Those sites that stream full tracks, such as We7, imeem, etc. are quite handy.  Just click record on Audacity, then click play on the stream-site, a few minutes later click stop on Audacity, trim, and export to mp3.

At least that's what you'd do if you were naughty.

Indeed.  I do find it slightly ironic that napster see themselves as upholding the rights of copyright holders and being spokespeople for all that is right and proper, considering the 'napster' brand was built upon one of the most sucessful illegal p2p file sharing networks.

I cut my downloading/file-sharing teeth on the 'old' napster back in 2000.

These days I tend to do most (99.9%) of my downloading via iTunes, although imeem (with the help of Audacity) comes in handy if I want something that isn't available on iTunes.

For home entertainment I wouldn't be without 'Miro'  (put it in Google and download)

Music vids plus loads of short films etc in HD.  All tastes catered for.

To try it out over a wide time spectrum I put Kaiser Chiefs into search box and John Mc Cormack.

Got loads for both of them.

Sorry if I'm off beam a bit but I've only had time to glance at Forum so I might be missing something.   Anyway, I hope it helps.

Just spent £50 on wireless headphones too but they're still going to be worth it with all the noise from next door!  (council won't do owt, Horace!)

Up until recently, I wasn't that tempted to download music as the quality of most mp3 were just disappointing. I tend to listen to music using 'decent' equipment - especially since I finally managed to updgrade to my 'dream' hi fi.

But now that broadband rates are so high, there is an increasing trend to share lossless formats like FLAC, ALAC & WMA Lossless. So far I have largely resisted temptation, especially as the music I tend to buy is only pressed in the few thousands of copies at most so the artists & small record labels really need MY contribution to continue. 

I have very little sympathy for the Music industry which continues to foist a neverending stream of utter rubbish on the public and expects people to pay high prices for it. I am, however, utterly bemused by the lengths some people will go to to download said rubbish. The cost of CD's online (and even on the high street where discounting is applied) is so low that I can see no real benefit from trawling through web sites looking for individual tracks. Personally I would rather spend a little bit more on independantly produced music, usually by local musicians, but that is purely a matter of taste.

Andybr

perhaps more people would buy music if the "fit for purpose" could be applied. this cd is sh1te and doesn't entertain me at all, give me my money back.

JOHN! meridian!...drool. i occasionally leave a brochure or two around where the Angel can take a look.

mp3 at 320kbps is virtually indistinguishable from WAV's on an ipod. there is still a big difference between them on decent hi-fi stuff.

Parky,

The incredibly coincidental bit about being me is that

1) I love music, especially live or played on good quality systems and

2) Allen Boothroyd is my cousin... Nepotism has its place... right above "the bottom line"

Strangely my M spinner is capable of playing mp3 but that seems to be because they want to remind you why they spent so much time, money and energy developing DVD-A readers & the MLP format!!!

in case i haven't called you a git recently john.

GIT!

fortunately, the Angel likes good quality sound and just accepts the tens of meters of spaghetti around the back as the price to pay for it. and she loves football. and will watch rugby. and she's being entralled by touching the void which she's watching now.

but the meridian digital speakers......some day, some day.

I was really upset to see Feargal Sharkey backing the moghuls. Mind you he went off a bit when he became a "solo artiste".

I remember being handed rubbish C60s of the Pogues and the Undertones pubescent efforts and saving up the paper-round money to buy t'actual vinyls.

I've since bought them on tape, CD, download, box-set, whatever. If you can't actually hear the music without having the dollar to buy it what are the chances you're ever going to spend on it?  

Give me Cocker power anyday!   And he's in my age group!   (Remember the Mojo Club, Horace!)

Oh yes he very good man.

Then again Pulp spent years making less than no money so he should be used to it!