Recorded music and its technology have changed dramatically through the years. It is still changing, no doubt, from vinyls and cassettes to compact discs and mini discs. Currently the creation of the MP3 technology is a much talked about topic within the music industry when it concerns piracy and breach of copyright.

Record companies and distributors have always felt threatened when a new form of media technology, for example the cassette tape or compact disc, is released to the public. It is because these technologies not only help to distribute music, but consumers are also 'encouraged' easier copying of p

Napster does not encourage piracy. Just like television or radio, the program is merely a promotional tool, an opportunity for people to listen and preview the music before they buy. According to an article review by Lovely Graeme's 'Can 70 million people be wrong' (May 2001) at www.mouthshut.com,"…if this truly is the end of the music industry then why did music sales rise by eight percent last year. Statistics show that most users who download the music will buy it if they like what they hear. Statistics also show that Napster users buy more than three times as much music as non-users."

There is no difference between the service that Napster had provided and a friend buying a CD or cassette and making a copy for me, and his friend, and his friend's friend. What about the photocopier, camera, CD burner or any device that includes 'record' buttons? Take this example: twenty-four years ago the film industry wanted to ban the first Sony VCR for copyright infringement, simply because "the VCR would destroy the movie and television industries by allowing people to record movies and shows, sharing them with their friends and skipping commercials" (Jack Valenti, MPAA president). But in time, the film industry realized they were wrong, as they could actually use the VCR to their own advantage. The first pre-recorded videos soon emerged from the film studios and the home video market has been highly profitable, fetching reasonable profits for film companies. Thus the productivity of the VCR rises and soon became very valuable for the fil

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