Though I voted 'right', the issue really goes beyond that. IMHO, its not a matter of right or wrong, or good or bad... IP-sharing technology works, its incredibly easy to do, and therefore its here to stay. Even if Napster is wiped, peer-to-peer sharing tools like gnutella, or whatever cleverness takes takes its place will quickly move in.

Its kind of like the 55 mph speed limit - Where I live, you're blown off the road if you're doing less than 70 or so. When a rule is so easy to breach, and so many people don't take it seriously, it really doesn't matter whether its just or not.

Culturally, this is all rather interesting. It may no longer be economically viable for multi-million dollar corporations to bankroll broad distribution of mediocre music in anticipation of huge financial returns. This isn't a call for socialism, or an anti-capitalist position, just an observation of a change in the landscape. Big-ticket creative extravaganzas may become a thing of the past. (fortunately, its amazing what's become possible with a minimal budget - check out www.405themovie.com).

However it shakes out, be ready for some big changes. The time of the local record store being the only source for music is drawing to a close.

-lr

PS -and if you've got any guesses about the investment implications, be sure to post them here!