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October 29, 2003 7:38 AM

It's official: Napster sucks. The RIAA's newest sticky fingers wants you to download.
posted by the fire you left me (30 comments total)

Why don't these systems support Win95/98?
posted by donth at 7:42 AM on October 29, 2003

Do we really need another Napster thread?
posted by monju_bosatsu at 7:48 AM on October 29, 2003

I think Windows Media's DRM doesn't work with Win95/98. Microsoft would really like people to stop using those older versions and have everyone eXPerience WinXP.

I'm interested in seeing what people are saying about Napster 2.0. It would have been nice to have a link to a review for Napster 2.0 versus just a link to the software's homepage.

Like this one [albeit a biased one].
posted by birdherder at 7:52 AM on October 29, 2003

Interesting things on the web, or boring websites undergoing some unlinked off-site discussion?
posted by nthdegx at 8:10 AM on October 29, 2003

Here, now we can refrain from posting these, too:

Kazaa

Imesh

who gives a fucking shit?
posted by angry modem at 8:22 AM on October 29, 2003

[this is bad]
posted by me3dia at 9:00 AM on October 29, 2003

What I'd like to know that I didn't get from the last discussion is the RIAA angle -- I'm hesitant to download this and try it out in case it includes some kind of spyware. Bear with me if I'm being incredibly naive... but what do you think?
posted by sparky at 9:04 AM on October 29, 2003

It's official: This post sucks.
posted by brettski at 9:04 AM on October 29, 2003

Yesterday I asked a former Napster employee if he was excited about the relaunch. He grimaced as if in pain and slowly muttered "nottt reeeally."
posted by scarabic at 9:10 AM on October 29, 2003

Man, this thing does indeed suck. Here's what I've experienced so far:

- install the client, even though I suspect there are spyware issues

- client requires a restart, but before that I get a restart notification that my roxio cd burning driver has been updated. Gee thanks Napster.

- After restart, a program I use for themes on XP no longer works. My motherboard monitor app also does not function (gives some sort of sys file error). Windows informs me it just found new hardware and is installing drivers. Good god, I hope that isn't Napster related. I just checked my device manager and I don't see anything telltale, so maybe it was something I changed recently (I did install a network card last weekend, but have rebooted a few times before this so I don't think it is that. This required another restart by the way.

- Now that I've finally got it running, it's a iTunes clone. Almost down to the same buy button graphics, and the same prices, it's just like iTunes. That's lame.

- If you want to hear streaming music or look at their message boards, you have to pay. So you can't find other members unless you pay, I guess. Oh there's a free "magazine" telling me what songs to buy.

- Pretty much feels like a bloated app to sell music in a weird windows DRM format that only works on one portable samsung device.

I would have liked to see Napster try something different than iTunes and Buymusic, it's a shame it's pretty much the same thing.
posted by mathowie at 9:29 AM on October 29, 2003

Yesterday I asked a former Napster employee if he was excited about the relaunch. He grimaced as if in pain and slowly muttered "nottt reeeally."

As another former kittyhead I, too, grimace.

I've been slow-circling the Roxio-minted, Microsoft-Yahoo!-Gateway-Samsung-partnered Napster 2.0 with some trepidation.

Upon first blush: To me, it's just not the service we were building just before the deluge...and (biased opinion) I liked where we were going more than what I see the New Partnership doing so far in this iteration.

*sigh*

I'll take the time to do due diligence and give a thorough examination to the new kitten, but it seems to be (at present) a bit of a dog.
posted by Dunvegan at 9:44 AM on October 29, 2003

How I wish they'd just left the cat tradmark alone. I hope this thing dies quickly.
posted by KnitWit at 10:05 AM on October 29, 2003

Wait. That thing is supposed to be a cat?
posted by kindall at 10:09 AM on October 29, 2003

We're sorry, Napster is not currently compatible with your operating system.

Napster is currently compatible with Windows XP/2000.
Windows 95, Windows NT and the Mac OS are not supported at this time.

If you are planning on using Napster on this computer, the service will not be compatible and you should discontinue registration. If you will use Napster on a different computer, with a compatible operating system, please continue.

Guess Napster doesn't want *MY* money badly enough to support the OS I use.
posted by rough ashlar at 10:18 AM on October 29, 2003

It's a pussy.
posted by rhruska at 10:26 AM on October 29, 2003

client requires a restart
Didn't for me.

Pretty much feels like a bloated app to sell music in a weird windows DRM format that only works on one portable samsung device.
It uses the "unofficial standard" DRM format for Windows (WMA). It is the same format used by BuyMusic, was used by PressPlay, and I believe MusicMatch also uses it. Every one of these portable players is compatible with Napster and its DRM.

