Direct Assessment of a Method for Digital Music Distribution Supporting Revenue Generation and Sharing

我们提出了一个项目，在网上进行一项新的数字音乐定价和发行方法的试验。这种方法是由帝国理工学院互联网中心开发的，并在最近的一项数字经济可行性研究中得到了实施和测试。这次试验将解决一个关键问题，即这种方法是否会被网络上的音乐社区真正采用和使用。如果被证明是成功的，这种方法将为非法文件共享问题提供一个彻底而深远的解决方案，目前在互联网上如此普遍。该方法结合了Rayna博士和Striukova博士开发的创新定价模式，允许用户下载任何他们想要的音乐，但只需为他们喜欢的音乐付费（根据他们的收听模式进行评估），以及一种新颖的点对点音乐发现和传播过程，允许原创艺术家和社区分享产生的收入。人们希望这些激励措施将足以说服用户为内容付费，并避免试图用严厉的法律措施来遏制非法文件共享。该试验将与艺术家和团体以及音乐软件公司合作进行。试验将分为两个阶段；第一个是包括帝国理工学院学生在内的现场审判，第二个是在网上进行的现场公开审判。该试验还将探索使用先进的机器学习软件，使艺术家更好地了解他们社区的行为和其他音乐材料的分发，包括即兴现场音乐会。如果这些试验取得成功，它们不仅将为解决数字盗版问题提供一种手段，而且还将为蓬勃发展的互联网音乐社区和其他互联网业务开辟道路。

We propose a project to carry out a trial, live on the Web, of a novel method for pricing and distributing digital music. This method has been developed by the Imperial College Internet Centre and was implemented and tested in a recent Digital Economy Feasibility Study. This trial will address the critical issue of whether this method will be adopted and used, for real, by music communities on the Web. If proven successful this method would offer a radical and far-reaching solution to the problem of illegal file sharing, currently so prevalent on the Internet.The method combines an innovative pricing model developed by Drs Rayna and Striukova, which allows users to download any music they want but only pay for what they enjoy (assessed by their listening patterns), with a novel peer-to-peer music discovery and dissemination process that allows revenue generated to be shared between the originating artist and the community. It is hoped that these incentives will be sufficient to persuade users to pay for content and avoid the need to attempt to curb illegal filesharing with draconian legal measures.The trial will be conducted in collaboration with artists and groups and music softare companies. The trial will comprise two stages; the first a live but contained trial involving Imperial College students the second a live open trial on the Web.The trial will also feature exploring the use of advanced machine learning software to enable artists better understand their communities' behaviour and the distribution of other music material including impromptu live concerts.If these trials are successful they would not only provide a means of solving the problem of Digital Piracy but also open the way for a thriving Internet music community and other Internet businesses..