A flurry of announcements (and revelations) in the music industry leads you to the inescapable conclusion that the endgame is near. For the moment, the anti-consumer control freaks have won — totally.
It’s easy to feel depressed at the victory of the anti-freedom crowd. But they have only won a temporary victory.
They are pushing music lovers further and further away from the music. If I cannot make a personal copy of music for other playback devices — if I have to buy the same music twice — I will stop buying the music.
And millions of people will find other ways to share and copy the music they love. Gnutella and its clones are already gaining new adherents even as Napster dies.
But for now, let’s face it. Greed has won the day.