Internet Culture Part 1: Music

 

 

Image courtesy of Kate's Comment

As times change and technology gets stronger, many people begin to do things differently. The way the Internet is used in the consumption of music is no exception. Before the age of the Internet and music downloads there was cassettes, vinyl and CDs. Now as MP3 players and iPods are becoming more and more popular, and more and more people are looking to the Internet for their music, what does this mean for record stores and the music industry as a whole?

A recent article by Record Industry boss, John Kennedy, published in the Sun newspaper stated that 95% of downloads are illegal. This in turn, results in more and more bands finding it harder to break into an industry that can’t invest in them. But why are people turning to the Internet? Well, as I believe, simply put, it is a combination of laziness and the word ‘free’. People can access the Internet from the comfort of their homes, however they need to venture outside in order to go to a record store. Whilst there are those who use websites such as HMV, Amazon and iTunes to purchase their music, there are others who look at Limewire for free music as it proves to be more financially acceptable to them. And now with many artists urging fans to download their work, it seems as though this is the way to go.

Aid Launched For Computer Novices

 

Image courtesy of BBC News

 

Whilst there are many people out there who are computer and technology savvy there are many others who are not. Frustrated with the complex technology, a new laptop has been created to give those suffering the help they need.

Going by the name of Alex, and based on Linux, the laptop comes with simplified e-mail, web browsing, image editing and office software. 

Andy Hudson, one of the founders at The Broadband Computer Company, stated that the idea behind the technology was to give users a “simple and enjoyable” experience.

At £39.95 a month, users will have access to telephone support, software updates and broadband access, as well as anti-virus software and 10GB of storage space.

Question is, will the new technology create a new group of citizen journalists, and will it change the media industry as we know it?