So for the longest time now I have been trying to live by the rule "less is more". I take pride in the fact that I can pretty much pack everything I need in the car and move without the help of friends (tricky with the mattress, I do need friends). 20+ moves in less than 10 years might do that to you.
So with this latest move I got rid of my computer desk, it was pretty small really, not the kind of thing that was useful to me and now my computer is sitting on the one thing that hasn't moved with me in 4 years, my storage bins full of cds...
iTunes and the other online stores have certainly made the case for eliminating all the cases compelling... I've been a fan of iTunes since 2004, before I even got an iPod. But since then I am usually still content to buy a physical cd in the $10-$13 range, and usually only resort to iTunes when I have been let down by Best Buys distribution system that doesn't make sense to me; why would you not have a Sub Pop release on the day it comes out when Borders does?
So the question I am asking myself is, when do I fully convert to mp3s and liberate myself of all this plastic sitting in boxes, untouched for the most part after they have been ripped to the computer? Am I only hanging on for the booklet with lyrics? Unlike the LP format diehards, I don't really care if the album art is 10 feet tall or cd size. But with the digital release, I don't seem to get that unless I've been missing something.. I know I can put the lyrics in after they've been ripped, but hey, I still bought a product; someone should do it for me.
If I abandon them, I abandon a collection. Then what am I? Free? Collection-less?
What are you doing? Anyone out there fully make the switch? No cds in your house/apt to speak of? Is there any real reason to hold on to old cds if you have them on your harddrive and you never look at them, not to mention listen to them?
4 comments:
Two words...back up.
I had two hard drives fail, both with my entire mp3 collection on them.
Luckily all my music was still on my iPod, and with the help of a handy little program called ImTOO, I pulled most of the songs back from my iPod to my new computer.
However, none of the songs I had purchased from iTunes transferred, and when I tried to re-download them from iTunes, I got an automated message telling me I should have backed up all my previously purchased music onto CDs for back up.
So I learned my lesson. I will never get rid of my CD's, and now I back up everything I buy from iTunes onto CDs.
So I guess iTunes has actually made my life more complicated, not more simple.
Oh, but I noticed a lot of bands are now offering all the artwork digitally when you purchase their full albums on iTunes.
yeah, this one's tough. as i now get most of my music via my emusic subscription, i'm expanding primarily in the digital realm. it does make me worried, though. i've backed up some stuff, but not nearly enough. you've inspired (scared?) me, sterling. i have an external hard drive that i can put stuff on, but not sure if that would work for itunes stuff. i'll have to look into it.
even though i jack my ipod into my home stereo and my car stereo for nearly all my music-listening, i still continue to tag albums that i'd like to have hard copies of some day. call me old school, but i don't think i'll give up on cds or vinyl just yet.
actually, for the itunes, yep, put them on there too, it'll work/recognize them. I have those copied on both my main computer and external.
Ya so even after I wrote this post I bought two albums at 13.00 each..., but for both bands I bought 3 more songs from eps on iTunes, and had a crazy night on emusic too catching up on old stuff, even a Fugazi song I had never heard but always wanted off a compilation!
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