The
non-technical field most influenced by computers
in 1999 was probably the distribution of music.
The new and widely accepted MP3 technical format
made it feasible to download popular music files
from the Internet and then listen to them on
a PC or transfer them to a special MP3 player.
One major limitation was that music files were
large and thus took lengthy periods to download.
Standard technology and format for the compression
of audio signals into very small computer files.
For example, sound data from
a compact disc (CD) can be compressed to one-twelfth
the original size without sacrificing sound
quality. Because of small file size and ease
of production from CD sources, the MP3 format
is very popular for transmitting music files
over the Internet. Although recording companies
have sued many Web sites for facilitating the
exchange of such copyrighted material, many
now provide sample songs in MP3 format to promote
CD sales, and some musicians bypass recording
companies and issue their songs over the Internet. |