Stealing Music with Muxtape ★
June 9, 2008
See that 5.4MB file loading in the background? That’s the file you need to download if you want to pirate the song you are currently listening to. I’m not saying you should, I’m saying you can.
Muxtape as a service is pretty good. Although I think they can implement better preventive measures that would require more of an effort on the users part. But again, once that preventive measure is decoded there’ll be an application to automate piracy.
I don’t know how popular this service already is, but I can already see the recording companies scream.
The philosophy that apps like Muxtape and stores that sell DRM-free music employ are that people who steal music will do so no matter what. Putting restrictions on services or music files isn’t going to stop those so we might as well ignore them and provide a better experience for the others.
Seems to be working too, since record companies have finally warmed up to selling DRM-free music and Muxtape has already gained enough popularity to be noticed by at least one of the record fellows. Heck a lot of musicians themselves have put up their mixes!
Selling music is fine. But stopping piracy should not stop thinking there will be pirates anyway. Simple techniques like splitting a music into several thousand pieces which are put together by the flash streaming server thus making it a big pain in the arse sit and join all those pieces.