which is a good thing.

I’ll explain it like this: the average CD costs less than a dollar to create. Less than a dollar, including the CD, the artwork, the case, and the packaging. The record company sells it to the consumer for anywhere between 10 to 18 dollars, depending on where you buy it from. You know how much the artist gets per CD sold? 10 cents. 10 cents for each CD that you or I spend $13 dollars on!

So take an album like “(What’s The Story) Morning Glory?� by Oasis. To date, it has sold more than 14 million copies. So if the average CD was sold for $13 dollars (typical price at Best Buy), that means that that CD has made $182 million. Not a bad take, but for an album to sell that many copies is rare today. In contrast, 50 Cent’s “Get Rich Of Die Tryin’� was the biggest selling album of 2003, selling 6.5 million copies. The biggest selling album of the year, and it sold 6.5 million copies. So it made about 85 million dollars in album sales. That means that our boy Fitty Cent made 8 million dollars for the biggest selling album of 2003. And the record company made nearly 50 million in exploiting his success. No self-respecting P.I.M.P. can afford all of the bling bling and ice and whatever else he wants on 8 million dollars for the biggest selling album of the year.

The typical band will rarely sell a million copies per album, and then they have to divide that money amongst themselves, and then pay back the record studio for the cost to record the album, blah blah blah. So in today’s world, selling albums doesn’t make much money for an artist. Keep in mind, it’s more money than you or I will see for some time, but the people who are making the real money are the suits in the meetings, not the bands with the talent.

So how do bands like U2, Oasis, and 50 Cent make their money? Touring. Spending months on the road, playing 5 shows a week, getting the music out to the people. And smaller bands will tour to get people to find out about their music in the first place (and pay back their label for the studio time required to make the album) since radio stations only play 3 Doors Down, Nickelback, and Creed, and ignore smaller yet more talented bands like cKy, Carbon Leaf, or Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers.

So, more and more bands will start encouraging the trading of MP3’s, legal or not, to "get the music out to the people." This will get more people to get out and see them live, where they really make their money. Big bands like Metallica who have sold out will try to spoil the fun, but greediness is not what Rock and Roll is about. Rock and Roll is about the music, and it’s about the fans. If you are a good band, and you support your fans, you’ll be swimming in the cash. Take a band like Linkin Park. They put on a helluva show, and then spend just as long signing autographs and talking to the fans as they do rocking. They are one of the biggest (and most talented) rock acts out there, but they are humble and recognize that the fans are the ones who made them rich, not the record label. They might sell millions of copies of an album like Meteora, but they became rich on the road.

So don’t think that by sharing and downloading MP3’s that you’re hurting your favorite bands. Downloading music is about a love of music, not about trying to rip off a band. If you like the music, buy the CD. If you want to support the band, go see them live. Screw the record companies!!!
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Post by Flamebo »

Nice, some really good points made by Fvolfrine on the moralitys of filesharing of music. Now, does anyone disagree? And another point, what about the file sharing of other things? Movies for example...it is very easy to download a blockbuster hit onto your personal computer and watch it time and time again in your home...manytimes when the movie is still in theaters, and in rare circumstances, even pre-realese. Granted the quality isnt the best, but as soon as said movie arrives on shelves, it isnt long before a DVD quality download is availible.

Thoughts?
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Post by Fvolfrine »

Movies are another beast entirely. I don't downloaded movies, and I encourage others not to as well.

My reasons for not downloading movies are simple. I compare seeing a movie in the theater to getting a new CD. It's the only way to go. Seeing a film on the big screen is like a celebration of american pop cinema, you're sharing an experience with a group of faceless people, the lights go out, the sounds turn up, and instantly you are transported to a wold of fantasy, drama, action, whatever you want to see. You lose a lot of that magic when you download and watch a movie from the comfort of your own home. And at $5-6 for a matinee ticket, the price is right.

Secondly, movies are much more rewarding for the players involved. Unlike music, actors can earn anywhere from 5-20 million a movie, and directors can earn just as much. Of course, an actor can't take his or her movie on tour, but you won't hear Jim Carrey complaining about his paycheck.
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Post by Buzzman25 »

I have to agree with Fvolfrine here. Movies are something entirely different. He explained some good points that both the actors and directors both get paid, and it's not all the corporation. Also, the movie going experience usually is pretty darn cool, though I don't go often myself due to lack of funds, and the CHEAPEST price down here in LA is $7.50 for a matinee. If you are a student you can get in for $8.50, and adult admission is $9.50. Ouchies...

Any who, unlike a CD where you might only want one song, if you like a movie, you can watch it over and over for hours of entertainment, and it's only $14 - $25 unless you get special editions.
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Post by BigGunna »

I've been "file sharing" since back in the day when someone would give you a cassette and you tape it and pass it along. I listened to allot of rap artist on mix tapes like our boy 50 cent before they even thought about a record deal. I thought he was whack back then and I still do to a certian extent. But it's like by the time something ususaly hits the radio I've heard it on the street and I'm already sick of it because It takes that long to progress into the mainstream. The internet just takes it on another level. What I hate is the bands like Metallica who take it as a crusade to juice thier record funds. They forgot that their fans are the ones downloading their music and got lazy instead of creative by touring more or expanding thier scope. Sure I may just want one song, but if I want to hear more I'll go cop the album.

I download shit but I'll still buy a record. It's like you pay for the quality, like getting a bootleg movie. It's free or cheap but it has some problems with quality. MP3's have the same problem with versitility. Say your technologicaly impaired and don't have an ipod. You want to play your burned CD on an old CD player or in your car, sometimes you won't get the quality. And I noticed the CDRs scratch more easily than regular CD's.

Screw morality. I look at it this way... I'll download anything I want beeyotch. Who cares if I get caught? What are they gonna do? Sue me for money I don't have?
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