Charles C. Mann

Personal music collections have traditionally consisted of records, tapes, and CDs. But in the 1990s, it became possible to download music directly to a PC without paying a dime. Two technical advancements made these high—caliber downloads practicable. First MP3, a method for shrinking music data files, made it possible to store once unwieldy music files on a personal computer. Then Napster-a software developed by teenager Shawn Fanning-enabled people to browse and then download each other's MP3 music files. In short order the Recording Industry Association of America sued to stop this practice. The courts will be left to decide how the intellectual property rights of musicians can be protected in a networked world and how companies like Napster can legally put music on the Web. In this article for The Atlantic Monthly, contributing...