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Originally Posted by HansTWN
The unstoppable tide? Maybe, I am not convinced yet. I see the same things you do. Bands giving away their music -- mostly startups who want to become known to a wider audience. Many in the younger generation thinking that downloading from the darknet is not stealing --
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FWIW my favourite band gave away a complete album in 2000, several years before I got my first MP3 player. They continue to give away music and sell music online at reasonable prices. They are currently planning a subscription service, which I find interesting. They know their money isn't going to come from CDs, so they are trying to find out how to profit in an environment where the recordings are not valued as they once were.
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definitely at the root at the problem. Education is the answer, just like most people obey the law even when they know they could get away with breaking it in a certain situation.
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Perhaps I'm more cynical than you. Like you said, young people don't see it as stealing. If they download a song then pay $100 to see the band live, the band is happy (I've heard several artists say this) and the fan is happy. Doesn't make it right, of course.
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The same people that download pirated digital goods do not necessarily steal physical goods. The younger generation has to realize that pirating is wrong, it is stealing. Is it hopeless? I still think there is a chance.
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I don't think there is a chance. I think the best way forward is for the artists to make money another way. Sort of how Nintendo sells Wiis at a loss, but makes money from licensing to games manufacturers. They are sort of 'giving away' their main product. Authors can come up with ways to make money without selling books. In that I am optimistic.
I don't see the alternative as necessarily a bad thing.
The alternative is that artists will make money somehow because they will find a way to profit from their skills.
In fact, I think the digital age might be a levelling field. We all know that the majority of artists make very little money, and only a small handful make their riches. If good economic models are found, maybe for every 1 JK Rowling we have now we might have 300 hard-working authors making a solid living by selling ads and creating subscription stories.
If authors made their money indirectly from ads, subscriptions, etc. they will not need to be paid for the products that they can't prevent theft of anyway.