The Downloading Disaster – Ways to Avoid it
Not only is downloading music ILLEGAL, but it can also be harmful to your computer. When I say downloading I’m not referring to programs like iTunes or Rhapsody, we’re talking about illegal file sharing. According to the Institute for Policy Innovation, global music piracy causes $12.5 billion dollars of economic losses every year, the loss of 71,060 U.S. jobs, and $422 million dollars in lost tax revenue. With these facts behind them and the partnerships with the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), schools across the world are cracking down on downloaders. I’m here to offer you a few resources to stay safe, legal, and maybe even expand your music base.
- Pandora Radio – My personal favorite. This service is completely free, all you have to do is go to Pandora.com and set up an account. You pick a song or artist and using their innovative Music Genome Project they play a streaming radio feed just for you. You can also provide feedback for each song that will allow even greater customization of your Pandora radio channel. There is occasionally a 15 or 20 second commercial but its awesome. They also have an app for the iPhone and Blackberry devices.
- Grooveshark – This service is relatively new to the music world, its like a combination of Twitter, iTunes, and Pandora. It allows you to use a feature similar to Pandora radio, but it also let you choose individual songs and create your own playlist. Once you have created this list you can save it, making it searchable on the site, this way you can share your favorite playlists with your friends. This is not yet available in an app form, but you can play it from your computer.
One of the trade-offs that come with this type of music service is that it wont allow you to have these songs on your mp3 player like iTunes or Rhapsody but it is cheaper and safer. With Pandora and Grooveshark you will never have to download a thing so it’s super safe.
For more info check out this book from eCampus.com: Caution! Music & Video Downloading: Your Guide to Legal, Safe, and Trouble-Free Downloads
SeanJohn
I’m reading Thinking Mathematically