Re: e-book pricing

From: Michael S. Lorrey (
Date: Thu Jul 27 2000 - 09:25:48 MDT

Brian D Williams wrote:
> From: "Ross A. Finlayson" <>
> >Even if not, there are ways to get about, and there could be an
> >online web service where people can check in their albums when
> >they are not listening to them, with a priority to check them back
> >out personally when they would, thus that there could be a
> >completely legal online music lending library with distributed
> >contributors, if there isn't already. Badda boom, badda bing.
> Perhaps. The big question in my mind is "didn't Napster run this
> past some lawyers? What were they thinking?"

With lawyers like David Boies, I imagine they figured that if he could get
Clinton off, he could get them off... ;)

Ross's idea is sound, where people have legally purchased copies of their music
downloaded to their system. If they want to make it available to all (and make
some money off of late return fees), they need to use an app that not only
uploads the single copy of the music to the library server, but maintains some
sort of 'overlord' log of all activity using that music file on the persons
system, so they could not upload it to the library if there is a record of them
retaining a copy on a backup tape, CDR, floppy, etc. The app would allow them to
'check out' music files that are properly licensed, and the library server can
only allow as many downloads as it has legal licenses for. Users that don't
return the files they downloaded on time pay late fees, which are split between
the library server company and whoever purchased the original file and made it
available to the public on the server (which could be the server company, a
music listener, or even the artist or his recording company). In this case, an
artist or recording company could presumably make 1000 licenses available to the
server library, and make money off of late fees. Users that incur late fees are
given the option by email to either return the music, pay the late fees to hold
onto the music for x amount of time, or buy the music license outright.

THIS could potentially be a money making dot com idea, although I am concerned
about news that Napster has distributed its server source code over the net and
others are now setting up their own servers elsewhere to run independent of
Napster and US Courts.

Mike Lorrey

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