Re: draft proposal for new file share agreement

> I'd appreciate your thoughts on the attached document.

Thanks for that. I once proposed something similar to the Ogg Vorbis 
developers, by putting a PayPal tag into the metadata of the audio 
file, but they weren't very keen on it.

Perhaps though, it could work something like this:

1. The freely redistributable audio file is considered a promotional 
tool, rather than a product in its own right. The artist wants as 
many people to hear the promo as possible, because they know that 
they will make more money per listener by selling a CD, DVD or 
T-shirt than they will from the likes of iTunes. (If there's enough 
bandwidth around in future, peer-to-peer music video sharing may 
prove even more popular).

2. The audio file tag (metadata) contains a URL which is the 
e-commerce page of the artist, as well as the usual album and track 
details. Public key cryptography and md5 checksums might offer some 
defence against tampering.

3. The media player has a button for 'Buy this track' or 'Support this 
artist', and can post the metadata to the e-commerce site.

4. On clicking this button, a new browser window opens which takes the 
user direct to the page where they can buy the related CD or 
whatever, because the metadata indicates the exact track the user is 
playing. Setting user preferences such as geographical location could 
help promote live appearances. 

So we end up with a system that doesn't need to ban file sharing and 
doesn't need to rely on DRM, because the artist income is from the 
sale of tangible property and access to concerts - a physical, not 
virtual location.

I think adding an 'artist support' tag like this could be something 
that artists who don't want to go down the DRM route would 
appreciate, and could help Vorbis adoption.

As I see it, user convenience is the key to the sucess of iTunes, not 
artist support. I'm not suprised that bands like the Red Hot Chilli 
Peppers have withdrawn from iTunes, given that it only pays something 
like 60 US cents wholesale for a single.  By the time you've paid 
everyone in the chain, you might as well be giving it away...

http://www.absolutelyric.com/a/view/Red_Hot_Chili_Peppers/Give_it_Away/
  
Cheers

Daniel
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