The ABC's of MP3

WHAT WE LOVE ABOUT DIGITAL MUSIC




Portability


Carrying a Wurlitzer's worth of music in your jeans pocket is a teen dream come true.




Convenience


With your music collection on a hard drive, there's no more hunting through stacks of CDs when you get the urge to hear that Japan-only remix of Deee-Lite's first album.




Variety


Online sources, legal and otherwise, let you explore the world's musical smorgasbord without changing out of your jammies.




WHAT WE HATE ABOUT DIGITAL MUSIC




Musicians getting stiffed


It's tough to feel sorry for the Madonnas and Metallicas of the world, but acts without the bling bling can really feel the pinch of music piracy.




Audio quality


Well-ripped MP3 files can sound very good indeed, but the quality of downloaded files varies widely.




Paranoia


"Sir, we've been tracking your file-download activity, and I'm afraid you'll have to come with us."