Posted by Technobarbarian on 12/27/05 04:08

"Doug" <dnlwhite@dtgnet.com> wrote in message
news:1135647604.168996.234440@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> Even places like WalMart.com are only selling them for limited use? I
> looked at their Help page and they didn't indicate that at all. It
> sound like you buy the song and you get it for good. How do you
> determine what sites actually let you keep the song for good? There
> terms and conditions seem to indicate that it's for good as well
> (unlimited use it indicated).
>
> I also just called their 800 number and the lady I talked to indicated
> that once I purchase the song, it's mine for good. So I think Walmart
> should be okay. Just FYI for anyone else who is confused by this as I
> am.
>
The problem here is that you haven't learned to read the fine print.
From Wal-mart's site, this took me less than a minute to find:
http://musicdownloads.walmart.com/catalog/servlet/HelpTopicServlet;jsessionid=Dwz5UIe61FMZYXHi4Afj41Zy1M10B61cqy9OFoil8xz1ksna6FVx!-1124981643?topicIndex=7

(Same thing, only tiny url: http://tinyurl.com/7mhpm )

By purchasing a music download, you can:

Download the music to 1 computer and back up music to 2 additional computers
(see instructions below)
Make 10 burns to a CD
Make unlimited transfers to a portable device

Don't lose the license you bought. They tell you to back them up
because most companies will not replace them if your hard drive crashes. I
don't know how fast you change computers, but for me 2 transfers is a long
long way from forever. If it's something we really like, between the home
and the cars and losing or damaging discs the wife and I could burn through
10 burns pretty quickly.

Hey, if this seems like a good deal to you go for it. You asked a
question, as best I could I answered it. I don't use them, but from where I
sit the dollar a tune sites are all pretty much alike. (Except maybe that
Napster thing--wow, what dufus goes for that one?) On this sort of site the
most important information is often in the little links at the bottom of the
page. All of the legit' sites that I've looked at have the fine print
somewhere. Look for things like "terms of use", licenses, rights management,
file format, FAQ. Right now, if it's a legit' site, the heavily promoted
major label music is sold online with DRM, digital rights management. At
this time DRM means limited use. MP3s do not have DRM. (In case anyone
missed it I already gave him a link to the eMusic site, which carries BMI's
music on a rotating basis.)


TB

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