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Qtrax free, legal music service continues to frustrate potential new users
When the sevice originally launched, users weren't sold on qTrax because of its lack of major-label artists. Yesterday, there was a beacon of hope: at long last, agreements had been reached, hands shaken, and qTrax was ready to offer tracks from big names like Kanye and Britney.
With Brad otherwise committed, I volunteered to give the updated qTrax a try.
Yesterday, I was thwarted in my attempts by a broken download link. Today, I'm greeted by a blank black box, which yesterday contained the usual spiel about "our fancy new service that you're going to love." If you ever get to use it, that is. Better still is the fact that I can't close the "welcome" window today. Yesterday, at least, there was an x for me to click on.
Don't get me wrong - I understand that there's probably a massive amount of work going on behind the scenes at qTrax, and that yesterday's news likely resulted in increased traffic, but come on, fellas! You're launching a legal P2P music service. Please make sure it's available for people to see it in action when big news like this hits.
Am I wrong, or is this precisely the kind of thing that contributes to downloaders turning to alternative P2P sources, like bittorrent?
With Brad otherwise committed, I volunteered to give the updated qTrax a try.
Yesterday, I was thwarted in my attempts by a broken download link. Today, I'm greeted by a blank black box, which yesterday contained the usual spiel about "our fancy new service that you're going to love." If you ever get to use it, that is. Better still is the fact that I can't close the "welcome" window today. Yesterday, at least, there was an x for me to click on.
Don't get me wrong - I understand that there's probably a massive amount of work going on behind the scenes at qTrax, and that yesterday's news likely resulted in increased traffic, but come on, fellas! You're launching a legal P2P music service. Please make sure it's available for people to see it in action when big news like this hits.
Am I wrong, or is this precisely the kind of thing that contributes to downloaders turning to alternative P2P sources, like bittorrent?
Comments
20
Subscribe to commentsSamFeb 13th 2009 1:54PM
I actually thought this died a death when i couldn't download a single "minor" label song when it first came out.
Obviously it hasn't but perhaps it should.
Ben!Feb 13th 2009 2:56PM
"Am I wrong, or is this precisely the kind of thing that contributes to downloaders turning to alternative P2P sources, like bittorrent?"
You're wrong. There are lots of free and legal ways to acquire music. I doubt that a few upstarts having growing pains counts as a legitimate reason why people might turn to bit torrent. Good shot at an excuse, though.
ButtersFeb 13th 2009 2:48PM
Ben, please give examples of services that are completely free and give you access to all the major labels and new release. I would be interested in these services.
Lee MathewsFeb 13th 2009 2:57PM
Totally agree about the number of places to find free tunes, Ben.
But can you honestly not see someone saying "Wth, this doesn't work. I'll just torrent some U2 instead" ?
Lee MathewsFeb 13th 2009 3:36PM
And here you go, butters!
http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/08/31/35-places-to-download-free-legal-mp3s-music/
ButtersFeb 13th 2009 6:57PM
The problem with Ben's logic is this:
Just because it is free music doesn't mean that it is good music.
If I want to download Britney Spear's new album (not that I would, but I digress) for free, without restrictions there is really no where to do this.
Some site don't even have mayor label bands and singers in the first place. Those that do use DRM or only allow you to download one song at a time, or have some other delaying or restrictive feature attached.
So where do you go to easy and quickly download the latest album you want for free without any restrictions. The torrent or direct download sites.
I would be happy to use an ad supported, legal site but if they want to compete with the torrent sites, Usenet and direct download sites then they are going to have to stop making it so damn difficult.
NeoprimalFeb 14th 2009 11:10AM
They're not really competing. They're really just trying to appeal to an audience that don't want to steal music.
You make it sound like getting free music is your right....like you're entitled to it somehow. It's not....you're not. You're supposed to be paying for it.
"So where do you go to easy and quickly download the latest album you want for free without any restrictions."
Um...the same place you head to, to grab houses, cars, and anything else you want for free - nowhere. Plain and simple, if you get the music w/o paying for it legally, you're stealing it. Unless it's from a site that has deals set up.
So qtrax may be a vaporous service for the time being but I at least appreciate the fact that they're trying something. Otherwise I'd have to head to itunes or rhapsody to get the music that I want (or worse, have to buy the cd, yuck).
