Would you miss the internet if it ceased to exist?

[Futurama]

Tonight's been a little on the reminiscent side, and I began to think of something an older friend of mine said to me - "we had friends when I was younger - we went out and found them." Needless to say the internet has given every man here capability to do almost anything - but the question is, are we using it fully?

 

I follow an underground hard dance scene and this year two of the major distributors went completely bust - Amato Distribution and Resist Music. Thanks to this, there is no longer a worldwide vinyl distributor for the scene - and the reason for them going bust is none other than filesharing.

 

This begs the question of what to blame - lack of support altogether, or the fact that people on the internet have too much power for their own good. I remember a day where we used to think copying a tape off a friend was bad because we really really liked a single. We wern't even 10 - and we still bought music on CD and Tape. When's the last time I bought a CD? A fair while ago, considering. I'm beginning to understand the meaning of actually buying all of the music you listen to rather than just listening to it on the internet. The internet has almost destroyed this music scene, and I wouldn't be surprised if this started happening more.

 

 

 

I, for one, am switching to iTunes after xmas.

 

actually living my life or just wasting away my days on this thing, and it's becoming very eye opening.

 

 

 

For me, the time has come to start working aswell as continuing my studies, start buying music, and stop using the bloody internet so much and actually get a life. It's took me a while to realise, but, the internet is a complete and utter plague.

 

 

 

Discuss.

[The Observer]

I'll miss it. I wouldn't be able to contact relatives at all. :|

[runescapeloser22]

I would miss it loads, it would make it harder to do research papers and such for school also :P

[knives669]

I'd really miss it. Without the Internet, I wouldn't know as many of the interesting people that I know today. ^_^ I don't think I'd be as open-minded and aware of the ways of people in other parts of the world. Sure, there are some bad things about the Internet, as there are with all things. But, I certainly wouldn't say that it's a plague.

[Lenin64]

I would miss it loads, it would make it harder to do research papers and such for school also :P

 

Yea, we'd have to go back to *shudder* libraries and books :uhh: . Library isn;t so bad, but having to look up the books....takes a while.

[Nadril]

Not to sound rude but you're only harping on one, tiny instance of the internet -- file sharing.

 

 

 

 

 

The fact is is that to simply shun the entire internet because of this one aspect is, well, wrong.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As far as file sharing goes, I don't think it has 'destroyed' the music scene. One thing it has done is it has forced several music labels and bands to rethink their strategy on how to make money.

 

 

 

You can still depend on people buying your CD or music online, its just that there is a minority out there who will download it anyways. Half of the time anyways those who download your music wouldn't have bought it anyways, there are fewer people I think that would have actually bought it if it was not available online to download.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are some methods to actually combat this. One is to rethink your strategy. Maybe try and, instead, score deals as well with companies such as Rhapsody who offer a large library of music for a monthly fee. Try and emphasize concerts and such, or extra stuff (shirts, stuff you can't pirate) to sell.

 

 

 

 

 

Even if your music sales take a bit of a hit if you still emphasize other markets as well it won't be that large of a loss. I can understand how it feels for an indy music developer as yourself to try and get your foot in the door, but just try and score some deals with various places. I know you're more of an electronica music person so maybe try and see if any DJ's or something around would buy your music to play in them, or something like that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I dunno, just trying to think a bit out of the box for this thing. The music industry is still trying to figure out what exactly to do to combat this and it is a bit difficult.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As far as the rest of the internet, of course I would miss it! It would be so much more difficult to do stuff such as just general work and, hell, part of my hobby really relies on the use of the internet (art, so I'm constantly looking for stock photography and stuff).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anyways I just don't think you should shun the entire internet because of file sharing alone.

[Solidus_77]

As nardil said, the internet is hardly limited to filesharing. There are plenty of other things to do on the internet. Like, oh I dunno, I found this cool game called Runescape. :-$

 

 

 

I, for one, am switching to iTunes after xmas.

 

actually living my life or just wasting away my days on this thing, and it's becoming very eye opening.

 

 

 

Well the internet isn't really responsible for your inability to lead a balanced life. You know I really don't like it when people think they have to hate one thing in order to love something else. Why can't you just use the internet and listen to CDs? Why do you think that you have to hate the internet in order to like CDs?

[Nadril]

Also another idea:

 

 

 

 

 

What if you allowed your music to be downloaded, for free, online. However on your website set up ad's and such so that you are still making money from it.

 

 

 

 

 

Just show a different ad on each download page, that would still make money and you could still sell CD's and such to those just wanting a compilation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just trying to think outside the box here.