Guess Napster doesn't want *MY* money badly enough to support the OS I use.
I'm curious. What pay to play music services work on versions of Windows older than XP/2K?
posted by punishinglemur at 12:42 PM on October 29, 2003

Correction: It appears that only players with stars by them in my link are compatible. But my point that it's not just the Samsung player stands. It also appears that MusicNow and Liquid.com use secure WMAs.
posted by punishinglemur at 12:45 PM on October 29, 2003

Selection: Better in some areas, worse in others (compared to iTunes). Napster has DreamWorks Records (AFI, later Elliott Smith, Eels) and Manifesto Records (Dead Kennedys), neither of which are on iTunes. But Napster is deficient in other areas. For example, there's no (International) Noise Conspiracy, which is on iTunes.

Pricing: Seems more consistant on Naster. The Vines' "Highly Evolved" is $11.88 at iTunes, $9.95 at Napster. Blur's "Think Tank" is $16.99 at iTunes, $9.95 at Napster. I'm sure there are exceptions, these are just a few albums that I happened to notice.
posted by punishinglemur at 1:05 PM on October 29, 2003

How's the sound quality on Napster's downloaded tracks? I personally have never liked the way WMA files seem to leave songs sounding hollow. When I hear one, even at a higher bitrate, I immediately know it's WMA, and it sends chills up and down my spine.

AAC just sounds like high-bitrate mp3 to my ears, that is, I'd rather have the CD but I guess I must be used to the mp3 sound or something because the sound differences, while I can tell they're there, don't bug me unless I'm using a nicer sound system.
posted by Space Coyote at 1:09 PM on October 29, 2003

WMA files seem to leave songs sounding hollow
Very true. I've never liked WMA for this reason.
posted by punishinglemur at 1:17 PM on October 29, 2003

Maybe I'm just naive, but I'm actually afraid to install the "new" Napster -- God only knows how much spyware/adware/malware crap it "features".
posted by bhayes82 at 1:25 PM on October 29, 2003

I'm curious as to why people think the new Napster has spyware? I'm not saying it doesn't, but I haven't seen any evidence whatsoever to support this claim.
posted by punishinglemur at 1:44 PM on October 29, 2003

Here's another interesting fact...the background colors for Napster.com and Metafilter are the same! Am I the only one who noticed this?
posted by CrazyJub at 2:20 PM on October 29, 2003

I got 5 free downloads as a promotion. I had a lot of trouble connecting due to server problems. Also: it's missing a lot of key essential music, including larger indies like Kill Rock Stars, albums like Odessey and Oracle and tunes like the Beach Boy's "God Only Knows." Also: what's the rationale for the partial albums thing?
posted by timothompson at 3:30 PM on October 29, 2003

timothompson: Regarding the partial albums, perhaps it's a licensing issue? It seems to appear mostly on older albums or compilations, so perhaps the copyrights on the recordings are not all owned by the same party.
posted by punishinglemur at 4:06 PM on October 29, 2003

CrazyJub: they're exactly dead-on. i noticed that before, too. like, it's creepy.
posted by jennanemone at 9:46 PM on October 29, 2003

I'm curious as to why people think the new Napster has spyware?

From the terms and conditions:
Napster and/or its business partners may present advertisements or promotional materials on or through the Service.
... this software identifies and counts the songs you have obtained and/or accessed.
... We may use your personally identifying usage data for a variety of service-related purposes.

From DRM to suing their customers, the RIAA has done everything they can to convince us that they are fundamentally user-hostile. Why should we trust them now?

They also have the right to revoke your membership at any time if they suspect you of using it improperly. When your membership is cancelled, or if a record label terminates their contract with Napster, or if Napster goes out of business, you lose the right to play the songs you have paid for on any other computer.

Thanks to DRM, both Napster and iTunes are unusable for me. They're not available for people like me who live outside the US. They don't work with my older iPod. I don't have any assurances that the music I pay for will continue to work.

The RIAA hasn't even managed yet to give me the same crappy level of usability and selection that I get from Kazaa. I'm still waiting for them to put out a service that would be worth using for free, let alone paying for. Back to Kazaa, Soulseek and eMusic for me.
posted by fuzz at 5:41 AM on October 30, 2003

If the roxio interface is half as bad as the one audible.com uses I pity anyone that uses it. I found an audio book that I wanted to listen to on my commute and it took me forever to get the burning system to work right. even after I finally got it to work it still only would burn one cd in the series of 7, then I would have to reboot to get it to work right. They just automatically assumed everyone ran out to get xp and you have to contact customer service to get the correct software for win 95/98 it isn't even on the site!
posted by hoopyfrood at 6:53 AM on October 30, 2003

They don't work with my older iPod.

Huh?
posted by sudama at 10:23 AM on November 24, 2003

So it's been a month... has Napster folded yet or is it still hanging in there? I'm afraid to look. Might see another one of those weird "bye we might be back someday" cat jpgs.
posted by ZachsMind at 11:28 AM on November 24, 2003