Will LimeWire Users Convert To Legal Services?
Right now, this is the million-dollar question. I'm afraid we already know the answer. Most won't. This leaves me asking these three questions:
- Has there been enough education about legal alternatives?
- Is iTunes a substitute for file-sharing just because it's legal?
- Are the incentives to convert to a legal service properly aligned?
In short, my thoughts are that there needs to be more education, that single paid downloads aren't attractive enough of a substitute nor should they be considered one, and the incentives to convert aren't aligned. Share your thoughts below.
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I am sure limewire users and P2P users are more then aware of legal alternatives. The real issue is why pay for something when you know you can find it for free if you look hard enough. I say it is the missing TV remote issue, you could just get up and change the channel on your digital box but the remote is “easier”.
I think as a consumer I have been well informed of the legal alternatives. But it comes down to a fundamental truth: why pay for something when I can get it for free? Sure Limewire shut down but then their former users can just switch to BitTorrent or some other p2p software. The truth is there will always be a Napster or a Limewire the RIAA celebrates shutting down as some kind of victory over file sharing. For every one they shut down there are others out there to use and popping up all the time. It’s reality and it isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
Limewire is not a music company and doesn’t give a toss about music. They understand P2P and the appeal of offering access to everything with no payment (other than for their premium client which is how they made money).
Again, they know how to do P2P, not a legal music offering. Their entire culture would need to change, they’d need to hire people who understand how legal music services are built and marketed. And they’ll need to settle with the content owners before they get any licenses.
So the short answer is no fucking way.
Give people incentives to download from paid services. Here are a few starting points:
a. Minimize the time between first airing of a new single and its digital release.
b. Stop this antiquated approach of “regional” digital releases. No one in their sane mind is going to buy “import CDs” for $40 in this day and age because the album is not available on their local itunes.
c. Start a “student discount” scheme for digital music services.
While this might not fix the problem of illegal P2P but it will alleviate it to a great extent.
Will LimeWire Users Convert To Legal Services?
…Can Pigs Fly?
Well, I think its clear that ex-Limewire users will not be in such a hurry to hop on-board the “legal music wagon” yet; But, I do think that there isn’t enough awareness about other legal alternatives, apart from iTunes — or maybe the legal alternatives just aren’t as appealing as file-sharing.