When I first found out that Napster was being sued by the 5 largest record labels, I was appalled. Not so much at their protecting their rights and sales (though that is debateable), but that they were passing up a huge business deal. Think about it, 40 million people are using a specific piece of software to trade music. Wouldn’t it make more sense to charge for the right to use that software (as opposed to shutting it down)? Instead of embracing technology, the record industry was foolishly trying to put a stop to Napster. Then all the file sharing clones and alternatives showed up. Remember, Napster is only a company that wants to make money but couldn’t (because of the copyright issue). Finally, someone has realized the potential. German media giant Bertelsmann (1 of the aformentioned 5 largest record labels) recently announced that they would be forming a business alliance with Napster, possibly charging a monthly fee of up to $15.00. Though this probably won’t stop file sharing, it will probably be very lucrative for the parties involved…
