Another analogy that doesn't quite hold is the one that says MP3's haven't made a serious dent to CD sales, so illegal downloads won't put a dent in music download sales. Well, first off, I don't think the MP3 thang has peaked yet. I think the movement of downloading MP3's is still in a steep upward curve, so the data isn't conclusive yet.
Second of all, there are many people out there who buy CD's because they don't have a clue about how to download an MP3. They know they can buy a CD, listen to it in a portable player, boombox, car, in their computer, their home stereo, etc. They don't know how to find and download files, find a suitable mp3 player, and they certainly don't know how to take that MP3 on their puter and make it play in their boombox or car.
Liquid Audio tracks will be rather useless to many if those people can't easily take that track they paid for and listen to it everywhere. In their car, at the beach, in a portable while jogging etc.
Well, the people who will be the prime target audience for purchasing Liquid Audio tracks will be people familiar with how to get on the net and download things. People that have this basic knowledge probably have enough knowledge to figure out how to go find that music for free. People like my mother, who don't have a clue about the net won't ever download Liquid Audio tracks. And that's why she still buys CD's and doesn't know what an MP3 is.
One of the goals of this company should be to make downloading Liquid Audio tracks as simple as possible. So simple that my mother will want to download some instead of going to the store to buy a CD. Not only that, but then it must be extremely simple and reliable to transfer them to CD or portables so people can take that music with them wherever they go.
A lofty goal... |
