This link has been bookmarked by 1 people . It was first bookmarked on 06 Dec 2007, by eyal matsliah.
-
06 Dec 07
-
But the moment something becomes free and ubiquitous, its position in the economic equation is suddenly inverted. When nighttime electrical lighting was new, it was the poor who burned common candles. When electricity became easily accessible and practically free, candles at dinner became a sign of luxury.
-
Free is overrated as a destiny. It is only the second phase of the three stages of copydom. The first phase -- perfection -- is experienced in both analog and digital. Perfect duplication made the modern world and modern music.
The second stage is freeness. Costless duplication made Napster possible and a music revolution thinkable.
Yet it is in the third level of digital copy-ness that the real revolution lies. This third power is liquidity, and it will take music beyond Napster.
-
It wasn't only that it was free; it was all the things you could do with it.
-
The growth of the Web is probably the largest creative spell that civilization has witnessed.
-
The arrival of perfect, free and liquid copies of music means that new economic models of making music will be forced upon musicians.
-
In the end, the future of music is simple: more choices. As the possibilities of music expand, so do our own.
-
Would you like to comment?
Join Diigo for a free account, or sign in if you are already a member.