JackFeb 13th 2009 6:51PM
There is always spiralfrog.com which works well and seems to have some major artists.
ButtersFeb 13th 2009 8:37PM
Spiralfrog.com is not bad Jack. But the tracks have DRM and you can only download one song at a time.
JackFeb 13th 2009 10:05PM
I agree, there is definitely drawbacks...but this shouldn't be surprising...it's legal and free. I was on Ruckus.com for a long time, but they went away (sadly) and now I'm a spiralfrog user. I'm just trying to do anything I can to avoid having to torrent the music files.
KeithFeb 13th 2009 7:34PM
Hey for all of you looking to download qtrax. Here you go...
http://www.brothersoft.com/qtrax-download-158369.html
ButtersFeb 14th 2009 12:45PM
Neoprimal, nowhere does it say that I expect music for free or that I even download music off torrents. I mean did you even read the article or any of the other comments?
The point is that everyone keeps on saying there is plenty of free music on the web. While that may be true it is not the music that the majority of people want; the new releases and well know bands and albums. However everytime one of these free music sites comes around they are always compared to being just as easy as getting them from the torrents etc. My point is that they are not, that there are restrictions on all these site. Even on the paid sites there are DRM and unique file types that can only be played on certain MP3 players. Make downloading music easy and you will have a great site, whether it is paid or ad-supported or another business model. Simple as that.
Read next time.
luckybleuFeb 14th 2009 2:44PM
You currently can't download the qtrax beta anymore as Version1.0 is about to be released. I have been using the qtrax beta (0.6) for quite sometime they have added major label music over time as they signed deals with record labels ,First Universal then Emi ,Sony and just this week Warner music group ,they now have all major labels and many indies , these licenses give them the right to act as a "front end" on the gnutella network and provide LEGAL access to the 25 to 30 million tracks that are estimated to be on illegal sites. Artists and rights holders will be paid through un-obtrussive add revenue and through mechandising sales with in qtrax browser . The songs can also be synced to most mp3 players and cell phones. Speed of downloads is between 2 and 10 seconds. Qtrax Version 1.0 due out in march give it a try then I think you will find it better than anything out there.
SmedleyFeb 15th 2009 11:23PM
"Ben, please give examples of services that are completely free and give you access to all the major labels and new release. I would be interested in these services."
So far I only know of Qtrax (but it is drm for now). Watch their' space for availability in the next month or 2. The author is short sighted in saying "come back when it's ready", because no one asked him to write about a product that is not on the market yet.
luckybleuFeb 16th 2009 2:30PM
Smedly, I posted this information to the author of this article, because he said he went to give Qtrax another try only to find a broken link, I was explaing to him why he could no longer the qtrax player .6 beta. Qtrax I believe will be revolutionary because they will let users access to p2p networks LEGALLY and with a supperior service . So in the mean time smedley keep stealing music , then when you get a letter from the riaa saying you owe thousands of dollars you can go back and try qtrax
luckybleuFeb 16th 2009 2:46PM
For now if you want to be legal try skreem r for free legal mp3 downloads lots of major label music
DanzieFeb 23rd 2009 11:01AM
QTrax actually has not re-launched the site officially, which is why you are having problems. They have only announced that they have signed with the major labels. They have said in many articles that they are working on the site itself now that all deals have been signed with record labels. So it will be up and running soon.
DanzieFeb 23rd 2009 11:01AM
Luckybleu is VERY right! I just read his/her comments.
zerufFeb 26th 2009 4:16PM
Yeah their are lots of places to download music free and legally, but I'm just hoping that qtrax comes out soon because it would be better than the rest of them combined. They claim the 1.0 non-beta is coming out in March so it's not that far off. The cool thing about Qtrax is that it not only CLAIMS to be Legal but the RIAA also considers it legal.
See Link:
http://www.riaa.com/toolsforparents.php?content_selector=legal_music_sites
MalladMar 2nd 2009 5:05PM
Thanks Danzie, finally someone read the rest of the website :-)
They don't have a broken link. They clearly state on their site that the beta is full and they will allow more downloads when the client is fully released.