Insightful piece about the upcoming apocalyptic war between
corporate capitalism (as exemplified by Seagram/Universal) and the
Internet, and the dire stakes involved. (The Age)
Bronfman is historically wrong in his assumption that piracy is un-American.
For virtually the whole of the 19th century, the American publishing
industry flouted international copyright law... The American book trade
(which has since gobbled up ours) is founded on a century of napsterising.
What kind of environment will the internet become, as it evolves over the next
few years? A realm of utopian freedom, or of capitalist totalitarianism beyond
even Orwell's nightmares? Things are currently poised on a knife edge... The
software which enables me to download (all right, "pirate") Napster tracks can
as easily track my electronic footprints and "customise" my patterns of
consumption. In short, I use the net. But one day, quite soon, it may be using
me. Enjoy the music while you can.