An Open Letter to Amazon.com
Dear Amazon.com:
Music distribution on the Internet is a fascinating subject for me, as both an issue in and of itself and as a microcosm of the ways the emergence of the Internet is changing the world. From the juggernaut iTunes (which needs and deserves no link from me), which locks your music with DRM wherever possible, to the smaller upstart Amie Street, with its novel business model, to the now-deceased oink.cd, which, though morally questionable at best, possessed the most complete and most efficient music distribution model the world has ever known--music gets around on the Internet.
I had heard of your MP3 downloading service before. I had heard of your utter lack of DRM (this being in your best interest, as you have no reason to support Apple with their dominance in the American MP3 player market) and your considerable selection; your name carries a great deal of weight, thus allowing you considerable leverage when it comes to recording companies. What I had not suspected was just how right you had gotten it.
I Googled the song I wanted. By chance, I happened to click on your result for it. Intrigued, I verified that your listing was indeed what I was in search of with your simple one-click preview button, and decided to buy it (already having an active account on your site). And then you threw me a curveball--you offered me a download client! Mind you, this is not a common occurrence for me. I'm a Linux user, we're not used to high-profile companies bothering to give us simple-to-install programs, and yet here you are, offering me a simple .deb file to install your download client! You didn't have to do this, you could have just sent me the MP3 file or told me I'd have to use Windows or MacOSX if I wanted a simplified method, and I'd have understood perfectly that a Linux client couldn't possibly appease more than like 1% of your user base! Surprised, but obviously undeterred, I continued, confirmed my debit card information and billing address, and you proffered an MP3 download, which I took and happily played in my music player of choice. Simple as that.
Amazon, you have successfully created an easy, fast, DRM-free, reasonably-priced, interoperable system that preserves the rights of its customers. You have restored my broken faith in the music industry of the 21st century. It's not often I see a high-profile company like you get it right. I hereby declare my wholehearted support for your MP3 download store.
--A. User
Music distribution on the Internet is a fascinating subject for me, as both an issue in and of itself and as a microcosm of the ways the emergence of the Internet is changing the world. From the juggernaut iTunes (which needs and deserves no link from me), which locks your music with DRM wherever possible, to the smaller upstart Amie Street, with its novel business model, to the now-deceased oink.cd, which, though morally questionable at best, possessed the most complete and most efficient music distribution model the world has ever known--music gets around on the Internet.
I had heard of your MP3 downloading service before. I had heard of your utter lack of DRM (this being in your best interest, as you have no reason to support Apple with their dominance in the American MP3 player market) and your considerable selection; your name carries a great deal of weight, thus allowing you considerable leverage when it comes to recording companies. What I had not suspected was just how right you had gotten it.
I Googled the song I wanted. By chance, I happened to click on your result for it. Intrigued, I verified that your listing was indeed what I was in search of with your simple one-click preview button, and decided to buy it (already having an active account on your site). And then you threw me a curveball--you offered me a download client! Mind you, this is not a common occurrence for me. I'm a Linux user, we're not used to high-profile companies bothering to give us simple-to-install programs, and yet here you are, offering me a simple .deb file to install your download client! You didn't have to do this, you could have just sent me the MP3 file or told me I'd have to use Windows or MacOSX if I wanted a simplified method, and I'd have understood perfectly that a Linux client couldn't possibly appease more than like 1% of your user base! Surprised, but obviously undeterred, I continued, confirmed my debit card information and billing address, and you proffered an MP3 download, which I took and happily played in my music player of choice. Simple as that.
Amazon, you have successfully created an easy, fast, DRM-free, reasonably-priced, interoperable system that preserves the rights of its customers. You have restored my broken faith in the music industry of the 21st century. It's not often I see a high-profile company like you get it right. I hereby declare my wholehearted support for your MP3 download store.
--A. User