Posted by Technobarbarian on 11/17/05 00:34

<bbcrock@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1132164796.370828.123280@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> Are there any good articles comparing different MP3 services by cost
> and functionality- a simple search turned up too much garbage.

If you're looking for music from the major record lables there are no
legit' MP3 services. Everything is sold in a format with digital rights
management, which excludes MP3s. If you're looking for a company of dubious
legality to buy major record label music from it doesn't get much better
than www.allofmp3.com I would suggest that you do not give them your credit
card information and use Paypal with their front company instead. (Paypal
cancelled their account so they use a go-between.) They operate in a legal
gray area in Russia. The service is clearly illegal in the US. If you're
looking at one or more of the various unlimited download scams--they're just
that--scams. The only difference from one to another is how much money you
get taken for. There is no free lunch. If you're looking for music from
small recording companies or independent musicians the services vary from
free to unreasonable.

If you could give us a clearer idea of what you're looking for we can
probably give you a more detailed answer. There are quite a few options. The
most important information is: what you're looking for, how much you're
willing to spend, the level of legallity desired, the amount of risk you're
willing to take, and does it have to be MPs or can you accept other formats
with DRM. At one end you pay $1 per song, with a limited usage license. At
the other end you pay little or nothing for regular MP3s. The sticking point
for many people is the legal and moral implications.

TB

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