news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8305379.stm

We all knew it was a silly idea - but Lord Mandy's file sharing idea has been proved to be unworkable by a simple stunt by TALK TALK.

The only way that someone should be prosecuted for file sharing is if they have ILLEGAL downloads on their PC. Like if you are me went into a shop and stole a CD.

To prosecute the person who goes shopping or owns the shop is ridiculous.

File sharing is a problem - but only by educating people to pay for music will the problem stop or be eased.

In the 1970s MILLIONS of cassettes were sold and used for home taping. It did not kill the music industry because the product was good.

The current music industry needs to give more value on actual releases - such as FREE concert tickets with each album brought or posters or fan club meetings etc.

By doing this real fans who pay for music continue to get things that the illegal file sharers never get.

In the 70s you got the COVER ARTWORK and information and a better quality recording ( though Albums often got scratched etc )

So right now instead of trying silly ideas the MUSIC INDUSTRY should look to ideas that add value to their products and basically make file sharing a mugs game because the real product is MORE than just a digital file.

HOw about an album that costs £19.99 which includes - a £5 discount voucher on a concert ticket - a special album baseball cap or t shirt - and a signed photo of the band.

Then real fans will rush out and get this - rather than borrow files.

Music has been turned into "PRODUCT" by the music industry like Baked Beans - so there is no loyalty to band - and the idea of being a fan of a band is only applicable to bands from the past.

The MUSIC INDUSTRY needs to wake up and smell the coffee or go the way of the DODO.

Didnt the chart rules stop all giveaways such as this though on the basis of chart hyping

i.e a boyband giving away a different band member postcard with each CD single for example

You are so ill informed.

The new generation of internet protocol will make it much easier to deal with illegal filesharing.

Now sod off and try to flog some copies of "your" book.

Yes. The chart needs to be reformed in the light of file sharing to allow value to be added to packages. Yes this may count against indie labels - but not necessarily.

Labels need to think outside the box to survive these days.

Perhaps the chart company could set a level of £19.99 value that the package could not go above for chart purposes and list acceptable additions to the actual album/or single.

The single track seems to be doing quite well. I dont believe the hype about file sharing. Much of the problem is poor quality music.