Re: MD: MD inferior to MP3: it's not computer-literate

[Eric Woudenberg, Minidisc.org Editor]

Michael Hoffman's email seems to have hit the list like a Rorschach
test, causing folks to take issue (at length!) with whatever part of
the MD/MP3/PC-audio equation raises their hackles.

So, please allow me my reading :-)

"Michael Hoffman" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:

> Well then forget MD and stay with MP3.  We must engineer our own
> MD-burner technology that can do it the right way -- to make MD and
> possibly ATRAC a lossless bit-for-bit general file transfer and
> storage medium, *fully* computer-centric just like MP3.

Right! While I appreciate your bravery Michael, the sad fact is that
we (the users) are not permitted to decide which features and
conveniences modern audio gear will have. Not even the manufacturers
can. In this day and age the decision has been given over to the RIAA
and their friends in Congress.

The only reason people can have so much fun with MP3s and CDs (8cm or
otherwise) is that PC connectable CDs existed before the Home
Recording Rights Act. Were it otherwise, CD would certainly be hobbled
with SCMS (or worse), just as MD is, and DataPlay will be.

Wouldn't you guess it is glaringly obvious to Sony what wonderful
playtoys fully PC integrated Minidisc recorders would be, and the huge
market potential they would have? But I take my reading of Sony's
thinking from the NetMD announcement; the promiment aspect of it is
not that MD can now be part of the PC audio scene, but rather that it
will be able to satisfy the digital rights management requirements
that simply everyone in the PC/Internet audio field is concerning
themselves with.

I think it is best to consider CD/MP3 as a wonderful grandfatherered
anamoly that has (so far) managed to escape being corralled by the
recording industry. As for whom to plead with for the features on your
audio dream machine of the future, I suggest writing congress.

Rick
-----------------------------------------------------------------
To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word
"unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]