[Jt]

For the love of FUCKING CHRIST.

I shouldn't even need to s-p-e-l-l o-u-t why this clown's sentiments consist of unadulterated bullshit, but I think I'm going to anyway, so rape me.

Firstly, let's talk fidelity. Until, as another boarder pointed out, online music retailers start trading in 24-bit raw wave files or equivalent, the download market remains bottle-necked by its own shit clarity; MP3s constantly hampered by clipping, flanged drums and sub-par separation. Plus, it's got to be borne in mind that a computer will NEVER compete with a dedicated stack stereo system for quality of sound - even if you hook up your Audigy to that pair of pricey Creative speakers, you're not even going to approach the finesse you'll be getting jacking in a full stereo set-up replete with quality speakers, CD player, deck and amp (plus good wiring). So get fucked, "Alan."

Next, let's discuss flexibility. With M$ and associated record companies' licensing restrictions on the download market, the online world actually represents a MUCH EASIER MANIPULATABLE field in which the majors can screw their clientele. WMA files are nortorious for their playback restrictions, often requiring the obtaining of licenses over the internet before activation. What of CDs? Here's a ker-razy theory for you to postulate, turd-features: how about RIPPING the music in question straight from the disc you've just bought, thereby giving you BOTH a hard, characterful copy of your music along with a digital file ready for transferring to your KnobPod in one deft motion. Which software provides for this handy little trick? Why, Apple's iTunes, of course! Prick. If you want to hit back with remarks about CD piracy restrictions, forget it - Sony tried and failed with their dongle-based effort (look it up) and, ultimately, all methods can be very easily circumvented.

Moving on now to choice. CHOICE. Arguably THE most relevant factor to a board of relatively diverse characters like ourselves. With the noughties' surge in quality independent labels, never before has the range of music on this format been so vast and obtainable. With re-issues complimenting the current fairly healthy state of the underground music scene, CD junkies have access to a world of music their downloading brethren could only DREAM about. Plus, while hunting out obscure CDs is always a pleasure (with, remember, high fidelity all but guaranteed), sites such as GEMM, Amazon and eBay allow access to all but the most truly left-field titles, not to mention labels' own websites.

Finally, and crucially, we have price, Alan. Your argument is utterly self-defeating. The Stone Roses have been for sale for £3.99 for a year, have they? How much does their "album" cost on iTunes, per chance? £7.99. Dumb-ass. So, I suppose it would be churlish of me to point out which is the better deal - a hard copy, with all artwork and liner notes, easily converted to digital (ANY bitrate or format of your choice) for half the price of a piss-poor set of license-bound .m4a files from the beloved Apple? Quite. Lest we not forget, too, that buying music from other online sources is a legally grey venture - several Russian outlets purport to sell dirt-cheap music, but with a myriad of legal issues surrounding them.

Morons like this try-too-harder constantly propogate the dawn of a "new digital age" heralding the arrival of unlimited free music, with their eyes wide shut to the fact that most of the music industry's best output was during the '60s-'90s, where labels had even more control than today. Worth remembering is that labels require MONEY to fund recording sessions and releases, and indeed render a music career a viable one in the eyes of the young artists they're attempting to attract. Ultimately, download culture is devoid of a true UNDERSTANDING of music, indeed living for the 3--minute pop song, when artists warrant so, so much more attention than this.

What're you going to show your kids as testimony of your music taste, Alan? Your piss-poor hard-drive full of 3-play-only pop songs? Gang-rape yourself you fucking ignorant cunt.