It is now official that my only music download site, WinMx, is officially closed.  I figured this would happen and maybe the shut down is right and maybe it is wrong.  I have the opinion that it is wrong that they were shut down.  As far as I know, there are claimed to be only a couple of deciding factors for download sites such as WinMx to be shut off.  I believe it is one factor, compensation.

The act of exchanging music has been happening forever.  So far in my lifetime it was exchanging records, then cassettes, and now cd's.  What has changed?  Nothing but the legal system that is trying to restrict it.  That is done under the realm of compensation.  I know and remember that it was Metallica that started all of this.  They claimed that they were losing money from the downloads that was rightfully theirs.  That is understandable.  But if I lend you my Metallica cd and you listen to and or copy it, isn't that the same thing?  

I have learned that artists make much, much more of their money more from the selling of concert tickets than they do from the selling of their music.  Correct me if I am wrong but when Jimmy Buffet and the Rolling Stones charge outrageous ticket prices to see them play I am inclined to believe this is true.  Mr. Buffet charged $75.00 for nose bleed seats at the Starwood Amphitheatre.  So why would a person pay those rediculous prices unless they had the opportunity to listen to the artists work?  WinMx gives us, or should I say gave us, that opportunity.

Almost all of my music that I have downloaded I have already owned the music to begin with.  Although there are new ones, if I had thought that after hearing the song I liked it, I would go out and buy the cd.  A case in point was Alice in Chains.  I got a couple of songs from the net, kept listening to them and had to go and get the cd because I liked the music so much. 

It would be nice that if all obtained music was restricted for compensation for the rightful parties involved.   That is something that cannot be done.  I do not feel that it is wrong to be downloading songs by artists.  I believe that sites like WinMx gives listeners the same luxery as the radio does.  So for the poor and depleted victims of download sites like WinMx, my belief is that your industry should promote WinMx and like sites because they help your exposure and ulitmately help your compensation.