[emmanuel1233]

nah the only thing i would miss is haveing email.. after that the internet is pretty much useless to me... and maybe rs a lil bit lol

[BlueLancer]

Also another idea:

 

 

 

 

 

What if you allowed your music to be downloaded, for free, online. However on your website set up ad's and such so that you are still making money from it.

 

 

 

 

 

Just show a different ad on each download page, that would still make money and you could still sell CD's and such to those just wanting a compilation.

 

 

 

Just trying to think outside the box here.

 

 

 

That's an age-old method of making money online - and it works. The reason why everyone isn't doing it, is because 99% of people can't figure out content which is interesting enough to keep people coming back again and again.

 

 

 

Artists don't have that problem, since their fans and other curious people will visit the site very often. Even if only 1-2% of visitors click on ads (which isn't unrealistic, not to mention the views themselves count too), you can make plenty of cash.

[pfilc23]

The irony/hypocracy of this op is hilarious! Posting on an internet forum that you're sick of internet? LOL Plus, I don't see how file-sharing put vinyl distributors out of business...people buy vinyl because they want vinyl...otherwise they'd just buy CDs (people that will download via file-sharing wouldn't buy vinyl anyway)

 

 

 

Anyway, you're ignoring 98.5% of the internet...PORN! I was in a bookstore at airport recently and saw the shelves of porn magazines and thought "who the heck buys porn mags any more?!?". When I was a kid, the only porn we got is when one of our friends stole a mag from their dad. Kids don't know how good they've got it today.

[doomy]

I'd miss it...Duh

[Powman3]

Yes, the computer is the only way I can talk to some good friends of mine.

[Giordano]

Reduced file sharing has increased the quality of your life? Funny. :P

 

 

 

Internet pwns. I'll miss it dearly and probably join protests to get it back. :D

[dsk803]

i dunno wat i would do, i would miss it a ton :(

[darkmage099]

I would miss it because I find information very addicting.

[Joes_So_Cool]

I would not miss it if it ceased to exist for one reason - I wouldn't know what it was, so I couldn't miss it.

 

 

 

~Joe

[IGoddessI]

No because you can't miss something you've never had.

[mad4u689]

I actually wouldn't know what to do with my life and much of my time.

 

 

 

It's incredibly sad... but true :x

[Meziko]

My phone bill would jump fo sho, more then i pay monthly for internet too :(

[Mr_Putter]

I would really miss the internet, mostly because, like darkmage099 said, I find information very addicting. I take for granted the likes of wikipedia and google, and since my quest in life basically is seeking out interesting and practical information, no internet would make it much harder.

 

 

 

I could probably deal without a forum like this (no offence), but I use forums all the time, as I'm sort of a DIY guy without any abilities :anxious: . I find it reassuring that if I mess something up, there's a forum somewhere that I can go and ask experts in the field what I should do. And it always works.

 

 

 

I might be better off in some ways; I'd have more free time. But I'd probably waste it in some equally unproductive manner. :

[venomai]

The internet has helped me become more aware in many subjects that I otherwise wouldn't know much about. For example: culture, religion (Buddhism especially), spirituality (OBEs), world issues (Iraq, Darfur), politics, drug use, the media etc.

 

 

 

It's like a book that is about everything, never stops giving you knowledge, and is always willing to accept your thoughts and compositions.

 

 

 

Also, I'm guessing the internet will heavily play into my career when the time comes. I aspire to become a game developer, and much of that is based on the internet. Not only the fact that many games use the internet, but often the development process involves a lot of searches, along with hosting online code repositories and game websites.

 

Also, online communication (eg: IRC) between developers is extremely helpful and boosts cooperation, teamwork and all-around understanding.

 

 

 

Not to mention all the torrents I've downloaded... :XD:

 

 

 

The internet is a double-edged sword. If you use it properly and responsibly, it can greatly improve certain aspects of your life. If you use it irresponsibly (such as playing RS all day) then it can damage certain aspects of your life. Same with soft drugs, really. :P

[Lionheart_0]

<3internet<3

 

 

 

Seriously, this place we call the internet is like a home to me. And as nerdy as that sounds, I bet many people feel the same way. I have so many friends all around the world due to the internet, and it gives me many lulz as well, so I can pretty much see the internet as my main source of happiness.

 

 

 

The internet would be dearly missed by me :(

[dsavi]

Warning: Don't read this thread at night- too scary. :ohnoes:

 

 

 

No forum.tip.it... :uhh: And no web design which I have as a hobby... no Windows live messenger... AAARGH!

[____]

Warning: Don't read this thread at night- too scary. :ohnoes:

 

 

 

No forum.tip.it... :uhh: And no web design which I have as a hobby... no Windows live messenger... AAARGH!

May be a hobby to you, but it's a career to a lot of people on these forums :ohnoes: