Online Music Service Coordinates CD Swapping

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060307/wr_nm/media_lala_dc' target='_blank'>http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060307/wr_nm/media_lala_dc</a><br /><br /></div><i>"A new online music service called La la Media Inc. aims to offer full-length CDs for $1 by letting members trade used physical discs, in a new twist on the popular but legally challenged practice of online song swapping. Backed with $9 million in funding by Bain Capital and Ignition Partners, La la works like an online music co-op by enabling members to trade physical CDs they own for physical CDs they want, Bill Nguyen, co-founder of La la, said ahead of the Tuesday announcement. With 1.8 million album titles available, members trade the CDs in prepaid envelopes, much like popular mail-order DVD service Netflix Inc. operates."</i><br /><br />This is one of those cases where what they're doing it technically legal, but in my opinion wholly immoral. It's one thing to lend a CD to a friend, it's another to build a business around it. Disagree? Tell me why.

[yada88]

I whole heartedly disagree. It's great they made a business out of this. We're always complaining about DRM and the restrictions they put on their own customers (the music industry). This is a way to legally and ethically get around their DRM bs. If I've listened to a CD for a month and am sick of it, why shouldn't i be able to sell it? That is of course so long as I didn't rip it.

[Damion Chaplin]

That is of course so long as I didn't rip it.

And that, I think, is what makes this so questionable.

In an ideal world where people didn't 'burn-and-return' every disc they get from Netflix I would have no problem with this. But we all know that just about everyone will 'keep' the CD by ripping it.

[Macguy59]

It's things like this that give ammo to lobby loving idiot politicians

[Jason Dunn]

That is of course so long as I didn't rip it.

Uhh... 8O That's what this entire service seems to be based on, people swapping CDs, ripping them, and passing it along.

[yada88]

Eh... I think that's kind of naive. I feel like this isn't going to be nearly as seamless as Netflix, and if people just want to rip the songs, they'll download them. Why go through the trouble of sending cds? I think the fact that iTunes has sold 1billion songs shows that people are willing to play it legit.

[Jason Dunn]

Eh... I think that's kind of naive.

Funny, that's exactly what I thought of your statement that people weren't going to be ripping these CDs. :wink: That's the un-said hook in their business model: trade, rip, trade again, and build up your music collection with high-quality rips of CDs that you don't actually own.

I feel like this isn't going to be nearly as seamless as Netflix, and if people just want to rip the songs, they'll download them. Why go through the trouble of sending cds?

This appeals to a very specific slice of people: with the RIAA suing everyone in sight, those in the USA (where this service is being launched right?) are at risk every time they connect to a file sharing network. This is the "sneakernet" version of file sharing, where you get the original CD with full-quality tracks that you can rip at 320 kbps and have no fear of the RIAA suing you because it's technically legal.

I think the fact that iTunes has sold 1billion songs shows that people are willing to play it legit.

Mainstream Joe Consumer with tin ears and the default iPod headphones that are happy with DRM-locked tracks restricting them to one player? Yeah, those people are willing to play it legit to some extent, but most iPods out there are full of illegally downloaded tracks, not stuff that has been paid for. 1 billion sounds like a lot, but the real number of tracks paid for at $1 a piece by individual users is very likely much lower. Remember, there are lies, damn lies, and statistics. ;-)